众人之用神也躁，躁则多费，多费之谓侈。The common people use their spirit restlessly. When they are restless, there is much waste, and this excessive waste is called extravagance.
圣人之用神也静，静则少费，少费之谓啬。Sages use their spirit tranquilly. When they are tranquil, there is little waste, and this economy is called frugality.
啬之谓术也，生于道理。夫能啬也，是从于道而服于理者也。Frugality as a method is derived from the principles of things. Those who can be frugal are following the Way and submitting to the principles.
众人离于患，陷于祸，犹未知退，而不服从道理。The common people, even when faced with troubles and caught in disasters, still do not know to retreat and do not submit to the principles.
圣人虽未见祸患之形，虚无服从于道理，以称蚤服。Even though sages have not yet seen the form of disasters, they, in their emptiness and nothingness, submit to the principles, which is called "early submission".
故曰：“夫谓啬，是以蚤服。”知治人者，其思虑静；知事天者，其孔窍虚。Therefore, it is said, "Being frugal means early submission." Those who know how to govern people have calm thoughts; those who know how to serve heaven keep their senses receptive.
思虑静，故德不去；孔窍虚，则和气日入。故曰：“重积德。”With calm thoughts, virtue remains; when the senses are receptive, harmonious energy enters day by day. So it is said, "Accumulate virtue repeatedly."
夫能令故德不去，新和气日至者，蚤服者也。故曰：“蚤服，是谓重积德。”Those who can make the old virtue remain and the new harmonious energy arrive daily are those who have achieved early submission. Thus, it is said, "Early submission means repeated accumulation of virtue."
积德而后神静，神静而后和多，和多而后计得，计得而后能御万物；After accumulating virtue, the spirit becomes calm. When the spirit is calm, there is more harmonious energy. With more harmonious energy, plans are successful. When plans are successful, one can control all things;
能御万物则战易胜敌，战易胜敌而论必盖世，论必盖世，故曰“无不克。”Being able to control all things, one can easily defeat the enemy in battle. If one can easily defeat the enemy in battle, one's arguments must be peerless in the world. Since one's arguments are peerless in the world, it is said, "One can overcome all."
无不克本于重积德，故曰“重积德，则无不克。”The ability to overcome all is based on repeated accumulation of virtue. Hence, it is said, "Repeatedly accumulating virtue enables one to overcome all."
战易胜敌，则兼有天下；论必盖世，则民人从。If one can easily defeat the enemy in battle, one can annex the whole world. If one's arguments are peerless in the world, the people will follow.
进兼有天下而退从民人，其术远，则众人莫见其端末。Advancing, one can annex the whole world; retreating, the people will follow. Since this method is far - reaching, the common people cannot see its beginning or end.
莫见其端末，是以莫知其极。故曰：“无不克，则莫知其极。”Not seeing its beginning or end, they do not know its limit. Therefore, it is said, "One can overcome all, and then no one knows its limit."
凡有国而后亡之，有身而后殃之，不可谓能有其国、能保其身。Whenever a country perishes after having been established, or a person suffers misfortune after having a life, it cannot be said that one can possess the country or protect one's own body.
夫能有其国，必能安其社稷；能保其身，必能终其天年；而后可谓能有其国、能保其身矣。Those who can possess the country must be able to stabilize its altars of the soil and grain. Those who can protect their own body must be able to live out their natural lifespan. Only then can it be said that one can possess the country and protect one's own body.
夫能有其国、保其身者，必且体道。Those who can possess the country and protect their own body must embody the Way.
体道，则其智深；其智深，则其会远；其会远，众人莫能见其所极。If one embodies the Way, one's wisdom is profound. With profound wisdom, one's understanding is far - reaching. With far - reaching understanding, the common people cannot see its limit.
唯夫能令人不见其事极，不见其事极者为保其身、有其国。Only those who can make others not see the limit of their affairs can protect their own body and possess the country.
故曰：“莫知其极。莫知其极，则可以有国。”So it is said, "No one knows its limit. If no one knows its limit, one can possess the country."
所谓“有国之母”：母者，道也；道也者，生于所以有国之术；所以有国之术，故谓之“有国之母。”What is called "the mother of possessing a country": The mother refers to the Way. The Way is born from the method of possessing a country. Since it is the method of possessing a country, it is called "the mother of possessing a country".
夫道以与世周旋者，其建生也长，持禄也久。The Way, when used to interact with the world, ensures long - lasting life and a long - held position.
故曰：“有国之母，可以长久。”树木有曼根，有直根。Therefore, it is said, "The mother of possessing a country can ensure long - lasting existence." Trees have spreading roots and straight roots.
直根者，书之所谓“柢”也。柢也者，木之所以建生也；曼根者，木之所以持生也。The straight root is what books call the "rootstock". The rootstock is the basis for the tree's growth. The spreading roots are what maintain the tree's life.
德也者，人之所以建生也；禄也者，人之所以持生也。Virtue is the basis for a person's growth. Position and emolument are what maintain a person's life.
今建于理者，其持禄也久，故曰：“深其根。”Those who act in accordance with the principles can hold their positions for a long time. Thus, it is said, "Deepen its roots."
体其道者，其生日长，故曰：“固其柢。”Those who embody the Way have a long - lasting life. So it is said, "Strengthen its rootstock."
柢固，则生长；根深，则视久，故曰：“深其根，固其柢，长生久视之道也。”When the rootstock is strong, the tree grows; when the roots are deep, the tree lasts long. Therefore, it is said, "Deepen its roots, strengthen its rootstock. This is the way to long - lasting life and endurance."
工人数变业则失其功，作者数摇徙则亡其功。If craftsmen frequently change their occupations, they will lose their proficiency. If workers often move around, they will achieve nothing.
一人之作，日亡半日，十日则亡五人之功矣；万人之作，日亡半日，十日则亡五万人之功矣。For one person's work, losing half a day each day means losing the work of five people in ten days. For ten thousand people's work, losing half a day each day means losing the work of fifty thousand people in ten days.
然则数变业者，其人弥众，其亏弥大矣。Then, the more people change their occupations, the greater the loss.
凡法令更则利害易，利害易则民务变，民务变谓之变业。Whenever laws and decrees change, the interests and harms change. When the interests and harms change, people's pursuits change, and this change in people's pursuits is called changing occupations.
故以理观之，事大众而数摇之，则少成功；藏大器而数徙之，则多败伤；Therefore, from the perspective of principles, when dealing with a large number of people and frequently changing things, there will be little success. When storing a large vessel and frequently moving it, there will be much damage.
烹小鲜而数挠之，则贼其宰；治大国而数变法，则民苦之。When cooking a small fish and frequently stirring it, the cook spoils the dish. When governing a large country and frequently changing laws, the people will suffer.
是以有道之君贵静，不重变法。故曰：“治大国者若烹小鲜。”Therefore, a ruler of the Way values tranquility and does not emphasize frequent changes in laws. So it is said, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish."
