1. the ancients who showed their skill in practising the tao did so, not to enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant.

2. the difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge. he who (tries to) govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it; while he who does not (try to) do so is a blessing.

3. he who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule. ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence (of a governor). deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.

古之善为道者，非以明民，将以愚之。

民之难治，以其智多。

故以智治国，国之贼；

不以智治国，国之福。

知此两者，亦稽式。

常知稽式，是谓玄德。

玄德深矣，远矣，与物反矣。

然后乃至大顺。

【译文】

古来善于以道为行为典范的统治者，通常并不促使人民多知多见，而是使人民趋于愚昧浑朴。人民之所以难以治理，就是由于他们的知见太多。所以，拿权威知见治国，那是对国家的残害，不执定什么权威知见治国，才是国家的福祥。懂得在两者之间作此选择，也就贯彻了道的原则。懂得贯彻道的原则，就体现了深得于道的玄德。玄德幽深而广泛，协同各类存在回归于道。这样就无往而不利。