Tao Te Ching · Chapter 57

Chinese text

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。」

English support translation

A 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.'