第五十八章
顺化
其政闷闷，其民淳淳；
其政察察，其民缺缺。
祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏。
孰知其极？
其无正。
正复为奇，善复为妖。
人之迷，其日固久。
是以圣人方而不割，廉而不刿，直而不肆，光而不耀。
王弼注
英译 · James Legge
Transformation according to circumstances
The government that seems the most unwise,
Oft goodness to the people best supplies;
That which is meddling, touching everything,
Will work but ill, and disappointment bring.
Misery! - happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness! - misery lurks beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end?
Shall we then dispense with correction? The (method of) correction shall by a turn become distortion, and the good in it shall by a turn become evil. The delusion of the people (on this point) has indeed subsisted for a long time.
Therefore the sage is (like) a square which cuts no one (with its angles); (like) a corner which injures no one (with its sharpness). He is straightforward, but allows himself no license; he is bright, but does not dazzle.
其政闷闷，其民淳淳；
言善治政者，无形无名，无事无政可举，闷闷然，卒至于大治，故曰，其政闷闷也。其民无所争竞，宽大淳淳，故曰，其民淳淳也。
其政察察，其民缺缺。
立刑名，明赏罚，以检奸伪，故曰察察也。殊类分析，民怀争竞，故曰，其民缺缺也。
祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏。孰知其极？其无正。
言谁知善治之极乎！唯无可正举，无可形名，闷闷然而天下大化，是其极也。
正复为奇，
以正治国，则便复以奇用兵矣。故曰，正复为奇。
善复为妖。
立善以和万物，则便复有妖之患也。
人之迷，其日固久。
言人之迷惑失道，固久矣。不可便正善治以责。
是以圣人方而不割，
以方导物，舍去其邪，不以方割物，所谓大方无隅。
廉而不刿，
廉，清廉也；刿，伤也。以清廉清民，令去其邪，令去其污，不以清廉刿伤于物也。
直而不肆，
以直导物，令去其僻，而不以直激沸于物也。所谓大直若屈也。
光而不耀。
以光鉴其所以迷，不以光照求其隐慝也，所谓明道若昧也，此皆崇本以息末，不攻而使复之也。