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Kingdoms can only be governed if rules arekept； rule a kingdom by some normal standards and with utmost discretion。
Battles； on the other hand； can be won ifrules are aptly broken。 Operate the army and fight some battles by （unusual）tactics of surprise and attack。
Yet administer the kingdom by engaging inno activity。 Win the world by doing next to nothing； for major adherencecan only be won by letting well alone。
How do I know this will be so？ By this：
The more prohibitions； ritual avoidances；and taboos there are； the poorer the people will end。
The more 'sharp weapons' there are； the moretroubled and chaotic the state will be； and the more benighted the wholeland will grow。
The more cunning craftsmen there are； themore skills of technique； the more vicious things will appear： the morepernicious contrivances will be invented。
The more laws are promulgated； the more thievesand bandits there will be。 So： The greater the number of statutes； thegreater the number of thieves in the end。
So a wise man decreed：
So long as I 〃do nothing〃 the people gettransformed of themselves。
So long as I love quietude； the people willof themselves go straight。
So long as I act only by proper inactivitythe people will of themselves grow rich。
I have no desires； and the people of themselvesbecome simple as the mythological raw block'。
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When the government is non…discriminative；lazy and dull； the people are contented and not spoiled； but quite generous。When the ruler looks sullen or depressed； the people will be happy andsatisfied；
When the government is efficient and smart；searching and discriminative； the people are discontented； disappointedand contentious。 Even if the ruler looks lively and self…assured the peoplewill be carping and discontented。
Good fortune leans on bad fortune and badfortune could rest on good fortune。 Latent calamity is happiness； and soundhappiness depends on some calamity。 Fortune's route is a disaster； fortuneis hidden disaster。
Who knows when the limit will be reached？Who would be able to know the ultimate results of good fortune？
They may be：
The normal will （in time） revert to deceitful。
There will hardly be any correctness （usedto govern the world） any more。
The old correct will become the perverseagain。
Some of the good we know of will again turnevil。
Few know it； but the people have been deludedfor a long time。
Anyhow； there's a bourn where there's neitherright nor wrong。 It's in a realm where every straight is doubled by a crookedand every good by an ill。 Surely mankind has gone long enough astray？
Therefore the wise man has firm； square principles。He is at times as pointed as a square； but hardly cuts or pierces。
His integrity is as acute as a knife buthardly cuts； hardly hurts （innocent others）； so 〃he shapes the cornerswithout lopping〃；
He is indeed straight； but doesn't extendhis sway。 He reaches his ＇most cherished＇ ends。
He is far from high…handed； he can be bright；but refrains from dazzling。
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In managing human affairs； there's no betterrule than to be sparing； which is to forestall。 You can't rule men norserve heaven unless you have laid up a store； Be ＇simply artistic＇ frugal；there's nothing better for serving heaven and ruling people。
To forestall is to be prepared and strengthened；and by being frugal in such ways one may recover quickly。 To recover quicklymeans to accumulate ＇intense moral＇ rather much。 This 〃laying up a store〃means quickly absorbing； And 〃quickly absorbing〃 in the end means doublingone's garnered 〃power〃。 Double your garnered power and it acquires a strengththat nothing can overcome。 By the heavy accumulation of virtue one canovercome everything。 Be prepared and strengthened to be always victorious：to have infinite capacity；
If there's nothing it can't overcome； itknows no bounds； then he will acquire a capacity with limits well beyondanyone's knowledge。 One can next overcome nearly everything。 And only whatknows no bounds is huge enough to keep a whole kingdom in its grasp。 Ifhis capacity is beyond anyone's knowledge； he is fit to rule a kingdom。Who has infinite capacity is fit to rule； but only he who having the kingdomgoes to the mother； can keep it long。 He who possesses he mother （dao）of the state will last long。 The mother （principle） of a ruling countrycan long endure。
This is called the art of making the rootsstrike deep by fencing the trunk； It signifies to be firmly rooted； tohave deep strength； for the roots are deep and the stalks are firm； roadto immortality and enduring vision； the way of long life and everlastingexistence is won by making life long by fixed staring。
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Ruling a big kingdom is like frying a smallfish。
They who by dao ruled all that's under heavendid not let an evil spirit within them display its powers。 Such evil spiritsdid not display their supernatural powers； the spirits of wise men werehardly used to hurt other men。 So when dao is employed to rule the kingdom；spiritual beings will lose their supernatural grip and cease to harm commonpeople。 And their supernatural power will far from harm people； and thewise man also will refrain from harming people。 When both don't do eachother harm； virtue （power） flows towards them。 If the sage's good spiritis nowhere mobilised to harm other men； he himself can be saved from ＇deterioration＇harm。
And so； if evil spirits and supermen don'tharm each other； each can be quite saved from harm。 Furthermore； some oftheir 〃tall abilities〃 could converge。 If so； virtue can be accumulatedin both for ulterior benefit or towards some common ＇soap opera＇ end。
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A big kingdom can be compared to the lowerpart of a river； like the low ground which all streams flow down towards。
Here is a point towards which all thingsunder heaven converge。 Its part must be that of the woman
who overcomes man by simple quietude。 By＇such as＇ quiescence she gets underneath； and by tranquillity she is downunder。
A big kingdom can take over ＇a soul of＇ asmall one if it succeeds in getting itself below the small kingdom； Ifso it absorbs some from the small country； or wins some adherence of thesmall kingdom in the open。
If a small country on the other hand placesitself below a big country； it can absorbs or take over some of the bigcountry ＇assets＇。 Therefore some place themselves low so as to take overor absorb （others）。 Some are （naturally） low and absorb （others）。 Becausesmall kingdoms are by nature in this way underneath large kingdoms； they＇sometimes＇ win the adherence of large kingdoms ＇or end＇。
What a big kingdom is after is but to annexand herd others。 So what large countries really need is a lot of inhabitants。What small countries need is some place where their surplus inhabitantscan go and get employment。 What they want can be little more that to join；be somewhat sheltered and perhaps serve for it all。
Both can have what they want； I say the largekingdom must 〃get underneath〃。
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Dao is thought up as the mysterious secretof the universe； it could be the storehouse of 〃all thin