Chapter 19 · Renouncing Cleverness

Tao Te Ching (Legge, 1891) · chapter title added by Learn the Dao

Learn the Dao: a quiet practice for learning the thing that can’t be known.

The chapter’s first line

If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom,

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This chapter in plain modern English — David Kooi’s rendering ↓

If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom, it would be better for the people a hundredfold. If we could renounce our benevolence and discard our righteousness, the people would again become filial and kindly. If we could renounce our artful contrivances and discard our (scheming for) gain, there would be no thieves nor robbers. Those three methods (of government) Thought olden ways in elegance did fail And made these names their want of worth to veil; But simple views, and courses plain and true Would selfish ends and many lusts eschew.

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it would be better for — missed the people a hundredfold

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Chapter 19, in a second rendering

Less Noise in the Signal

Dao De Kooi — an original rendering by David Kooi

Drop the posturing about wisdom and people are better off by a mile. Drop the moral grandstanding and people go back to actually taking care of each other. Drop the schemes and the angling and the thieves run out of work. But those three are just things to quit - that's not enough on its own. You need something to aim at. So: see what's plain. Hold onto the uncarved version of yourself. Want less, scheme less. Not a vow of poverty. Just less noise in the signal.

Next · Chapter 20When we renounce learning we have no troubles.Read chapter 20 →

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