第十七章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 17
The best rulers are barely noticed; when the work is done, the people say it happened by itself.
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太上，下知有之。
The great masters, and below those who know they exist.
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其次，亲而誉之。
Those of the next level love and praise it.
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其次，畏之。
The next ones dread it.
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其次，侮之。
And the next despise it.
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信不足焉，有不信焉。
Where trust is insufficient, there is distrust.
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悠兮其贵言。
Pondered the sage is, with his precious words.
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功成事遂，
Deed accomplished and task successful,
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百姓皆谓我自然。
Everybody says: "It is natural to him"
Words in this chapter
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 太上 | tài shàng | the very highest (rulers) |
| 下 | xià | low, below |
| 知 | zhī | to know |
| 有 | yǒu | to have, to possess |
| 之 | zhī | it, them (object) |
| 其次 | qí cì | next, below that |
| 亲 | qīn | to love, to feel close to |
| 而 | ér | and, and then |
| 誉 | yù | to praise |
| 畏 | wèi | to fear, to dread |
| 侮 | wǔ | to scorn |
| 信 | xìn | trust, good faith |
| 不 | bù | not |
| 足 | zú | enough, sufficient |
| 焉 | yān | in it, from it |
| 悠 | yōu | remote, unhurried |
| 兮 | xī | ah (particle) |
| 其 | qí | it, he, they (subject) |
| 贵 | guì | to value, to prize |
| 言 | yán | words, to speak |
| 功 | gōng | achievement, work done |
| 成 | chéng | to complete, accomplish |
| 事 | shì | affairs, work |
| 遂 | suì | to be done, succeed |
| 百姓 | bǎi xìng | the common people |
| 皆 | jiē | all, everyone |
| 谓 | wèi | to call, to be called |
| 我 | wǒ | I, me |
| 自然 | zì rán | what is so of itself |
Compare: James Legge (1891)
In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them. Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers) a want of faith in them ensued (in the people).
How irresolute did those (earliest rulers) appear, showing (by their reticence) the importance which they set upon their words! Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the people all said, 'We are as we are, of ourselves!'
Public domain. Source: Wikisource.
Meaning of chapter 17
Chapter 17 ranks rulers by how the people see them. With the best, those below only know that they exist. Next come rulers the people love and praise, then rulers they fear, then rulers they despise. The order runs against expectation: being loved ranks below being barely noticed.
The chapter gives a reason: where trust is lacking, distrust follows. The best ruler is unhurried and sparing with words, so that when the work is done and things are accomplished, the people all say it was 自然, so of itself. No one is credited, because the ruler's part never showed.
Some editions read 不知有之, "those below do not know they exist", in line 1; this site follows Wang Bi's 下知有之. The last line is also read in more than one way; this site takes it as the people saying that it all happened of itself. The line on trust returns in chapter 23, and the people who transform of themselves in chapter 57.