以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。吾何以知其然哉？以此：天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；人多利器，国家滋昏；人多伎巧，奇物滋起；法令滋彰，盗贼多有。故圣人云：「我无為，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。」

Te Ching Chapter Fifty-seven

Govern a nation with the right principle,

Fight a battle with the tactics of surprise,

Rule over the world with peace and natural effort.

How do I know that this so?

By the following:

The more prohibitions that are imposed on people,

The poorer the people become.

The more sharp weapons the people possess,

The greater is the chaos in the country.

The more clever and crafty the people become,

The more unusual affairs occur.

The more laws and regulations that exist,

The more thieves and brigands appear.

Hence, the saint declares:

I act effortlessly with the Way of Tao,

Thus, people transform themselves naturally.

I love tranquility and peach,

Thus, people naturally follow the right Way.

I do not exhaust people with labor,

Thus, people naturally are wealthy.

I have no personal desires,

Thus, people naturally are innocent and simple.