Chapter 65

Original Text

古之善為道者。非以明民。將以愚之。民之難治。以其智多。故以智治國。國之賊。不以智治國國之福。知此兩者。亦楷式能知楷式。是為玄德。玄德深矣遠矣。與物反矣。乃至於大順。

Translation

Those in ancient times who were good at practicing Dao did not use it to make the people clever, but rather to return them to simplicity. The people are difficult to govern because their cunning is too great. Therefore, to govern a state through cunning is to be the state's ruin. Not to govern a state through cunning is the state's blessing. To know these two is also to know the standard. To be able to know the standard — this is mysterious De. Mysterious De is deep, far-reaching, and runs counter to the way of worldly things. Only then does it arrive at the Great Accord.

Word Notes

• 楷 — "standard": Model, exemplar, pattern.

Chapter Explanation

Those in ancient times who were good at governing through Dao did not first open the people's intellect — they sought to lead the people back to simplicity and honesty. The reason the people are difficult to govern is that their cunning and scheming have grown too great. Therefore, governing a state through cunning and deceit is to be a thief to that state. Not governing through cunning and deceit is the state's blessing. To understand the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches is to possess a standard for governance. To be able to know this standard for governance is what we call mysterious De. Mysterious De is deep and far-reaching indeed — it runs counter to worldly conventions and common sentiments. Only through this can one arrive at the state of harmony above and below, the Great Accord.

Discourse

Confucius said: "The people can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to understand it." How could the Sage not wish to open the people's understanding? But if one does not first give the people a heart of De and morality, and instead gives them the cunning knowledge of deception and trickery, the people will become impossible to govern and the state will surely fall into chaos.

Therefore one must first lead the people to return to the genuine and go back to the unhewn wood, establishing a foundation of De and morality. Only afterward should one gradually enable them to gain knowledge. Take De and Dao as the root; take knowledge as the branches. Let De and morality proceed hand in hand with knowledge. Only then can there be harmony above and below, arriving at the Great Accord.

This is the proper sequence by which the Sage governs all under Heaven through De and morality. How could it be a policy of keeping the people ignorant in order to protect one's own position and serve only autocratic rule?