Laozi said: Heaven attains its height, Earth attains its thickness, the sun and moon shine, the stars are bright, Yin and Yang harmonize; none of this is achieved through deliberate action. It is by upholding the correct Dao that things follow their natural course. Yin and Yang, the Four Seasons, do not intentionally give birth to all things; rain and dew falling at appropriate times do not deliberately nourish grass and trees. When spirits connect and Yin and Yang harmonize, all things come into being. The Dao stores essence within, dwells the spirit in the heart; it is tranquil and untroubled, serene and calm within the chest. It is vast without form, silent without sound. The government is as if there were no affairs, the court as if there were no people; there are no hidden sages, no idle commoners, no burdensome labor, no grievances from punishment. Under such circumstances, all under heaven look up to the image of the ruler and follow his will. Even those in distant lands with different customs come through multiple translations—not because every household is visited or every person seen—but simply by spreading sincere intent throughout the world. Therefore, rewarding virtue and punishing violence is the proper command; The reason it can be carried out is sincerity. Commands, though clear, cannot take effect alone; they must be accompanied by sincerity. Therefore, when the ruler governs with Dao but the people do not follow, it is because sincerity does not encompass them.

Laozi said: Heaven sets up the sun and moon, arranges the stars and constellations, establishes the Four Seasons, and regulates Yin and Yang. Day exposes things to light, night allows them rest; wind dries them, rain and dew moisten them. It gives birth to all things, yet none can see the source of their nourishment, but all things grow; It causes things to die, yet none can see where they are lost, and so all things perish. This is called the divine and enlightened. Therefore, the sage emulates it. When blessings arise, there is no visible cause for them, yet blessings come; When calamities are removed, there is no discernible reason for it, yet calamities vanish. Examining it yields no trace, investigating it reveals no falsehood; daily calculations seem insufficient, yet annual accounts show abundance. Silent without sound, a single word stirs the entire world—this is the transformation brought about by aligning with Heaven's will. Therefore, when sincerity and earnestness manifest internally, their energy moves Heaven; auspicious stars appear, the yellow dragon descends, the phoenix arrives, sweet springs emerge, excellent grains grow, rivers do not overflow, and seas do not surge with waves; Disregarding Heaven and oppressing all things leads to solar and lunar eclipses, the Five Planets deviating from their courses, the Four Seasons interfering with one another, daylight in the night and light at dusk, mountains collapsing and rivers drying up, thunder in winter and frost in summer. Heaven and humanity are connected in some way. Therefore, when a state is about to decline or perish, celestial phenomena change; the world may fall into chaos, rainbows appear—this indicates that all things are interconnected, and spiritual energies influence one another. Thus, matters of spirits and enlightenment cannot be achieved through cleverness or skill, nor can they be attained by force. Therefore, the great person unites virtue with Heaven and Earth, aligns brightness with the sun and moon, harmonizes spirit with ghosts and deities, corresponds trustworthiness with the Four Seasons. He carries the will of Heaven in his heart, embraces the breath of Earth, holds balance and contains harmony. Without leaving his hall, he influences all under heaven; he transforms customs and habits, guiding the people toward goodness as if it were born within them—this is one who can transform through spiritual power.

Laozi said: The way of humanity is to preserve one's nature and maintain authenticity, not damaging the body. When faced with sudden danger or hardship, their spirit communicates with Heaven as if they had never departed from its source—what then could they fail to accomplish? Life and death belong to the same realm; they cannot be intimidated or overpowered. How much more so when one governs Heaven and Earth, embraces all things, returns to creation and transformation, contains ultimate harmony—and yet has never truly died. Sincerity and earnestness manifest within, and externally they resonate with the hearts of people—this is the Dao that does not need to be transmitted. The sage in power holds the Dao without speaking, and his grace reaches all the people; therefore, the teaching through silence is vast and boundless! When ruler and minister have divided hearts, their deceit is reflected in Heaven; spiritual energies respond accordingly—subtle indeed. This is called argument without words, the Dao beyond Dao. To summon the distant, one must let them act without effort; to bring the near, one must speak of no affairs. Only those who walk in darkness can possess this. Turn back swift horses to manure fields; the tracks of chariots do not reach beyond distant lands—this is called sitting and traveling on land while sinking silently. The Dao of Heaven is impartial in its approach and impartial in its withdrawal. Those with ability have abundance, those who are weak lack sufficiency; to follow it brings benefit, to oppose it brings misfortune. Therefore, those who govern by wisdom find it difficult to maintain the state; only those who harmonize with ultimate harmony and uphold natural response are able to possess true governance.

Laozi said: The Dao and De are like the circumference and the hide of a drum; when distant, they seem near; when close, they become firm. Investigating them yields no trace, examining them reveals no falsehood. Therefore, the sage is like a mirror: neither leading nor resisting, responding without storing, untouched by things and thus unharmed. To obtain it is to lose it; to lose it is to obtain it. Therefore, one who attains ultimate harmony is darkened like a drunkard in deep slumber, wandering within it contentedly, as if never having departed from its source. This is called great communication—it is through non-action that function is achieved.

Laozi said: In the past, when Huangdi ruled over all under heaven, he regulated the movement of sun and moon, balanced the energies of Yin and Yang, adjusted the measures of the Four Seasons, corrected the calendar and musical pitch standards, distinguished between men and women, clarified hierarchy. He ensured that the strong did not suppress the weak, nor the many oppress the few; people preserved their lives without premature death, harvests were abundant without disaster, officials performed their duties justly without selfishness, superiors and subordinates harmonized without blame, laws and decrees were clear and not obscure, assistants acted with integrity and impartiality. Farmers yielded field boundaries to each other, nothing lost on the road was picked up, and merchants did not set prices in advance. Therefore, at that time, sun, moon, stars, and constellations followed their courses without deviation; winds and rains came seasonally; five grains flourished abundantly; phoenixes soared in the courtyard, and qilins roamed the suburbs. Fuxi Shi, when he ruled over the world, rested with a square pillow and slept on a rope bed; he regulated killing in autumn and restraint in winter. He bore the square states upon his back and embraced the round heavens. Where Yin and Yang were blocked or stagnant, he opened them up; where rebellious energies harmed living things and accumulated injury to the people, he cut them off completely. His people were innocent and unaware of directions—east or west—they looked blindly, walked unsteadily, yet felt content in their simplicity, knowing not from where they came. They drifted about carelessly, unaware of their origins; raised without direction, they did not know where to go. At that time, birds, beasts, insects, and snakes all concealed their claws and fangs, hid their stings and poisons—thus achieving harmony with Heaven and Earth. When the Yellow Emperor descended to the level of Tai Zu, he was closely connected yet did not proclaim his achievements or promote his name. He concealed the Dao of the True Person and followed the inherent order of Heaven and Earth. Thus, how could morality ascend upward while wisdom and artifice be extinguished?

Laozi said: Heaven is not fixed; without it, the sun and moon have no place to rest. Earth is not fixed; without it, grass and trees have nowhere to stand. The body is not at peace; without tranquility, right and wrong take no form. Therefore, there must be a True Person before there can be true wisdom. If what one holds is unclear, how can one know that what I call knowledge is not in fact ignorance? Accumulating benevolence and valuing wealth to bring joy to the people, making all common folk happy with their lives—this is called Ren (benevolence). Achieving great accomplishments, gaining a distinguished reputation, embodying the relationship between ruler and minister, rectifying hierarchy, clarifying closeness and distance, preserving endangered states, continuing extinct lineages, and establishing successors where there are none—this is called Yi (righteousness). Closing the nine orifices, concealing thoughts and will, abandoning keen perception, returning to ignorance—wandering aimlessly beyond worldly defilement, roaming freely in a life of no affairs, inhaling Yin and exhaling Yang while harmonizing with all things—this is called De (virtue). Therefore, the Dao disperses into virtue; virtue overflows into benevolence and righteousness. When benevolence and righteousness are established, the Dao and virtue are abandoned.

Laozi said: One whose spirit is scattered speaks in empty words; one whose virtue is unstable acts with falsehood. When the most refined essence shines within, yet speech and conduct are observed externally, this cannot help but result in being enslaved by external things through one's own body. Essence may be exhausted through worry, yet actions have no end; if what one upholds is uncertain and the mind indulges in worldly customs, then the sage cultivates internally the Dao and techniques without outwardly adorning benevolence and righteousness. Knowing the proper function of the nine orifices and four limbs, he roams within the harmony of spirit—this is how the sage travels.

Laozi said: The sage's wandering is movement within ultimate emptiness, with the mind roaming in boundless nothingness. He gallops beyond the confines of form, walks through gateless realms, listens to soundlessness, sees the invisible. He is not confined by society, nor bound by worldly conventions. Therefore, what enables the sage to move all under heaven is that the True Person does not overstep; what enables the worthy person to correct the world is something the sage does not observe. When a person is bound by worldly conventions, his form becomes tethered and his spirit leaks away; thus he cannot escape division. Whoever can be restrained or controlled must have an essence that lies outside himself.

Laozi said: The thoughts of a ruler do not let the spirit stray within the chest, nor does wisdom extend beyond the four borders. He holds in his heart benevolence and sincerity; timely rains fall, the five grains multiply abundantly—spring brings growth, summer flourishing, autumn harvests, winter storage. Monthly inspections and seasonal assessments take place, with annual tributes presented. The people are nurtured through fairness, authority is established through sincerity, laws are simplified and not burdensome, moral instruction works as if by divine power; punishments are lenient, prisons remain empty. All under heaven share a single custom, none harboring deceitful thoughts—this is the thinking of the sage. When those above desire without measure, those below become greedy for merit and unwilling to yield. The people grow poor and distressed, disputes arise; labor is arduous yet yields no reward, cunning deceit emerges, thieves and bandits multiply openly. Rulers and subjects resent each other, decrees go unheeded. When water is murky, fish leap about; when governance is harsh, the people fall into chaos. When those above have many desires, those below resort to deception; when rulers are overbearing, the people become unsettled; when superiors demand much, inferiors compete fiercely. To neglect the root cause and merely address symptoms is no different from digging a channel to stop water or carrying firewood to extinguish flames. The sage governs with minimal effort yet achieves order; he has little demand but provides abundantly. He does not bestow kindness yet is benevolent, speaks not yet is trusted, seeks nothing yet gains all, acts not yet succeeds. He cherishes nature, preserves ultimate truth, embraces the Dao and extends sincerity—thus, all under heaven follows him as echoes respond to sound, shadows mirror form. This is because what he cultivates is the root.

Laozi said: One whose spirit and energy scatter outward, and whose wisdom and thought are unstable within, cannot control the body. Where the spirit is directed far away, what is neglected remains close at hand. Therefore, "Without stepping beyond the door one can know all under heaven; without looking through the window one can understand the Dao of Heaven. The farther one goes out, the less one knows." This means that sincerity and earnestness arise from within, and their spiritual energy moves Heaven itself.

Laozi said: The warmth of winter sun, the coolness of summer shade— all things return to them without being commanded. This is the utmost natural and refined influence; it comes uninvited, goes not but arrives, deep and obscure, unaware of its own actions yet accomplishing success. To rely on sight for understanding, or words for instruction, makes governance most difficult indeed. Gao Yao, though mute, served as the Grand Magistrate; under his rule, there was no cruel punishment in all under heaven—this shows that there is something more valuable than speech. Shi Kuang, though blind, served as Tai Zai; during his time, Jin State had no disordered governance—this demonstrates that there is something more precious than sight. Commands without words, insight without sight—this is why the sage becomes a teacher. The people are transformed by rulers not through their words but through their actions. Therefore, if a ruler favors bravery, even without directly inciting conflict, the state will face many troubles; gradually, there will surely be uprisings and violent chaos. When a ruler favors beauty, without directly encouraging it, the state falls into confusion and disorder; over time, this will lead to calamities of licentiousness. Therefore, the sage maintains sincerity and earnestness within, makes his likes and dislikes clear externally, speaks in accordance with his true feelings, and issues decrees that clearly express his intent. Therefore, punishments are insufficient to change customs, and executions cannot prevent deceit; only transformation through spiritual influence is truly valuable. When essence reaches its utmost refinement, it becomes divine. Where this refined essence moves, it acts like the spring air that brings life, or the autumn air that causes death. Therefore, a gentleman is like an archer: attention to this single hair's tip determines success or failure over the span of ten feet! Therefore, those who manage people must be cautious about what stirs them.

Laozi said: To establish laws and offer rewards yet still fail to change customs is because sincerity is not embraced. Therefore, by listening to the music one knows the prevailing trends; by observing its songs, one understands the customs; by seeing the customs, one discerns the moral transformation. Those who embrace authenticity and emulate sincerity can move Heaven and Earth; their spiritual influence transcends the boundaries of form. Commands are carried out, prohibitions respected—sincerity connects them to the Dao and clarifies their intent. Even without a single word, all under heaven—the people, beasts, ghosts, and spirits—change in accordance with them. Therefore, the highest governance is through spiritual transformation; next is to prevent people from committing wrongdoing; the lowest level is to reward virtue and punish violence.

Laozi said: The Great Dao is non-action; non-action means nothingness. Nothingness does not dwell, and that which does not dwell resides in formlessness. Formlessness remains still, and stillness produces no words. No words mean quietude without sound or form—without sound or form, it cannot be seen with the eyes nor heard by the ears. This is called subtle and profound; this is called ultimate divinity. "Continuous yet as if existing," "this is called the root of Heaven and Earth." The Dao has no sound; therefore, sages give it a form by naming it with one word to express the principle of Heaven and Earth. The great takes the small as its foundation; the many take the few as their beginning. The Son of Heaven regards Heaven and Earth as his standard, and all things as his resources. His virtue and merit are most extensive, his power and reputation most exalted. These two virtues, in their excellence, match Heaven and Earth—thus he cannot fail to follow the Great Dao as the mother of all under heaven.

Laozi said: To relieve poverty and ease urgent needs brings fame and profit; to remove harm leads to success. In a world without calamities, even the sage has no opportunity to display virtue; when superiors and inferiors are harmonious, even the worthy have no need to establish merit. Therefore, the Perfect Person governs by embracing virtue and holding to the Dao, extending sincerity with wisdom that has no end. He lies in silence without speaking; all under heaven do not know how precious his silence is. Hence, "The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal Name." What is written on bamboo slips and silk, carved into metal and stone, and can be passed to others—all of these are merely the coarse aspects. The Three Sovereigns, Five Emperors, and the Three Kings differed in their deeds yet shared a single heart; they took different paths but reached the same destination. Scholars of later ages do not understand that the Dao is one in essence and virtue is unified in its core. They merely take after past achievements, sit reverently to discuss them, and though widely learned and well-informed, cannot avoid confusion.

Laozi said: The essence of the mind can achieve spiritual transformation, yet it cannot be conveyed through words. The sage does not leave his seat yet can correct the world; his sincerity surpasses even the most heartfelt call. Therefore, when he speaks the same words, people believe him—because trust precedes speech. When he issues the same command, people follow it—because sincerity exists beyond the decree itself. When a sage is in power, the people are transformed as if by divine influence—because sincerity leads the way. If those above act and those below do not respond, it is because their feelings and commands are out of harmony. A three-month-old infant knows nothing of profit or harm, yet a loving mother cherishes it all the more—this is sincerity. Therefore, the use of speech brings change—but only a small transformation; the use of silence brings change—yet it is a great transformation. Sincerity is the word of the gentleman; loyalty is the will of the gentleman. When loyalty and sincerity manifest within, they move and respond externally—this is the moral influence of sages and worthy people.

Laozi said: A son who dies for his father, a minister who dies for his ruler—this is not done to seek fame. Rather, it is the heartfelt devotion stored within that does not waver in the face of hardship. The sorrow of a gentleman is not feigned; it arises spontaneously from within. One should examine his actions. The sage feels no shame before his shadow, and the gentleman exercises caution in solitude. To abandon what is near for what is distant is to be blocked and cut off. Therefore, when a sage holds power, the people rejoice in his governance; when he is among the common people, they admire his intent. His aspiration never forgets the desire to benefit others.

Laozi said: A valiant warrior's single cry causes the entire army to scatter. If his call is not answered, if his intent is not carried forward, it must be because there is a fundamental discord within. One who does not leave his seat yet corrects the world seeks within himself. Therefore, where words fail to reach, appearance conveys; where appearance fails, subtle influence reaches. When emotion stirs from the heart and takes form, when essence is refined enough to connect through form—it cannot be grasped by mere observation or expectation.

Laozi said: Words have a source, and affairs have a root. To lose this source and root, no matter how many skills one possesses, is worse than speaking little. To harm many and appoint Chui to cut off his fingers, in the hope of achieving great skill that cannot be attained—this is like a craftsman who, though wise, does not act according to ability or timing. He closes without knowing how to close; thus, it must first be firmly closed before it can be opened.

Laozi said: The sage's undertakings take different paths yet reach the same destination; whether preserving or destroying, stabilizing or correcting, they are treated as one. His will never forgets the desire to bring benefit to others. Therefore, the songs of Qin, Chu, Yan, and Wei differ in tradition yet all express joy; the cries of the Nine Yi and Eight Di peoples vary in sound yet all convey sorrow. Singing is the subtle expression of joy, weeping is the manifestation of sorrow. When emotions are stirred within, they emerge outwardly—thus, it is through this inner state that feelings move and influence others. The sage's heart never forgets day or night the desire to benefit people; thus, his grace extends far and wide.

Laozi said: When a person governs through non-action, order is achieved; but when he acts deliberately, harm results. Governing through non-action means acting in accordance with non-action; those who deliberate and act cannot truly practice non-action. Those who cannot practice non-action are also unable to achieve effective action. When a person remains silent, the spirit is whole; when words are spoken, harm arises. One who lacks spirit through silence—by remaining wordless—harms the very essence of that which is spiritual.

Wenzi said: Fame can be forcefully established, and achievement can be forcibly accomplished. In the past, Nan Rong Chou was ashamed that the sacred Dao had perished uniquely within himself. He traveled south to see Laozi and received instruction in a single word; his spirit became enlightened, his understanding profound. Through diligent cultivation and hardship, he fasted for ten days yet felt as if feasting on the grandest sacrificial offerings. Thus, his wisdom illuminated all under heaven, his name established for posterity. His insight spanned Heaven and Earth, discerning even the fine hairs of autumn; his praise in elegant speech continues to this day—this is what is meant by "fame can be forcefully established." Therefore, the farmer who does not strive will have granaries that remain empty; officials who do not encourage will lack sincerity and refinement. If generals and ministers are not resolute, great achievements cannot be accomplished; if kings and marquises grow lax, they will leave no name in this ageless world. The Perfect Person moves unseen, like thunder and lightning hidden away; he acts in accordance with the time, establishes achievements based on available resources. Advancing or retreating, he encounters no difficulty—there is nothing that does not open to him. The Perfect Person, with sincerity and earnestness formed within, allows virtue to flow in all directions. When he sees benefit for the world, he rejoices yet does not forget; when he perceives harm, he grieves as if mourning a loss. He who shares the worries of the people, the people will also share his worries; he who delights in the joys of the people, the people too will delight in his joy. Therefore, one who bears the burdens and finds joy with all under heaven—there has never been such a person who did not become king. The sage's method begins where it is imperceptible, ends where it cannot be reached. He resides in a place that will not collapse, accumulates stores that never deplete, and carries within him a treasury from which resources never exhaust. He issues decrees like the source of a flowing stream, guiding the people to positions where there is no contention. He opens the door through which success is certain—never attempting what cannot be achieved, never seeking what cannot be obtained, never dwelling in what cannot endure, and never walking paths that cannot return. The great person carries out policies that can be clearly explained, and people naturally obey his commands. When the command is in harmony, it follows smoothly; small actions lead to great results. But when a command is contrary, even good intentions become harmful, and success turns into failure. The so-called great man is internally strong and externally wise. His inner strength rivals Heaven and Earth; his external wisdom matches the sun and moon. Heaven and Earth cover and bear all things without exception, and the sun and moon illuminate everything without omission. The great person demonstrates virtue to others, does not alter what is established, nor change what is customary; thus all under heaven obey his commands as grass bends with the wind. When governance falters in spring, the planet Taiyi (Jupiter) swells or shrinks, not remaining in its usual position; When governance falters in summer, the planet Mars moves backward in its course; When governance falters in autumn, the planet Venus appears out of place, entering and exiting without regularity; When governance falters in winter, the planet Chencxi (Mercury) does not follow its proper direction. When the four seasons lose their proper administration, the planet Saturn becomes unstable; the sun and moon appear to be punished, the Five Planets become chaotic, and comets appear. When spring governance is not neglected, grains such as millet and sorghum flourish; when summer governance is not neglected, rain falls at the proper time; when autumn governance is not neglected, the people prosper and thrive; when winter governance is not neglected, the state and nation enjoy peace and well-being.