Dao De Jing

57. Conquer with Inaction

Do not control the people with laws,

Nor violence nor espionage,

But conquer them with inaction.

For:

The more morals and taboos there are,

The more cruelty afflicts people;

The more guns and knives there are,

The more factions divide people;

The more arts and skills there are,

The more change obsoletes people;

The more laws and taxes there are,

The more theft corrupts people.

Yet take no action, and the people nurture eachother;

Make no laws, and the people deal fairly with eachother;

Own no interest, and the people cooperate with eachother;

Express no desire, and the people harmonize with eachother.