Tao Te Ching Ch.59: Ruling People and Serving Heaven (长生久视)

治zhì人rén事shì天tiān，莫mò若ruò啬sè。

1For regulating the human (in our constitution) and rendering the (proper) service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation.

夫fú唯wéi啬sè，是shì谓wèi早zǎo服fú；早zǎo服fú谓wèi之zhī重zhòng积jī德dé；重zhòng积jī德dé则zé无wú不bù克kè；无wú不bù克kè则zé莫mò之zhī其qí极jí；莫mò之zhī其qí极jí，可kě以yǐ有yǒu国guó。

2It is only by this moderation that there is effected an early return (to man's normal state).

3That early return is what I call the repeated accumulation of the attributes (of the Tao).

4With that repeated accumulation of those attributes, there comes the subjugation (of every obstacle to such return).

5Of this subjugation we know not what shall be the limit; and when one knows not what the limit shall be, he may be the ruler of a state.

有yǒu国guó之zhī母mǔ，可kě以yǐ长cháng久jiǔ。

6He who possesses the mother of the state may continue long.

是shì谓wèi深shēn根gēn固gù柢dǐ，长cháng生shēng久jiǔ视shì之zhī道dào。

7His case is like that (of the plant) of which we say that its roots are deep and its flower stalks firm:--this is the way to secure that its enduring life shall long be seen.