为政

原文

道常无为而无不为。侯王若能守之，万物将自化。化而欲作，吾将镇之以无名之朴。无名之朴，夫亦将无欲。不欲以静，天下将自定。

王弼注

道常无为顺自然也。而无不为。万物无不由为，以治以成也。侯王若能守之，万物将自化。化而欲作，吾将镇之以无名之朴。化而欲作，作欲成也。吾将镇之无名之朴，不为主也。无名之朴，夫亦将无欲。无欲竞也。不欲以静，天下将自定。

英文 · James Legge

(The exercise of government) The Dao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do. If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity. Simplicity without a name Is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their will.