Tao Te Ching

Chapter 30
[Original text]

If you want to take [1] the world and do it [2], I see it as a last resort [3].The divine weapon of the world [4] cannot be done, nor can it be grasped [5].Those who do will lose, and those who persist will lose.Therefore, the sage does not do anything, so he has no failure; he has no attachment, so he has no failure.

Husband and things [6], either walk or follow, or sip [7] or blow [8], or be strong or weak, or carry or swell [9].Therefore, the sage goes to extremes, extravagance, and Thailand [10].

【Note】

[1] Take: Governance.

[2] is: refers to forcibly doing.

[3] As a last resort: It cannot be done.

[4] Artifact: A sacred thing.

[5] Execution: mastery, control.

[6] Things: Refers to everything in the world.

[7] 歔: Same as "shh", to exhale gently.

[8] Blow: Exhale rapidly.

[9] 隳 (huī): Dangerous.

[10] Very, extravagant, Thai: very, extreme.Extravagant, extravagant.Ty, overkill.

【Analysis】

If you want to govern the world well, but use strong methods, I think it is impossible to succeed.The world can be regarded as a sacred "thing" that cannot be changed by coercive means.If you try to change it by force, you will fail; if you try to control it by force, you will lose it.Therefore, the sage never acts presumptuously, and will not fail easily; the ruler never forcibly controls or holds anything, and therefore will not lose anything.

All things in the world, some will move forward, some will go backward; some will move slowly, some will move forward; some will be strong, some will be weak;Therefore, a sage must get rid of thinking and behavior habits such as "going to extremes", "extravagance" and "excessive".

That is to say, governing the world cannot be done according to one's own selfish desires, let alone in order to realize one's own desires.Everything in the world is in different forms, and it cannot be measured according to a unified standard, let alone strict laws and regulations. These are all "promising", which is wrong, and the final result is often counterproductive.The most correct way to govern the country is "inaction", which is to let nature take its course.If you do nothing, everything will operate according to the "Tao", so as to achieve governance by doing nothing.

【Explanation by Famous Artists】

Mr. He Shang:
Desire to be the master of the world.Desire to govern the people by doing something.I see that it is not the way of heaven, and people's hearts are already clear.The way of heaven is evil, troubled and turbid, and the human heart is evil and full of desires.Device, thing also.Human beings are the gods of the world, and gods are so quiet that they cannot be ruled by others.Treating it with existence will destroy its nature.If you force them to teach, you will lose the truth and be born in deceit.

What goes above must follow suit.歔, Wen Ye.Blow, cold also.Where there is warmth, there must be cold.If there is strength, there must be weakness.Set, An Ye.隳, danger also.Where there is safety, there must be danger. Ming Renjun cannot do anything to govern the country and govern himself.It is called greed and lust, extravagance is called clothing and food, and Thailand is called palaces and terraces.Get rid of these three, stay in harmony, do nothing, and the world will be self-transformed.

(End of this chapter)