Chapter 60
第六十章
Governing a great state is like cooking small fish.
治大国,若烹小鲜。
Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy.
以道莅天下,其鬼不神;
It is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be employed to hurt men.
非其鬼不神,其神不伤人;
It is not that it could not hurt men, but neither does the ruling sage hurt them.
非其神不伤人,圣人亦不伤人。
When these two do not injuriously affect each other, their good influences converge in the virtue (of the Tao).
夫两不相伤,故德交归焉。