| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish. | |
| By the Dao, preside over all under heaven; | |
| its spirits are not divine; | |
| not that they are not divine, | |
| their divinity does not wound people; | |
| not that their divinity does not wound people, | |
| the sage likewise does not wound people. | |
| When neither wounds the other, | |
| therefore virtue returns to both. |
govern; rule; manage; cure; treat; water-control
big; large; great; adult; major; high-ranking
state; country; kingdom; national
if; supposing; like; as if; similar to
cook; boil; steam; prepare food
small; little; young; insignificant; humble
fresh; bright; vivid; rarely
by means of; use; because; so as to; in order to
road; path; way; method; principle; to speak; to lead
arrive; reach; visit; attend
sky; heaven; nature; fate; day
below; down; descend; next; subordinate
his; her; its; their; that; the one who; such
ghost; spirit; demon; eerie; cunning
not; no; un-; non=
spirit; deity; divine; supernatural; mind/consciousness
not; wrong; to blame; non respectively
wound; injure; grieve; damage; sorrow
person; human; people; others; mankind
holy; sacred; sage; saintly; divine
also; too; likewise; similarly; even
man; husband; adult male; [particle] now; indeed; as for
two; both; a pair; double; tael (weight)
mutual; each other; appearance; to observe; minister
cause; reason; former; old; therefore
virtue; moral character; inner power; virtuous
cross; exchange; hand over; intersect; friendship
return; go home; belong to; revert; surrender
how; why; where; therein; thus; (final particle)