Rifling Trunks｜Zhuangzi

将（jiāng）为（wèi）胠（qū）箧（qiè）探（tàn）囊（náng）发（fā）匮（kuì）之（zhī）盗（dào）而（ér）为（wèi）守（shǒu）备（bèi），（）则（zé）必（bì）摄（shè）缄（jiān）縢（téng），（）固（gù）扃（jiōng）鐍（jué），（）此（cǐ）世（shì）俗（sú）之（zhī）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）知（zhì）也（yě）。（）然（rán）而（ér）巨（jù）盗（dào）至（zhì），（）则（zé）负（fù）匮（kuì）揭（jiē）箧（qiè）担（dān）囊（náng）而（ér）趋（qū），（）唯（wéi）恐（kǒng）缄（jiān）縢（téng）扃（jiōng）鐍（jué）之（zhī）不（bù）固（gù）也（yě）。（）然（rán）则（zé）乡（xiāng）之（zhī）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）知（zhì）者（zhě），（）不（bù）乃（nǎi）为（wèi）大（dà）盗（dào）积（jī）者（zhě）也（yě）？（）

To guard against thieves who pry open chests, rummage through sacks, and break into coffers, people are sure to tighten the cords and straps and strengthen the bolts and locks. This is what the world calls wisdom. Yet when a great robber arrives, he carries off the coffer on his back, hoists away the chest, shoulders the sack, and runs, fearing only that the cords, straps, bolts, and locks may not be secure enough. If so, was not what was formerly called wisdom merely a way of storing things up for the great robber?

故（gù）尝（cháng）试（shì）论（lùn）之（zhī）：（）世（shì）俗（sú）之（zhī）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）知（zhì）者（zhě），（）有（yǒu）不（bù）为（wèi）大（dà）盗（dào）积（jī）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）圣（shèng）者（zhě），（）有（yǒu）不（bù）为（wèi）大（dà）盗（dào）守（shǒu）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）邪（xié）？（）昔（xī）者（zhě）齐（qí）国（guó）邻（lín）邑（yì）相（xiāng）望（wàng），（）鸡（jī）狗（gǒu）之（zhī）音（yīn）相（xiāng）闻（wén），（）罔（wǎng）罟（gǔ）之（zhī）所（suǒ）布（bù），（）耒（lěi）耨（nòu）之（zhī）所（suǒ）刺（cì），（）方（fāng）二（èr）千（qiān）余（yú）里（lǐ）。（）

So let us try to examine the matter. Among those whom the world calls wise, is there anyone who does not store things up for the great robbers? Among those called sages, is there anyone who does not stand guard for the great robbers? How do we know this is so? In former times, the neighboring towns of the state of Qi were visible from one another, and the crowing of chickens and barking of dogs could be heard from town to town. Nets and traps were spread, and plows and hoes bit into the soil, across an expanse more than two thousand li square.

阖（hé）四（sì）竟（jìng）之（zhī）内（nèi），（）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）立（lì）宗（zōng）庙（miào）社（shè）稷（jì），（）治（zhì）邑（yì）屋（wū）州（zhōu）闾（lǘ）乡（xiāng）曲（qū）者（zhě），（）曷（hé）尝（cháng）不（bù）法（fǎ）圣（shèng）人（rén）哉（zāi）？（）然（rán）而（ér）田（tián）成（chéng）子（zǐ）一（yí）旦（dàn）杀（shā）齐（qí）君（jūn）而（ér）盗（dào）其（qí）国（guó），（）所（suǒ）盗（dào）者（zhě）岂（qǐ）独（dú）其（qí）国（guó）邪（xié）？（）并（bìng）与（yǔ）其（qí）圣（shèng）知（zhì）之（zhī）法（fǎ）而（ér）盗（dào）之（zhī），（）故（gù）田（tián）成（chéng）子（zǐ）有（yǒu）乎（hū）盗（dào）贼（zéi）之（zhī）名（míng），（）而（ér）身（shēn）处（chù）尧（yáo）舜（shùn）之（zhī）安（ān）。（）

Within Qi’s borders, were not the institutions for establishing ancestral temples and altars to soil and grain, and for governing settlements and their local divisions, all modeled on the sages? Yet one day Tian Chengzi killed the ruler of Qi and stole his state. Was the state alone what he stole? He stole along with it the laws and institutions of sagely wisdom. Thus Tian Chengzi bore the name of robber and thief, while he himself enjoyed the security of Yao and Shun.

小（xiǎo）国（guó）不（bù）敢（gǎn）非（fēi），（）大（dà）国（guó）不（bù）敢（gǎn）诛（zhū），（）十（shí）二（èr）世（shì）有（yǒu）齐（qí）国（guó），（）则（zé）是（shì）不（bù）乃（nǎi）窃（qiè）齐（qí）国（guó）并（bìng）与（yǔ）其（qí）圣（shèng）知（zhì）之（zhī）法（fǎ）以（yǐ）守（shǒu）其（qí）盗（dào）贼（zéi）之（zhī）身（shēn）乎（hū）？（）

Small states did not dare condemn him, and great states did not dare punish him; for twelve generations his line possessed the state of Qi. Did he not, then, steal Qi together with the laws of its sages and wise men, and use them to protect his own person as a robber?

尝（cháng）试（shì）论（lùn）之（zhī）：（）世（shì）俗（sú）之（zhī）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）至（zhì）知（zhì）者（zhě），（）有（yǒu）不（bù）为（wèi）大（dà）盗（dào）积（jī）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）至（zhì）圣（shèng）者（zhě），（）有（yǒu）不（bù）为（wèi）大（dà）盗（dào）守（shǒu）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）邪（xié）？（）昔（xī）者（zhě）龙（lóng）逢（féng）斩（zhǎn），（）比（bǐ）干（gān）剖（pōu），（）苌（cháng）弘（hóng）胣（chǐ），（）子（zi）胥（xū）靡（mí）。（）故（gù）四（sì）子（zi）之（zhī）贤（xián）而（ér）身（shēn）不（bù）免（miǎn）乎（hū）戮（lù）。（）故（gù）跖（zhí）之（zhī）徒（tú）问（wèn）于（yú）跖（zhí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）盗（dào）亦（yì）有（yǒu）道（dào）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Let us try to discuss the matter. Among those whom the common world calls supremely wise, is there anyone who does not pile up goods for a great robber? Among those it calls supreme sages, is there anyone who does not stand guard for a great robber? How do we know this is so? Longfeng was once beheaded, Bigan was cut open, Chang Hong was disemboweled, and Zixu's body was cast away to decay. Thus, worthy though these four men were, they could not escape execution. So the followers of Robber Zhi asked him, “Is there a Way even for robbers?”

跖（zhí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）适（shì）而（ér）无（wú）有（yǒu）道（dào）邪（xié）？（）夫（fū）妄（wàng）意（yì）室（shì）中（zhōng）之（zhī）藏（cáng），（）圣（shèng）也（yě）；（）入（rù）先（xiān），（）勇（yǒng）也（yě）；（）出（chū）后（hòu），（）义（yì）也（yě）；（）知（zhī）可（kě）否（fǒu），（）知（zhì）也（yě）；（）分（fēn）均（jūn），（）仁（rén）也（yě）。（）五（wǔ）者（zhě）不（bù）备（bèi）而（ér）能（néng）成（chéng）大（dà）盗（dào）者（zhě），（）天（tiān）下（xià）未（wèi）之（zhī）有（yǒu）也（yě）。（）”（）

Robber Zhi said, “Where could one go and find no Way? To divine what valuables are hidden inside a house is sageliness; to enter first is courage; to come out last is righteousness; to know what is feasible and what is not is wisdom; and to divide the spoils evenly is benevolence. No one under heaven has ever become a great robber without possessing all five.”

由（yóu）是（shì）观（guān）之（zhī），（）善（shàn）人（rén）不（bù）得（dé）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）道（dào）不（bù）立（lì），（）跖（zhí）不（bù）得（dé）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）道（dào）不（bù）行（xíng）。（）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）善（shàn）人（rén）少（shǎo）而（ér）不（bù）善（shàn）人（rén）多（duō），（）则（zé）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）利（lì）天（tiān）下（xià）也（yě）少（shǎo）而（ér）害（hài）天（tiān）下（xià）也（yě）多（duō）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）唇（chún）竭（jié）则（zé）齿（chǐ）寒（hán），（）鲁（lǔ）酒（jiǔ）薄（báo）而（ér）邯（hán）郸（dān）围（wéi），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）生（shēng）而（ér）大（dà）盗（dào）起（qǐ）。（）

Seen from this, good people cannot establish themselves without the Way of the sages, and Zhi cannot carry on without the Way of the sages. Since good people in the world are few and those who are not good are many, the benefit sages bring to the world is small, while the harm they cause is great. Thus it is said: when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold; the wine of Lu was weak, and so Handan was besieged; when sages arise, great robbers rise with them.

掊（pǒu）击（jī）圣（shèng）人（rén），（）纵（zòng）舍（shě）盗（dào）贼（zéi），（）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）始（shǐ）治（zhì）矣（yǐ）。（）

Strike down the sages and set the robbers loose; only then will all under heaven begin to be well governed.

夫（fū）川（chuān）竭（jié）而（ér）谷（gǔ）虚（xū），（）丘（qiū）夷（yí）而（ér）渊（yuān）实（shí）。（）圣（shèng）人（rén）已（yǐ）死（sǐ），（）则（zé）大（dà）盗（dào）不（bù）起（qǐ），（）天（tiān）下（xià）平（píng）而（ér）无（wú）故（gù）矣（yǐ）！（）圣（shèng）人（rén）不（bù）死（sǐ），（）大（dà）盗（dào）不（bù）止（zhǐ）。（）虽（suī）重（zhòng）圣（shèng）人（rén）而（ér）治（zhì）天（tiān）下（xià），（）则（zé）是（shì）重（zhòng）利（lì）盗（dào）跖（zhí）也（yě）。（）

When the streams dry up, the valleys are empty; when the hills are leveled, the depths are filled. Once the sages are dead, great robbers will no longer arise, and all under heaven will be at peace and free of disturbances! If the sages do not die, the great robbers will not cease. Even if sages are highly esteemed and used to govern the world, this merely confers greater profit on Robber Zhi.

为（wèi）之（zhī）斗（dòu）斛（hú）以（yǐ）量（liàng）之（zhī），（）则（zé）并（bìng）与（yǔ）斗（dòu）斛（hú）而（ér）窃（qiè）之（zhī）；（）为（wèi）之（zhī）权（quán）衡（héng）以（yǐ）称（chēng）之（zhī），（）则（zé）并（bìng）与（yǔ）权（quán）衡（héng）而（ér）窃（qiè）之（zhī）；（）为（wèi）之（zhī）符（fú）玺（xǐ）以（yǐ）信（xìn）之（zhī），（）则（zé）并（bìng）与（yǔ）符（fú）玺（xǐ）而（ér）窃（qiè）之（zhī）；（）为（wèi）之（zhī）仁（rén）义（yì）以（yǐ）矫（jiǎo）之（zhī），（）则（zé）并（bìng）与（yǔ）仁（rén）义（yì）而（ér）窃（qiè）之（zhī）。（）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）邪（xié）？（）

Make bushel measures for them to measure things, and they will steal what is measured, measures and all. Make weights and balances for them to weigh things, and they will steal what is weighed, weights and balances and all. Make tallies and seals for them to establish trust, and they will steal the tallies and seals too. Establish benevolence and righteousness for them to correct conduct, and they will steal benevolence and righteousness as well. How can it be known that this is so?

彼（bǐ）窃（qiè）钩（gōu）者（zhě）诛（zhū），（）窃（qiè）国（guó）者（zhě）为（wèi）诸（zhū）侯（hóu），（）诸（zhū）侯（hóu）之（zhī）门（mén）而（ér）仁（rén）义（yì）存（cún）焉（yān），（）则（zé）是（shì）非（fēi）窃（qiè）仁（rén）义（yì）圣（shèng）知（zhì）邪（xié）？（）故（gù）逐（zhú）于（yú）大（dà）盗（dào），（）揭（jiē）诸（zhū）侯（hóu），（）窃（qiè）仁（rén）义（yì）并（bìng）斗（dòu）斛（hú）权（quán）衡（héng）符（fú）玺（xǐ）之（zhī）利（lì）者（zhě），（）虽（suī）有（yǒu）轩（xuān）冕（miǎn）之（zhī）赏（shǎng）弗（fú）能（néng）劝（quàn），（）斧（fǔ）钺（yuè）之（zhī）威（wēi）弗（fú）能（néng）禁（jìn）。（）

One who steals a belt hook is put to death, while one who steals a state becomes a feudal lord. And since benevolence and righteousness are found within the gates of the feudal lords, have they not also stolen benevolence, righteousness, and the wisdom of the sages? Thus, those who follow the great robbers, take up the rank of feudal lords, and steal the advantages of benevolence and righteousness together with those of measures, weights, balances, tallies, and seals cannot be exhorted even by rewards of stately carriages and ceremonial caps, nor restrained by the threat of axes and battle-axes.

此（cǐ）重（zhòng）利（lì）盗（dào）跖（zhí）而（ér）使（shǐ）不（bù）可（kě）禁（jìn）者（zhě），（）是（shì）乃（nǎi）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）过（guò）也（yě）。（）

What offers Robber Zhi such immense profit and makes him impossible to restrain is precisely this; and this is the fault of the sages.

故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）“（）鱼（yú）不（bù）可（kě）脱（tuō）于（yú）渊（yuān），（）国（guó）之（zhī）利（lì）器（qì）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）示（shì）人（rén）。（）”（）

Therefore it is said: “Fish must not leave the depths; the state’s potent instruments must not be shown to others.”

彼（bǐ）圣（shèng）人（rén）者（zhě），（）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）利（lì）器（qì）也（yě），（）非（fēi）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）明（míng）天（tiān）下（xià）也（yě）。（）

The one called a sage is a potent instrument of all under heaven, not something to be made manifest and displayed to all under heaven.

故（gù）绝（jué）圣（shèng）弃（qì）知（zhì），（）大（dà）盗（dào）乃（nǎi）止（zhǐ）；（）擿（zhì）玉（yù）毁（huǐ）珠（zhū），（）小（xiǎo）盗（dào）不（bù）起（qǐ）；（）焚（fén）符（fú）破（pò）玺（xǐ），（）而（ér）民（mín）朴（pǔ）鄙（bǐ）；（）掊（pǒu）斗（dǒu）折（zhé）衡（héng），（）而（ér）民（mín）不（bù）争（zhēng）；（）殚（dān）残（cán）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）圣（shèng）法（fǎ），（）而（ér）民（mín）始（shǐ）可（kě）与（yǔ）论（lùn）议（yì）；（）擢（zhuó）乱（luàn）六（liù）律（lǜ），（）铄（shuò）绝（jué）竽（yú）瑟（sè），（）塞（sāi）瞽（gǔ）旷（kuàng）之（zhī）耳（ěr），（）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）始（shǐ）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）聪（cōng）矣（yǐ）；（）灭（miè）文（wén）章（zhāng），（）散（sàn）五（wǔ）采（cǎi），（）胶（jiāo）离（lí）朱（zhū）之（zhī）目（mù），（）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）始（shǐ）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）明（míng）矣（yǐ）。（）

Therefore, abolish sageliness and discard knowledge, and only then will great robbers cease. Throw away jade and destroy pearls, and petty thieves will not arise. Burn the tallies and break the seals, and the people will become plain and unadorned. Smash the measuring vessels and snap the balance beams, and the people will not contend. Utterly destroy the sages’ laws throughout all under heaven, and only then can deliberation with the people begin. Disrupt the six pitch standards, melt down and destroy the yu pipes and se zithers, and stop the ears of Kuang the Blind; only then will everyone under heaven begin to hold their own keenness of hearing within. Erase decorative patterns, scatter the five colors, and glue shut the eyes of Li Zhu; only then will everyone under heaven begin to hold their own clarity of sight within.

毁（huǐ）绝（jué）钩（gōu）绳（shéng）而（ér）弃（qì）规（guī）矩（jǔ），（）攦（lì）工（gōng）倕（chuí）之（zhī）指（zhǐ），（）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）始（shǐ）人（rén）有（yǒu）其（qí）巧（qiǎo）矣（yǐ）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）大（dà）巧（qiǎo）若（ruò）拙（zhuō）。（）削（xuē）曾（zēng）、（）史（shǐ）之（zhī）行（xíng），（）钳（qián）杨（yáng）、（）墨（mò）之（zhī）口（kǒu），（）攘（rǎng）弃（qì）仁（rén）义（yì），（）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）德（dé）始（shǐ）玄（xuán）同（tóng）矣（yǐ）。（）

Destroy the hook and line, cast away compass and square, and break the fingers of the artisan Chui; only then will everyone under heaven begin to possess a skill of their own. Thus it is said, “Great skill seems clumsy.” Cut away the conduct upheld by Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, seal the mouths of Yang Zhu and Mo Di, and reject benevolence and righteousness; only then will the virtue of all under heaven begin to merge in dark identity.

彼（bǐ）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）明（míng），（）则（zé）天（tiān）下（xià）不（bù）铄（shuò）矣（yǐ）；（）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）聪（cōng），（）则（zé）天（tiān）下（xià）不（bù）累（lèi）矣（yǐ）；（）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）知（zhì），（）则（zé）天（tiān）下（xià）不（bù）惑（huò）矣（yǐ）；（）人（rén）含（hán）其（qí）德（dé），（）则（zé）天（tiān）下（xià）不（bù）僻（pì）矣（yǐ）。（）彼（bǐ）曾（zēng）、（）史（shǐ）、（）杨（yáng）、（）墨（mò）、（）师（shī）旷（kuàng）、（）工（gōng）倕（chuí）、（）离（lí）朱（zhū）者（zhě），（）皆（jiē）外（wài）立（lì）其（qí）德（dé）而（ér）爚（yuè）乱（luàn）天（tiān）下（xià）者（zhě）也（yě），（）法（fǎ）之（zhī）所（suǒ）无（wú）用（yòng）也（yě）。（）

If people keep their clear sight contained within, the world will not be dazzled; if they keep their keen hearing contained within, the world will not be burdened; if they keep their knowledge contained within, the world will not be confused; if they keep their virtue contained within, the world will not stray into perversity. Zeng Shen, Shi Yu, Yang Zhu, Mo Di, Music Master Kuang, the artisan Chui, and Li Zhu all set up their excellence outwardly and thereby dazzled and disordered the world. Taking them as models serves no purpose.

子（zǐ）独（dú）不（bù）知（zhī）至（zhì）德（dé）之（zhī）世（shì）乎（hū）？（）昔（xī）者（zhě）容（róng）成（chéng）氏（shì）、（）大（dà）庭（tíng）氏（shì）、（）伯（bó）皇（huáng）氏（shì）、（）中（zhōng）央（yāng）氏（shì）、（）栗（lì）陆（lù）氏（shì）、（）骊（lí）畜（chù）氏（shì）、（）轩（xuān）辕（yuán）氏（shì）、（）赫（hè）胥（xū）氏（shì）、（）尊（zūn）卢（lú）氏（shì）、（）祝（zhù）融（róng）氏（shì）、（）伏（fú）羲（xī）氏（shì）、（）神（shén）农（nóng）氏（shì），（）当（dāng）是（shì）时（shí）也（yě），（）民（mín）结（jié）绳（shéng）而（ér）用（yòng）之（zhī）。（）

Do you alone not know the age of utmost virtue? Long ago there were Rongcheng, Dating, Bohuang, Zhongyang, Lilu, Lichu, Xuanyuan, Hexu, Zunlu, Zhurong, Fuxi, and Shennong. In those days, the people knotted cords and made use of them.

甘（gān）其（qí）食（shí），（）美（měi）其（qí）服（fú），（）乐（lè）其（qí）俗（sú），（）安（ān）其（qí）居（jū），（）邻（lín）国（guó）相（xiāng）望（wàng），（）鸡（jī）狗（gǒu）之（zhī）音（yīn）相（xiāng）闻（wén），（）民（mín）至（zhì）老（lǎo）死（sǐ）而（ér）不（bù）相（xiāng）往（wǎng）来（lái）。（）若（ruò）此（cǐ）之（zhī）时（shí），（）则（zé）至（zhì）治（zhì）已（yǐ）。（）

People find their own food sweet, their own clothing beautiful, their own customs delightful, and their own dwellings secure. Neighboring states lie within sight of one another, and the calls of chickens and dogs can be heard across their borders, yet the people grow old and die without ever going back and forth. In such a time, the utmost order has already been attained.

今（jīn）遂（suì）至（zhì）使（shǐ）民（mín）延（yán）颈（jǐng）举（jǔ）踵（zhǒng），（）曰（yuē）“（）某（mǒu）所（suǒ）有（yǒu）贤（xián）者（zhě）”（），（）赢（yíng）粮（liáng）而（ér）趣（qù）之（zhī），（）则（zé）内（nèi）弃（qì）其（qí）亲（qīn）而（ér）外（wài）去（qù）其（qí）主（zhǔ）之（zhī）事（shì），（）足（zú）迹（jì）接（jiē）乎（hū）诸（zhū）侯（hóu）之（zhī）境（jìng），（）车（chē）轨（guǐ）结（jié）乎（hū）千（qiān）里（lǐ）之（zhī）外（wài）。（）则（zé）是（shì）上（shàng）好（hào）知（zhì）之（zhī）过（guò）也（yě）！（）

Now matters have gone so far that the people crane their necks and rise on tiptoe, saying, “There is a worthy man in such-and-such a place.” Carrying provisions, they hurry off to him; at home they abandon their kin, and abroad they leave aside their service to their rulers. Their footprints follow one another through the territories of the feudal lords, and their wheel tracks interlace a thousand li away. This is the fault brought about by those above prizing knowledge!

上（shàng）诚（chéng）好（hào）知（zhì）而（ér）无（wú）道（dào），（）则（zé）天（tiān）下（xià）大（dà）乱（luàn）矣（yǐ）！（）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）邪（xié）？（）

If those above truly prize knowledge yet are without the Way, then all under heaven will fall into great disorder. How do we know that this is so?

夫（fū）弓（gōng）弩（nǔ）毕（bì）弋（yì）机（jī）变（biàn）之（zhī）知（zhì）多（duō），（）则（zé）鸟（niǎo）乱（luàn）于（yú）上（shàng）矣（yǐ）；（）钩（gōu）饵（ěr）罔（wǎng）罟（gǔ）罾（zēng）笱（gǒu）之（zhī）知（zhì）多（duō），（）则（zé）鱼（yú）乱（luàn）于（yú）水（shuǐ）矣（yǐ）；（）削（xuē）格（gé）罗（luó）落（luò）罝（jū）罘（fú）之（zhī）知（zhì）多（duō），（）则（zé）兽（shòu）乱（luàn）于（yú）泽（zé）矣（yǐ）；（）知（zhì）诈（zhà）渐（jiàn）毒（dú）、（）颉（xié）滑（gǔ）坚（jiān）白（bái）、（）解（jiě）垢（gòu）同（tóng）异（yì）之（zhī）变（biàn）多（duō），（）则（zé）俗（sú）惑（huò）于（yú）辩（biàn）矣（yǐ）。（）故（gù）天（tiān）下（xià）每（měi）每（měi）大（dà）乱（luàn），（）罪（zuì）在（zài）于（yú）好（hào）知（zhì）。（）

The more expertise there is in bows, crossbows, bird-catching nets called bi, tethered arrows, and ingenious mechanisms, the more the birds are disturbed in the sky. The more expertise there is in hooks, bait, fishing nets, lift nets, and basket traps, the more the fish are disturbed in the water. The more expertise there is in trapping devices called xuege, luoluo, ju, and fu, the more the beasts are disturbed in the marshes. The more deceitful and harmful cleverness and the shifting sophistries of xiegu, “hard and white,” jie gou, and “same and different” proliferate, the more ordinary people are confused by disputation. Thus the world repeatedly falls into disorder; the fault lies in a fondness for clever knowledge.

故（gù）天（tiān）下（xià）皆（jiē）知（zhī）求（qiú）其（qí）所（suǒ）不（bù）知（zhī）而（ér）莫（mò）知（zhī）求（qiú）其（qí）所（suǒ）已（yǐ）知（zhī）者（zhě），（）皆（jiē）知（zhī）非（fēi）其（qí）所（suǒ）不（bù）善（shàn）而（ér）莫（mò）知（zhī）非（fēi）其（qí）所（suǒ）已（yǐ）善（shàn）者（zhě），（）是（shì）以（yǐ）大（dà）乱（luàn）。（）故（gù）上（shàng）悖（bèi）日（rì）月（yuè）之（zhī）明（míng），（）下（xià）烁（shuò）山（shān）川（chuān）之（zhī）精（jīng），（）中（zhōng）堕（duò）四（sì）时（shí）之（zhī）施（shī），（）惴（zhuì）耎（ruǎn）之（zhī）虫（chóng），（）肖（xiāo）翘（qiáo）之（zhī）物（wù），（）莫（mò）不（bù）失（shī）其（qí）性（xìng）。（）

Thus everyone in the world knows to seek what they do not know, yet no one knows to seek what they already know. Everyone knows to condemn what they do not regard as good, yet no one knows to reject what they already regard as good. For this reason great disorder arises. Above, it runs counter to the radiance of the sun and moon; below, it consumes the vital essence of mountains and rivers; in between, it ruins the beneficent workings of the four seasons. From trembling, soft-bodied insects to small creatures that rise or fly, none fails to lose its own nature.

甚（shèn）矣（yǐ），（）夫（fū）好（hào）知（zhì）之（zhī）乱（luàn）天（tiān）下（xià）也（yě）！（）自（zì）三（sān）代（dài）以（yǐ）下（xià）者（zhě）是（shì）已（yǐ）！（）舍（shě）夫（fū）种（zhǒng）种（zhǒng）之（zhī）民（mín）而（ér）悦（yuè）夫（fū）役（yì）役（yì）之（zhī）佞（nìng）；（）释（shì）夫（fū）恬（tián）淡（dàn）无（wú）为（wéi）而（ér）悦（yuè）夫（fū）啍（tūn）啍（tūn）之（zhī）意（yì），（）啍（tūn）啍（tūn）已（yǐ）乱（luàn）天（tiān）下（xià）矣（yǐ）！（）

How grievously the fondness for clever knowledge has disordered the world! This has been so from the Three Dynasties onward. People abandon the simple and sincere among the populace and delight in restless sycophants; they relinquish tranquil nonaction and delight in the endless admonitions of verbose speakers. This ceaseless admonition has already thrown the world into disorder.

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