Chapter 48 Dyer
Learning consists of daily accumulating.
The practice of the Dao consists of daily diminishing.
Decreasing and decreasing until doing nothing.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way.
It cannot be gained by interfering.
Chapter 48 Henricks
1. Those who work at their studies increase day after day;
2. Those who have heard the Dao decrease day after day.
3. They decrease and decrease, till they get to the point where they do nothing.
4. They do nothing and yet there's nothing left undone.
5. When someone wants to take control of the world, he must always be unconcerned with affairs.
6. For in a case where he's concerned with affairs,
7. He'll be unworthy, as well, of taking control of the world.
Chapter 48 Lau
In the pursuit of learning one knows more every day;
In the pursuit of the way one does less every day.
One does less and less until one does nothing at all, and when one does nothing at all there is nothing that is undone.
It is always through not meddling that the empire is won.
Should you meddle, then you are not equal to the task of winning the empire.
Chapter 48 Wu
Learning consists in daily accumulating;
The practice of Tao consists in daily diminishing.
Keep on diminishing and diminishing,
Until you reach the state of Non-Ado.
No-Ado, and yet nothing is left undone.
To win the world, one must renounce all.
If one still has private ends to serve,
One will never be able to win the world.