17.
The highest type of ruler is the one the people are barely aware of
Next comes one whom they love and praise
Next comes one whom they fear
Next comes one whom they despise and defy
It is by not trusting people
that you turn them into liars
The wise leader speaks little
When his work is done,
the people say, "We did it ourselves."
18.
When the great Tao is forgotten,
kindness and morality arise.
When wisdom and intelligence are born,
the great pretense begins.
When there is no peace within the family,
there is talk of dutiful sons.
When the country is confused and in chaos,
loyal ministers appear.
19.
Abandon formalized wisdom and learning,
and the people will benefit a hundredfold
Abandon humanitarianism and duty,
and the people will return to familial love
Abandon ingenuity and profit,
and theft will no longer exist
These three being false adornments, are not enough
and the people must have something to which they can attach themselves
Exhibit the unadorned and embrace the uncarved block
Have little thought of self and as few desires as possible
20.
Be done with rote learning
and its attendant vexations.
For is there distinction
of a "yes" from a "yeah"
comparable now to the gulf
between evil and good?
The saying "what others avoid I too must avoid"
How false and superficial it is!
Yet conventional men lead an easy life
at the feast of great sacrifice
or up on the terrace
at a carnival in Spring
I alone am inert, like an infant that has not yet smiled
Lazily I drift
as though I had no home
All others have enough to spare;
while I am left out, owning nothing
My mind is that of a fool - how blank!
Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
They are sharp
I am dull
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.
The multitude have a purpose
I alone am foolish and uncouth
I alone am different from the others
I drink from the great mother’s breasts
