Tao Te Ching

Chapter 59
[Original text]

Its politics are boring [1], its people are mellow [2]; its politics is chasing [3], its people are lacking [4].

When misfortune comes, fortune rests on it; when fortune comes, misfortune rests.Who knows the extreme [5]?It has no positive [6] also.Righteousness becomes strange [7], goodness becomes demon [8].People's fascination lasts for a long time.

It is because the sage is square but not cut, honest but not rough[9], straight but not sloppy, bright[10] but not shining.

【Note】

[1] Boring: a simple look.

[2] Alcoholic: Simple and honest appearance.

[3] Chacha: Strict look.

[4] Deficient: cunning, complaining, and dissatisfied.

[5] Pole: Ultimate, the final result.

[6] Positive: fixed, standard.

[7] Qi: Evil, weird and not right.

[8] Demon: Evil.

[9] 刿 (guì): stab wound.

[10] Light: To radiate light, here refers to the light of noble personality.

【Analysis】

If the ruler's administration is generous and simple, then the people will naturally be very simple; if the ruler's administration is strict, then the people will naturally become cunning.

Disasters are always surrounded by happiness; happiness is always lurking in disasters.And who knows if there is an end to the change between the two?There is no set standard for good and bad.Normal situations can become abnormal, and good can become evil.People's confusion about such things has a long history.

Therefore, the sage is dignified and upright but never hurts others, sharp-edged but never hurts others, straightforward but not presumptuous, charismatic and radiant but never shows off.

【Explanation by Famous Artists】

Mr. He Shang:
Its politics and religion are lenient, stuffy and ambiguous, and seem to be unclear.The politics and religion are lenient, and the old people are mellow and rich, and they are friendly to each other.Its politics and religion are acutely ill, words are decided by the mouth, and hearing is decided by the ears.Politics and religion are acutely ill, and the people are in dire straits, so there is a lack of time to save money.

Lean, because also.Husband and fortune are born of misfortune, people can repent and blame themselves when they encounter misfortune, practice the Tao and do good, and misfortune will pass away and blessing will come.Misfortunes hide in blessings, and when people are blessed and arrogant, then blessings go and misfortunes come.Misfortune and good fortune come together, who knows when it will be extremely poor.No, no.It is said that if a ruler does not rectify his body, he will have no country.Odd, fraud also.If the ruler is not upright, even if the bottom is upright, the top will turn into deceit.Good people all turn into demons and auspiciousness.It has been a long time since the speaker was confused and out of order.

A sage who acts upright wants to lead people down, not to cut them off.Gui, hurt also.The sage acts honestly and cleanly, wanting to transform the people, not to harm others.This is not the case today, just to harm others.Si, Shen also.Although the sage is straight, he obeys others and does not claim himself.Although a sage has a unique vision, he should treat it like darkness and not confuse others with it.

(End of this chapter)