Chapter 63 Run the country in the fashion of

 

Chapter 63

為無為,事無事,味無味。大小多少,報怨以德。圖難於其易,圖大於其細。天下難事,必作於易;天下大事,必作於細。是以聖人終不為大,故能成其大。夫輕諾必寡信,多易必多難;是以聖人猶難之,故終無難矣!

wei wu wei
為無為

Run the country in the fashion of non-possession administration.

shi wu shi
事無事

Govern the people without disputes.

wei wu wei
味無味

Expel any human emotion upon making decisions.

da xiao duo shao
大小多少

Lift up the social status of the lower-class people and return them what they have been deprived of.

bao yuan yi de
報怨以德

Settle their resentment by fulfilling your authority social responsibility with your de.

tu nan yu qi yi
圖難於其易

It is easier to solve difficult problems in advance when they were still easy.

tu da yu qi xi
圖大於其細

It is easier to solve serious problems in advance when they were still minor.

tian xia nan shi, bi
zuo yu yi
天下難事,必作於易

All difficult problems in the world started to become an aggravation when they were once easy.

tian xia da shi, bi
zuo yu xi
天下大事,必作於細

All serious problems in the world started to become an aggravation when they were once minor.

shi yi sheng ren zhong
bu wei da, gu neng cheng qi da
是以聖人終不為大,故能成其大

The shengren anticipates well enough in advance the tackling of problems and prevents them from becoming difficult and serious, so there is nothing spectacular that happens in all his life. That is what makes the shengren so great.

fu qing nuo bi gua
xin
夫輕諾必寡信

Ignoring your promise of guarantee to the people will only lessen the public trust in you.

duo yi bi duo nan
多易必多難

The more the easy problems are left unattended, the more the difficult problems there will be later.

shi yi sheng ren you nan zhi, gu zhong wu nan yi
是以聖人猶難之故終無難矣

The shengren knows how to solve problems well with anticipation. Therefore, no dispute ever exists at all.