TEXT
将欲取天下而为之，
吾见其不得已。
天下神器，
不可为也，
不可执也。
为者败之，
执者失之。
是以圣人无为，
故无败，
故无失。
夫物或行或随；
或觑或吹；
或强或羸；
或载或隳。
是以圣人去甚、去奢、去泰
TRANSLATION
I see that if somebody acts desiring to possess the land under Heaven, he will never arrive at his goal.
It is the contrivance of the deities under Heaven.
It cannot be fixed.
It cannot be grasped.
The one who takes action is defeated.
The one with a plan fails.
Therefore the sage is wu wei.
Hence he is not defeated. Hence he does not lose.
If some act, others may follow;
If some trumpet, others may join in;
for gain or for loss.
Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance and grandiosity.
COMMENTARY
The term wu wei means not to act against nature. The Taoist sense is that this “world under Heaven” belongs to deities. In Taoism, everything has its spirit. It is an animistic view of the universe. Every rock has its soul. This world is the contrivance of deities, powers that we might sometimes be able to influence, but never control. They are the real rulers of this world. People cannot and should not try to assume the role of gods, trying to change everything to suit human convenience. One should try to live in co-operation with the gods. If one treats the gods well, they will protect you. If you try to do without them you will end up with a thankless and unending task that can never bring satisfaction. Hubris is the greatest sin, as every ancient civilisation knew.
The sage avoids taking actions that will inevitably be defeated but which may, nonetheless, unfortunately, be copied by others, thus leading them into similar folly. This is the exact opposite of what mostly happens these days when everyone seeks to be popular and to have followers and when everyone is seeking the action that just might change everything. We have come to believe that human action can put everything right and that if something is wrong, then it needs more human action so as to effect a correction or achieve progress. The Taoist sense is quite different. From the Taoist perspective, if something is wrong it is because humans have interfered too much. They have tried to grasp and fix where they should have let be.
The chapter is advancing these principles not so much as an abstract ethical proposition, but more as an observation of practical common sense. This is what works. A person who tries to be a god is making a rod for his own back; his work will never end and will fail. It is often tempting to over-reach our capacities, but by conserving energy and resources one avoids defeat and unnecessary losses. Gain and loss are deceivers. There is a much greater satisfaction to be had from cooperation with the spirits of things.
The Taoist seeks to disturb the natural flow of things as little as possible and to work in cooperation with the deities of Earth, Sea and Sky to bring about harmony. Taoists are very conscious of how much we offend against the universe by our self-seeking actions. Thus, many Taoist rituals are concerned with contrition. Humans inevitably make a lot of disturbance and disrupt Nature. From the Taoist perspective this is something to regret and, as far as possible, to avoid.
The sage, therefore, avoids excess, extravagance and grandiosity. The sage does not go to extremes, but keeps things within reasonable proportions. The occasional extravagance is not a sin - Taoism is not puritanical - but the stress here is on occasional. When the occasion really warrants it, the sage can rise to it, but is able to do so precisely because of not wasting energy at other times. The sage is retiring, not grandiose. He may live in a hermitage far away. He appears when needed, but does not force himself upon people. Taoists are capable of putting on glorious ceremonies just like any other religion, but this should be for the benefit of the community, not the self-importance of the celebrant.
Throughout these principles there is a theme of deep respect. Every thing that exists is in some way a sacred vessel; it has its spirit, its way, its virtue; and these are expressions of the great Way, the Tao and the great virtue, the Te. As we learn to respect them, we ourselves become filled with them and experience the most complete satisfaction of being in harmony with the universe.
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