Govern the state with what is right.
Wage war with the element of surprise.
Hold the world through non-action.

How do I know this is true?
By observing this:
The more restrictions and laws arise,
the poorer the people become.
The more weapons fill the land,
the deeper the nation’s turmoil.
The more people are cunning and clever,
the more strange events occur.
The more decrees are proclaimed,
the more thieves and rebels appear.

Therefore the sage says:
‘I do nothing, and the people transform themselves.
I prize stillness, and the people set themselves right.
I do not interfere, and the people prosper in their own time.
I let go of desire, and the people return to simplicity.’