第五十七章
淳化
以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。
吾何以知其然哉？
以此：天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；
民多利器，国家滋昏；
人多伎巧，奇物滋起；
法令滋彰，盗贼多有。
故圣人云：我无为，而民自化；
我好静，而民自正；
我无事，而民自富；
我无欲，而民自朴。
王弼注
英译 · James Legge
The genuine influence
A state may be ruled by (measures of) correction; weapons of war may be used with crafty dexterity; (but) the kingdom is made one's own (only) by freedom from action and purpose.
How do I know that it is so? By these facts: - In the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan; the more acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves and robbers there are.
Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct. I will take no trouble about it, and the people will of themselves become rich; I will manifest no ambition, and the people will of themselves attain to the primitive simplicity.'
以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。
以道治国则国平，以正治国则奇正起也，以无事则能取天下也。上章云，其取天下者，常以无事，及其有事，又不足以取天下也。故以正治国则不足以取天下，而以奇用兵也夫。以道治国，崇本以息末，以正治国，立辟以攻末，本不立而末浅，民无所及，故必至于奇用兵也。
吾何以知其然哉？以此。天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；民多利器，国家滋昏；
利器，凡所以利己之器也。民强则国家弱。
人多伎巧，奇物滋起；
民多智慧则巧伪生，巧伪生则邪事起。
法令滋彰，盗贼多有。
立正欲以息邪，而奇兵用多；忌讳欲以耻贫，而民弥贫；利器欲以强国者也，而国愈昏多。皆舍本以治末，故以致此也。
故圣人云：“我无为而民自化，我好静而民自正，我无事而民自富，我无欲而民自朴。”
上之所欲，民从之速也。我之所欲，唯无欲而民亦无欲自朴也。此四者，崇本以息末也。