安民章第三

不尚賢，使民不爭；不貴難得之貨，使民不為盜；不見可欲，使民心不亂。是以聖人之治，虛其心，實其腹，弱其志，強其骨。常使民無知無欲。使夫智者不敢為也。為無為，則無不治。

3. Without Action

Not praising the worthy prevents contention,

Not esteeming the valuable prevents theft,

Not displaying the beautiful prevents desire.

In this manner the sage governs people:

Emptying their minds,

Filling their bellies,

Weakening their ambitions,

And strengthening their bones.

If people lack knowledge and desire

Then they cannot act;

If no action is taken

Harmony remains.

不崇尚錢財，讓人民不爭鬥。不珍愛難得而稀有的寶物，讓人民不偷盜。遠離物欲，讓民心不惑亂。所以聖人治理天下，會放空人民的心，填飽人民的肚子，減少他們的心志，加強他們的骨骼，經常讓人民不需使用知識和欲望。行使這種無為的治理方式，那麼天下就無所不治了。