Translation: Act through the manner of non-action (无为), manage affairs with the attitude of non-interference, and take the tasteless as one's taste.
Analysis: This serves as the guiding principle of the entire chapter. The three parallel "non-" (无) phrases reveal three dimensions of Laozi's practical philosophy: in action, practice non-action (无为) — do not act recklessly; in handling affairs, practice non-interference — do not create unnecessary complications; in taste, savor the flavorless — do not crave stimulation. Wang Bi's commentary uses these three phrases to unify the whole chapter — everything begins from "non-being" (无).
Similar views: Wang Bi uses this to unify the whole chapter.
Translation: Act in accordance with nature, prepare in advance to eliminate troubles, and contemplate deeply to savor the meaning of the Tao (道).
Analysis: Heshang Gong's practical interpretation. "Managing affairs through non-interference" (事无事) does not mean doing nothing at all, but rather being prepared in advance and eliminating hidden dangers before problems arise. "Tasting the tasteless" (味无味) does not mean refusing to taste, but rather contemplating deeply and far-sightedly to grasp the true meaning of the Tao. This interpretation transforms "non-action" (无为) from the passive sense of "doing nothing" to the active methodology of "not disturbing the natural order."
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "预有备，除烦省事也" ("Be prepared in advance to eliminate troubles and reduce complications"). "深思远虑，味道意也" ("Contemplate deeply and far-sightedly to savor the meaning of the Tao").
Translation: Regard the small as great and the few as many; repay resentment with Virtue (德).
Analysis: "Great and small, many and few" (大小多少) is a quintessential expression of Laozi's dialectical thinking — the Tao (道) views things in the opposite way from ordinary people: seeing the small within the great, recognizing the few within the many. On this basis, "repay resentment with Virtue" (报怨以德) follows naturally — ordinary people repay resentment with resentment, but the person of the Tao does the opposite, transforming resentment through Virtue. Heshang Gong's commentary interprets "repay resentment with Virtue" as a preventive form of moral transformation: "修道行善，绝祸于未生也" ("Cultivate the Tao and practice virtue, cutting off misfortune before it arises") — dissolving resentment through good deeds before it ever takes shape.
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "修道行善，绝祸于未生也" ("Cultivate the Tao and practice virtue, cutting off misfortune before it arises").
Translation: Regardless of whether matters are great or small, many or few, always repay resentment with Virtue (德).
Analysis: "Great and small, many and few" (大小多少) is not interpreted dialectically here, but rather as an adverbial phrase of scope — no matter how great or small the resentment, one should always repay it with Virtue. This interpretation more concisely expresses Laozi's philosophy of forgiveness. Note: Confucius quoted this passage and responded with the question "何以报德？" ("Then how would one repay virtue?") (Analerta, "Xian Wen" chapter), proposing instead "以直报怨，以德报德" ("Repay resentment with justice, repay virtue with virtue") — a fundamentally different position. The Confucian and Daoist traditions diverge significantly on this point.
Similar views: Confucius's contrasting response to this phrase in the Analects, "Xian Wen" chapter.
Translation: When planning for difficult tasks, begin from what is easy; when undertaking great endeavors, start from what is minute.
Analysis: A classic methodology. This resonates with Chapter 64's "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Difficult tasks should be tackled while they are still easy at the outset; great undertakings should be initiated while they are still minute at the beginning. Heshang Gong's commentary states: "欲图难事，当于易时，未及成也" ("When planning for a difficult task, one should act while it is still easy, before it has fully formed"); "欲为大事，必作于小，祸乱从小来也" ("When undertaking great affairs, one must begin from the small, for calamity and disorder arise from small things").
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "欲图难事，当于易时" ("When planning for a difficult task, one should act while it is still easy").
Translation: All difficult things under heaven inevitably develop from what is easy; all great things under heaven inevitably grow from what is minute.
Analysis: Continuing from the preceding passage. This states a universal law of the cosmos — all difficult things were once easy, and all great things were once minute. The development of all things follows the process from small to great, from easy to difficult. Therefore, to resolve difficult problems, one must act while they are still easy; to achieve great things, one must begin from the details. Heshang Gong: "从易生难，从细生著" ("From the easy, difficulty is born; from the minute, the prominent emerges").
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "从易生难，从细生著" ("From the easy, difficulty is born; from the minute, the prominent emerges").
Translation: Therefore, the Sage (圣人) never considers himself great, and thus is able to achieve true greatness.
Analysis: A classic expression of the Laozian paradox — by not striving for greatness, one actually achieves greatness. The reason the Sage can accomplish great things is precisely because he never pursues "greatness," but instead proceeds pragmatically from what is small, minute, and easy. Heshang Gong: "处谦虚，天下共归之也" ("He dwells in humility, and all under heaven turn to him").
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "处谦虚，天下共归之也" ("He dwells in humility, and all under heaven turn to him").
Translation: One who makes promises lightly will inevitably lack trustworthiness; one who regards things as too easy will inevitably encounter more difficulties.
Analysis: Two parallel chains of causality. Making promises lightly → inability to fulfill them → loss of credibility. Underestimating difficulty → insufficient preparation → compounded difficulties. Heshang Gong's commentary is succinct and powerful: "不重言也" ("He does not take his words seriously") — on light promises; "不慎患也" ("He does not guard against troubles") — on treating things too lightly. Both statements serve as arguments by negation for the spirit of "acting through non-action" (为无为) — reckless action (light promises, underestimation) inevitably leads to greater trouble.
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "不重言也" ("He does not take his words seriously"). "不慎患也" ("He does not guard against troubles").
Translation: Therefore, the Sage (圣人) always regards things as difficult, and thus in the end never encounters any real difficulty.
Analysis: The closing statement of the entire chapter. Yet another Laozian paradox: he who treats difficult things as difficult will end up with no difficulty; he who treats easy things as easy will end up with much difficulty. The Sage approaches every matter with careful gravity, and precisely because of his thorough preparation, he lives free of calamity. Heshang Gong: "圣人动作举事，犹进退，重难之，欲塞其源也" ("The Sage in all his actions and undertakings advances and retreats cautiously, treating everything as weighty and difficult, wishing to block trouble at its source"). "圣人终生无患难之事，犹避害深也" ("The Sage is free from calamity throughout his life, because he avoids harm with the utmost depth of care").
Similar views: Heshang Gong: "圣人终生无患难之事，犹避害深也" ("The Sage is free from calamity throughout his life, because he avoids harm with the utmost depth of care").
This chapter contains 9 interpretation combinations.
[Core Divergences]
Chapter 63 opens with the triple negation "Act through non-action, manage affairs through non-interference, taste the tasteless" (为无为、事无事、味无味), constructing a complete methodology — the action of non-action, the management of non-interference, the taste of the tasteless. The core idea is "Plan for the difficult while it is still easy; accomplish the great from what is minute" (图难于其易，为大于其细) — all great achievements begin from the minute, and all difficult problems are tackled from the easy. The chapter closes with "The Sage still regards things as difficult, and therefore in the end encounters no difficulty" (圣人犹难之，故终无难矣), completing an exquisite chain of paradox: treating difficulty with gravity → thorough preparation → therefore no difficulty in the end. The phrase "repay resentment with Virtue" (报怨以德) is particularly noteworthy — this represents the highest form of forgiveness advocated by Laozi, one that even Confucius did not fully endorse (preferring "repay resentment with justice" — 以直报怨), embodying the Daoist spirit of all-embracing tolerance that transcends the duality of good and evil.