第57章 · 原文
现代白话译文
用清正无为的方法治理国家，用诡奇的方法用兵，用无为的方法来夺取天下。我怎么知道是这样的呢？根据下面这些情况：天下的禁忌越多，百姓越贫穷；民间的利器越多，国家越昏乱；人们的技巧越多，邪恶的事情就越发生；法令越森严，盗贼反而越多。所以圣人说：我无为，百姓自然感化；我好静，百姓自然端正；我无事，百姓自然富足；我无欲，百姓自然淳朴。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
以道治国则国平．以正治国则奇兵起也．以无事则能取天下也．上章云．其取天下者．常以无事．及其有事．亦不足以取天下也．故以正治国则不足以取天下治以奇用兵也．夫以道治国崇本以息末．以正治国立辟以攻末．本不立而末浅．民无所及．故必至于以奇用兵也．利器凡所以利己之器也．民强则国家弱．民多知慧则巧伪生．巧伪生则邪事起．立正欲以息邪而奇兵用．多忌讳欲以耻贫而民弥贫．利器欲以强国者也而国愈昏弱．皆舍本以治末故以致此也．上之所欲民从之则也．我之所欲唯无欲．而民亦无欲而自朴也．此四者崇本以息末也.
河上公注（汉）
以正治国者，以清正之道治国也。以奇用兵者，以奇谲用兵也。以无事取天下者，无为而取天下也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
天下有所不治，及其治之，非「正」不為功。以「正」正其不正，惡知正者之固將不正邪？故「正」必至於「奇」，而治國必至於「用兵」。夫無事者，正所正而我不治，則雖有欲為奇者，以無猜而自阻，我乃得坐而取之。彼多動多事者則不然，曰「治者物之當然，而用兵者我之不得已也」。方與天下共居其安平之富，而曰不得已，是誰詒之戚哉？故無名無器，無器無利，無利無巧，無巧則法無所試。故欲弭兵者先去治。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此承上章天道無言，而賞罰不遺，以明治天下者當敬天保民，不可有心尚殺以傷慈也。治天下者，不知天道，動尚刑威，是以死懼民也。老子因而欺之曰，民不畏死，奈何以死懼之耶。以愚民無知，但為養生口體之故。或因利而行劫奪，或貪欲而嗜酒色。明知曰蹈死亡，而安心為之，是不畏死也。如此者眾，豈得人人而盡殺之耶。若民果有畏死之心，但凡有為奇詭之行者，吾執一人而殺之，則足以禁天下之暴矣。如此，誰又敢為不法耶。民既不畏死，殺之無益，適足以傷慈耳。夫天之生民，必有以養之。而人不知天，不安命，橫肆貪欲以養生。甚至不顧利害，而無忌憚以作惡，是乃不畏天威。天道昭昭，必將有以殺之矣。是居常自有司殺者殺，無庸有心以殺之也。所謂天生天殺，道之理也。今夫人主，操生殺之權，乃代天之威以保民者。若民惡貫盈，天必殺之。人主代天以行殺，故云代司殺者殺，如代大匠斲也。且天鑑昭明，毫髮不爽。其於殺也，運無心以合度，揮神斤以巧裁。不疾不徐，故如大匠之斲，運斤成風而不傷鋒犯手。至若代大匠斲者，希有不傷手矣。何也，夫有心之殺，乃嗜殺也。嗜殺傷慈。且天之司殺，實為好生。然天好生，而人好殺，是不畏天而悖之，反取其殃。此所以為自傷其手也。孟子曰，不嗜殺人者能一之，此語深得老子之餘意。故軻力排楊墨，而不及老莊，良有以焉。至哉仁人之言也。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。吾何以知其然也？
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
Rule the state with correctness, operate the military with surprise. Take the world with non-action. How do I know this is so? Through this: The more prohibitions and taboos, the poorer the people. The more sharp weapons, the more chaotic the state. The more skills, the more strange things arise. The more laws and regulations, the more thieves and robbers. Therefore the sage says: I act without acting, and the people transform themselves. I love stillness, and the people correct themselves. I do not work, and the people enrich themselves. I have no desire, and the people return to simplicity.
Rule the state with correctness, operate the military with surprise. Take the world with non-action. How do I know this is so? Through this: The more prohibitions and taboos, the poorer the people. The more sharp weapons, the more chaotic the state. The more skills, the more strange things arise. The more laws and regulations, the more thieves and robbers. Therefore the sage says: I act without acting, and the people transform themselves. I love stillness, and the people correct themselves. I do not work, and the people enrich themselves. I have no desire, and the people return to simplicity.
Rule the state with correctness, operate the military with surprise. Take the world with non-action. How do I know this is so? Through this: The more prohibitions and taboos, the poorer the people. The more sharp weapons, the more chaotic the state. The more skills, the more strange things arise. The more laws and regulations, the more thieves and robbers. Therefore the sage says: I act without acting, and the people transform themselves. I love stillness, and the people correct themselves. I do not work, and the people enrich themselves. I have no desire, and the people return to simplicity.