虽有義台路寝，无所用之。
Though there were made for them grand towers 359 and large dormitories, they would prefer not to use them.
及至伯乐，曰：“我善治马。
But when Po-lâo 360 (arose and) said, ‘ I know well how to manage horses,’ (men proceeded) 361 to singe and mark them, to clip their hair, to pare their hoofs, to halter their heads, to bridle them and hobble them, and to confine them in stables and corrals.
”烧之，剔之，刻之，雒之，连之以羁，编之以皁栈，马之死者十二三矣。
(When subjected to this treatment), two or three in every ten of them died.
饥之，渴之，驰之，骤之，整之，齐之，前有橛饰之患，而后有鞭之威，而马之死者已过半矣。
(Men proceeded further) to subject them to hunger and thirst, to gallop them and race them, and to make them go together in regular order.
In front were the evils of the bit and ornamented breast-bands, and behind were the terrors of the whip and switch.
陶者曰：“我善治埴，圆者中规，方者中矩。
(When so treated), more than half of them died.
”匠人曰：“我善治木，曲者中鉤，直者应绳。
The (first) potter said, ‘I know well how to deal with clay;’ and (men proceeded) to mould it into circles as exact as if made by the compass, and into squares as exact as if formed by the measuring square.
”夫埴木之性，岂欲中规矩鉤绳哉？
The (first) carpenter said, ‘ I know well how to deal with wood;’ and (men proceeded) to make it bent as if by the application of the hook, and straight as if by the application of the plumb-line.
然且世世称之曰“伯乐善治马”而“陶、匠善治埴、木”，此亦治天下者之过也。
But is it the nature of clay and wood to require the application of the compass and square, of the hook and line ?
吾意善治天下者不然。
And yet age after age men have praised Po-lâo, saying, ‘He knew well how to manage horses,’ and also the (first) potter and carpenter, saying, ‘They knew well how to deal with clay and wood.’ This is just the error committed by the governors of the world.
According to my idea, those who know well to govern mankind would not act so.
彼民有常性，织而衣，耕而食，是谓同德；一而不党，命曰天放，故至德之世，其行填填，其视颠颠。
The people had their regular and constant nature 362:—they wove and made themselves clothes; they tilled the ground and got food 363.
当是时也，山无蹊隧，泽无舟梁，万物群生，连属其乡，禽兽成群，草木遂长。
This was their common faculty.
是故禽兽可系羁而游，鸟鹊之巢可攀援而。
They were all one in this, and did not form themselves into separate . classes ; so were they constituted and left to their natural tendencies 364, Therefore in the age of perfect virtue men walked along with slow and grave step, and with their looks steadily directed forwards.
夫至德之世，同与禽兽居，族与万物并，恶乎知君子小人哉，同乎无知，其德不离；同乎无欲，是谓素朴。
At that time, on the hills there were no foot-paths, nor excavated passages; on the lakes there were no boats nor dams ; all creatures lived in companies ; and the places of their settlement were made close to one another.
素朴而民性得矣。
Birds and beasts multiplied to flocks and herds ; the grass and trees grew luxuriant and long.
In this condition the birds and beasts might be led about without feeling the constraint ; the nest of the magpie might be climbed to, and peeped into.
及至圣人，蹩躠为仁，踶跂为义，而天下始疑矣，澶漫为乐，摘僻为礼，而天下始分矣。
Yes, in the age of perfect virtue, men lived in common with birds and beasts, and were on terms of equality with all creatures, as forming one family ;—how could they know among themselves the distinctions of superior men and small men ?
故纯朴不残，孰为牺尊！
Equally without knowledge, they did not leave (the path of) their natural virtue; equally free from desires, they were in the state of pure simplicity.
白玉不毁，孰为珪璋！
In that state of pure simplicity, the nature of the people was what it ought to be.
道德不废，安取仁义！
But when the sagely men appeared, limping and wheeling about in (the exercise of) benevolence, pressing along and standing on tiptoe in the doing of righteousness, then men universally began to be perplexed.
性情不离，安用礼乐！
(Those sages also) went to excess in their performances of music, and in their gesticulations in the practice of ceremonies, and then men began to be separated from one another.
If the raw materials had not been cut and hacked, who could have made a sacrificial vase from them ?
五色不乱，孰为文采！
If the natural jade had not been broken and injured, who could have made the handles for the libation-cups from it ?
五声不乱，孰应六律！
If the attributes of the Tâo had not been disallowed, how should they have preferred benevolence and righteousness ?
夫残朴以为器，工匠之罪也；毁道德以为仁义，圣人之过也！
If the instincts of the nature had not been departed from, how should ceremonies and music have come into use ?
夫马，陆居则食草饮水，喜则交颈相靡，怒则分背相踶。
If the five colours had not been confused, how should the ornamental figures have been formed ?
马知已此矣。
If the five notes had not been confused, how should they have supplemented them by the musical accords ?
The cutting and hacking of the raw materials to form vessels was the crime of the skilful workman ; the injury done to the characteristics of the Tâo in order to the practice of benevolence and righteousness was the error of the sagely men.