1. The government that seems the most unwise,
Oft goodness to the people best supplies;
That which is meddling1, touching2 everything,
Will work but ill, and disappointment bring. Misery3!--happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness!--misery lurks4 beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end?
2. Shall we then dispense5 with correction? The (method of) correction shall by a turn become distortion, and the good in it shall by a turn become evil. The delusion6 of the people (on this point) has indeed subsisted7 for a long time.
3. Therefore the sage8 is (like) a square which cuts no one (with its angles); (like) a corner which injures no one (with its sharpness). He is straightforward9, but allows himself no license10; he is bright, but does not dazzle.
解释翻译
其政闷闷，其民淳淳;
其政察察，其民缺缺。
祸兮，福之所倚;
福兮，祸之所伏。
孰知其极?其无正也。
正复为奇，善复为妖。
人之迷，其日固久。
是以圣人方而不割，廉而不刿，直而不肆，光而不耀。
【译文】
为政随和散漫，人民反而喜乐淳和;为政勤紧利索，人民反而怨愤飘零。灾祸呵，福祥的亲密伴侣;福祥呵，灾祸的藏身之地。谁知道它们迁延嬗变的准则呢?那是没有一个定准的。合格正常会变得出格反常，良善祥和会变得妖异险恶。人们对这迁延不居的动荡感到无所适从，由来已久。因此，圣人方正而不孤立，突棱而不伤人，率直而不放肆，光明而不耀眼。
注释出处
1meddling
v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切干预促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句
2touching
adj.动人的，使人感伤的
参考例句：
It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
3misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
4lurks
n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
Behind his cool exterior lurks a reckless and frustrated person. 在冷酷的外表背后，他是一个鲁莽又不得志的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Good fortune lies within Bad, Bad fortune lurks within good. 福兮祸所倚，祸兮福所伏。 来自互联网
5dispense
vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施
参考例句：
Let us dispense the food.咱们来分发这食物。
The charity has been given a large sum of money to dispense as it sees fit.这个慈善机构获得一大笔钱，可自行适当分配。
6delusion
n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑
参考例句：
He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。
7subsisted
v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Before liberation he subsisted on wild potatoes. 解放前他靠吃野薯度日。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
Survivors of the air crash subsisted on wild fruits. 空难事件的幸存者以野果维持生命。 来自辞典例句
8sage
n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的
参考例句：
I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。
9straightforward
adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的
参考例句：
A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
10license
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。
道德经英文版