第六十章   道莅天下

治大国，若烹小鲜。 以道莅天下，其鬼不神。非其鬼不神，其神不伤人。非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉。

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[译文]

悟道的人治理大国就像煎小鱼一样，少生滋扰。 以道德大法治理天下，鬼怪就无法惑乱于人。鬼怪不生惑乱，神祗就不会侵伤百姓。神祗不侵伤百性，悟道的人更不会侵扰民众。

鬼神和悟道之人都不伤害滋扰百姓，就上下合德、吉祥和谐了。

Governing like Frying a Small Fish

Leading a large country islike cooking a small fish.

Governing alarge country

is likecooking a small fish.

(You spoilit with too much poking.)

Let Tao reign over the world,and no spirits will show their ghostly powers.

Not that demons have nospiritual powers, their spiritual powers can no longer harm people. Not onlywill their supernatural power not harm people, the enlightened will always come to protect people.

Themysterious and the enlightened

do not bringharm to human beings,