老子说 - 道德经（3）

事与愿违

社会崇尚贤德，人民沽名钓誉，人心倾轧争竞；
金银珠宝稀罕，人民惟利是图，盗抢层出不穷；
权势富贵显赫，人民纵欲贪婪，无惧铤而走险；

顺其自然

如果不以贤能才智为优，人民就不会争名夺利；如果不以金银珠宝为贵，人民就不会巧取豪夺；如果不以膏梁锦绣为荣，人民就不会被欲望诱惑。

圣人治理国家，以净化百姓的心灵为首要，满足其安居乐业的需求，淡化其追名逐利的志趣，增强其体魄，使百姓没有伪诈的心智，没有盗抢的欲念，使自作聪明的人不敢胡作非为。就这样，不去刻意教化，顺其自然地治理，天下没有治理不好的国家。

《道德经》第三章原文

不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使民心不乱。是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹，弱其志，强其骨，常使民无知无欲。使夫知者不敢为也。为无为，则无不治。

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.
. -- Lin Yutang林语堂

If we stop looking for persons of superior morality 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 bellies,
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.
-- Arthur Waley 亚瑟·威利