1. governing a great state is like cooking small fish.

2. let the kingdom be governed according to the tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy. it is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be employed to hurt men. it is not that it could not hurt men, but neither does the ruling sage hurt them.

3. when these two do not injuriously affect each other, their good influences converge in the virtue (of the tao).

治大国，若烹小鲜。

以道莅天下，其鬼不神。

非其鬼不神，其神不伤人。

非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤之。

夫两不相伤，故德交归焉。

【译文】

治理大国之道与烹调小鱼之道可以共通比拟。以道的范式君临天下，各种妖异的存在就不再显得变化莫测。非但它们不再显得变化莫测，即使变化莫测也难以伤人。非但它们的变化莫测难以伤人，圣人也不会去伤害它们。大家互不相伤，所以就推重同道之德而在道的莅临下和平共处。