1. the tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do.

2. if princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them.

3. 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.

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。

镇之以无名之朴，夫将不欲。

不欲以静，天下将自正。

【译文】

道通常什么也不成为，又什么都可以成为。侯王若能体守它，各类矛盾纠结就会自然销化。销化之后如果产生了某种整体性的犟执趋求，我就斩断这种趋求而使它回复到混沌态。使它回复到混沌态，它就不会有什么犟执性的趋求。没有犟执性的趋求而静定，天下就自然地平息动荡摇摆而没有偏倒倾覆的危险了。