原文
公有领域以正治國，以奇用兵，以無事取天下。
吾何以知其然哉？以此。天下多忌諱，而民彌貧；民多利器，國家滋昬；
人多伎巧，奇物滋起；
法令滋彰，盜賊多有。
故聖人云：「我無為而民自化，我好靜而民自正，我無事而民自富，我無欲而民自樸。」
王弼注
待校读以道治國則國平，以正治國則奇正起也，以無事則能取天下也。上章云：其取天下者，常以無事，及其有事，又不足以取天下也。故以正治國則不足以取天下，而以奇用兵也。夫以道治國，崇本以息末，以正治國，立辟以攻末，本不立而末淺，民無所及，故必至於奇用兵也。
利器，凡所以利己之器也。民强則國家弱。
民多智慧則巧偽生，巧偽生則邪事起。
立正欲以息邪，而奇兵用；多忌諱欲以恥貧，而民彌貧；利器欲以强國者也，而國愈昬多。皆舍本以治末，故以致此也。
上之所欲，民從之速也。我之所欲，唯無欲而民亦無欲而自樸也。此四者，崇本以息末也。
河上公章句
待校读以，至也。天使正身之人，使有國也。
奇，詐也。天使詐偽之人，使用兵也。
以無事無為之人，使取天下為之主。
此，今也。老子言，我何以知天意然哉，以今日所見知。
天下謂人主也。忌諱者防禁也。令煩則奸生，禁多則下詐，相殆故貧。
利器者，權也。民多權則視者眩於目，聽者惑於耳，上下不親，故國家昏亂。
人謂人君、百里諸侯也。多技巧，謂刻畫宮觀，雕琢章服，奇物滋起，下則化上，飾金鏤玉，文繡彩色日以滋甚。
法物，好物也。珍好之物滋生彰著，則農事廢，飢寒並至，而盜賊多有也。
謂下事也。
聖人言：我修道承天，無所改作，而民自化成也。
聖人言：我好靜，不言不教，而民自忠正也。
我無徭役徵召之事，民安其業故皆自富也。
我常無欲，去華文，微服飾，民則隨我為質樸也。聖人言：我修道守真，絕去六情，民自隨我而清也。
Legge 1891
Public domainA state may be ruled by (measures of) correction; weapons of
war may be used with crafty dexterity; (but) the kingdom is made one's
own (only) by freedom from action and purpose.
How do I know that it is so? By these facts:--In the kingdom the
multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the
people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people
have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan; the more
acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange
contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the
more thieves and robbers there are.
Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the
people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping
still, and the people will of themselves become correct. I will take
no trouble about it, and the people will of themselves become rich; I
will manifest no ambition, and the people will of themselves attain to
the primitive simplicity.'