Controlling Desires, Quieting the People, Limiting Actions, Wise Leaders Exercise Restraint, Keeping the People at Rest, 安民
"Neglecting to praise the worthy deters people from emulating them,
Not prizing rare treasures deters a man from becoming a thief,
Ignoring the things which awaken desire keeps the heart at rest.
Therefore the wise ruler does not suggest unnecessary things,
He seeks to satisfy the minds of his people.
He seeks to allay appetites but strengthen bones.
He ever tries by keeping people in ignorance to keep them satisfied and those
who have knowledge he restrains from evil.
If he, himself, practices restraint then everything is in quietness."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard
and Henri Borel, 1919,
Chapter 3
Translated by Eva Wong 
Translated by Philip Ivahoe
By James Miller
Translated by Stephen Bokencamp
By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins
Translated by Thomas Cleary
By Livia Kohn
"Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the
people from rivalry among themselves;
Not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them
from becoming thieves;
Not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their
minds from disorder.
Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds,
fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones.
He constantly tries to keep them without knowledge and without desire, and where
there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act on it.
When there is this abstinence from action, good order is universal."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891,
Chapter 3
Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni
Translated by Brian Walker
Translated by Arthur Waley
Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles
By Eva Wong
"By not showing exclusive approval of those who are eminent in virtue, the
Sage prevents the people from quarrelling;
By not setting high store on things difficult to obtain, he prevents the people
from becoming robbers;
By closing his eyes to objects of desire, he secures his heart from corruption.
Wherefore the Sage, in governing, does so with a heart empty of all distractions
and temptations, but with a bosom full of justice and benevolence,
He makes his will pliant, his bodily frame-work firm;
He ever keeps the people from harmful knowledge and desires, and prevents those
who have such knowledge from daring to put it into practice.
He pursues a policy of inaction, and there is therefore nothing that is left
ungoverned."
- Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter
3
"Bu shang xian, shi min bu zheng;
bu gui nan de zhi huo,
shi min bu wei dao;
bu jian ke yu,
shi min xin bu luan.
Shi yi sheng ren zhi zhi,
xu qi xin,
shi qi fu,
ruo qi zhi,
qiang qi gu,
chang shi min wu zhi wu yu;
shi fu zhi zhe bu gan wei ye.
Wei wu wei,
ze wu bu zhi."
- Pinyin
romanized transliteration, Chapter 3
By Alexander Simkins
By Derek Lin
By Ming-Dao Deng
By Benjamin Hoff
By Ming-Dao Deng
Translated by Thomas Cleary
"If we stop looking for “persons of superior morality” (hsien) to put in power,
There will be no more jealousies among the people.
If we cease to set store by products that are hard to get,
There will be no more thieves.
If the people never see such things as excite desire,
Their hearts will remain placid and undisturbed.
Therefore the Sage rules
By emptying their hearts
And filling their hearts?
Weakening their intelligence
And toughening their sinews
Ever striving to make the people knowledgeless and desireless.
Indeed he sees to it that if there be any who have knowledge,
They dare not interfere.
Yet through his actionless activity all things are duly regulated."
- Translated by
Arthur Waley, 1934, Chapter 3
By Hu Xuzehi
Annotated translation by Victor Mair 
By Ha Poong Kim
By Hans-Georg Moeller 
By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall
By Wes Burgess
By Arthur Waley
"When worth is not honoured the people may be kept from strife.
When rare articles are not valued the people are kept from theft.
When the desirable is left unnoticed the heart is not confused.
Therefore, the method of government by the Holy Man is to empty the
heart, while strengthening the purpose; to make the will pliant, and the
character strong. He ever keeps the people simple-minded and
passionless, so that the world-wise do not dare to plan.
Practice non-action and everything will be regulated."
- Translated by
C. Spurgeon Medhurst, 1905, Chapter 3
Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching
Translated by Livia Kohn
Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way
"Not honouring men of worth keeps the people from competing;
Not wanting rare things keeps the people from thievery;
Not showing off desirous objects keeps the hearts of the people from disaster.
That is why the Sage governs himself by relaxing the mind, reinforcing the abdomen, gentling the will, strengthening the bones.
Always cause the people to be without knowledge or desires.
Cause the intelligent ones to dare not act.
Let there be Non-action and there is nothing that will not be well regulated."
- Translated by
Tam C. Gibbs, 1981, Chapter 3
Walking the Way: 81 Zen Encounters with the Tao Te Ching
The Tao of Zen
Tao Te Ching: Zen Teachings on the Taoist Classic
Buddhism and Taoism Face to Face: Scripture, Ritual, and Iconographic Exchange in Medieval China
"Exalt
not the wise,
So that the people shall not scheme and contend;
Prize not rare objects,
So that the people shall not steal;
Shut out from site the things of desire,
So that the people's hearts shall not be disturbed.
Therefore
in the government of the Sage:
He keeps empty their hearts
Makes full their bellies,
Discourages their ambitions,
Strengthens their frames;
So that the people may be innocent of knowledge and desires.
And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere.
By action without deeds
May all live in peace."
- Translated by
Lin Yutang,
1955, Chapter 3
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