Chapter 80 — Standing alone獨立
1A small country with few people
小國寡民，
A small country with few people.
note 2
國既小，民又寡，尚可使反古，況國大民眾乎？故舉小國而言也。
When the country is already small and the people few, one may still make them turn back to the old ways — how much more when the country is large and the people many. That is why it speaks by taking a small country.
聖人雖治大國，猶以為小，儉約不奢泰。民雖眾，猶若寡少，不敢勞之也。
Though the sage governs a great country, he still thinks of it as small: he is sparing and frugal and never runs over into luxury. Though his people are many, he still regards them as few and does not dare to wear them out with toil.
2Let there be tools by the ten and the hundred, and let them go unused
使有什伯之器而不用，
Let there be tools by the ten and the hundred, and let them go unused,
note 3
言使民雖有什伯之器而無所用，何患不足也。
This says that the people are made to have tools by the ten and the hundred and yet have no use for them, so why worry about not having enough?
使民各有部曲什伯，貴賤不相犯也。
It is to let the people each have their groupings by tens and by hundreds, so that the honored and the lowly do not encroach upon one another.
器謂農，人之器而不用，不徵召奪民良時也。
Tools here means farming tools. Not using the people's tools means not calling them away and robbing them of their good season.
3Let the people take death heavily and not move far away
使民重死而不遠徙。
and let the people take death heavily and not move far away.
note 3
使民不用，惟身是寶，不貪貨賂，故各安其居，重死而不遠徙也。
The people are made not to use tools, to treasure only their own persons, and not to covet goods and bribes. So each finds rest where he lives, takes death heavily, and does not move far away.
君能為民興利除害，各得其所，則民重死而貪生也。
When the ruler raises up what benefits the people and removes what harms them, so that each gets his own place, the people take death heavily and hold their lives dear.
政令不煩則民安其業，故不遠遷徙離其常處也。
When government and orders are not vexatious, the people are at rest in their work, and so they do not move far away and leave the place where they have always lived.
4To old age and death they never visit one another
雖有舟輿，無所乘之；雖有甲兵，無所陳之。使人復結繩而用之，甘其食，美其服，安其居，樂其俗。鄰國相望，雞犬之聲相聞，民至老死，不相往來。
Though there are boats and carts, there is no occasion to ride them. Though there are armor and weapons, there is no occasion to draw them up. Let people go back to knotting cords and using them. Let them find their food sweet, their clothes beautiful, their homes restful, their customs a delight. Neighboring countries look across at one another, and the crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs carry from one to the other, yet to old age and death the people never visit one another.
note 10
無所欲求。
There is nothing they wish for or seek.
清靜無為，不作煩華，不好出入遊娛也。
Being clear and still and doing nothing, he does not make vexatious and showy things, and he takes no pleasure in going about for amusement.
無怨惡於天下。
It is that there is no resentment and no hatred under heaven.
去文反質，信無欺也。
They cast off ornament and return to the plain, so there is trust and no deceit.
甘其蔬食，不漁食百姓也。
He finds a meal of greens sweet and does not scrape a living off the people.
美其惡衣，不貴五色。
He finds coarse clothing beautiful and does not prize the five colors.
安其茅茨，不好文飾之屋。
He finds a thatched house restful and takes no pleasure in a decorated and ornamented one.
樂其質樸之俗，不轉移也。
He delights in plain customs and does not move away from them.
相去近也。
It is that the distance between them is close.
其無情欲。
It is that there is no craving in their hearts.