以此:天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；民多利器，国家滋昏；人多伎巧，奇物滋起；法令滋彰，盗贼多有。
By this.#2 The more prohibitions there are, the more ritual avoidances, the poorer the people will be. #3 The more “sharp weapons” there are, the more benighted will the whole land grow.#4 The more cunning craftsmen there are, the more pernicious contrivances will be invented.#5 The more laws are promulgated, the more thieves and bandits there will be.
故圣人云﹕“我无为而民自化，我好静而民自正，我无事而民自富，我无欲而民自朴。”
Therefore a sage has said: So long as I “do nothing” the people will of themselves be transformed. #2 So long as I love quietude, the people will of themselves go straight.#3 So long as I act only by inactivity the people will of themselves become prosperous.#4 So long as I have no wantsThe people will of themselves return to the “state of the Uncarved Block”.