治大国若烹小鲜
Governing a large country is like frying small fish
“Governing a large country is like frying small fish — do not overdo it. Too much handling ruins the dish. Too much interference poisons the peace.”
治大国若烹小鲜。以道莅天下，其鬼不神。非其鬼不神，其神不伤人。非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉。
Sometimes the best thing you can do in a situation is nothing. Do not over-stir the pot. Let things cook. Trust the process, and do not meddle unnecessarily.
治大国若烹小鲜——治理大国如烹小鱼，不可频繁翻动。
以道莅天下其鬼不神——以大道治理天下，连鬼都不作怪了。
非其鬼不神其神不伤人——不是鬼不显灵，是鬼显灵也不伤人。
夫两不相伤故德交归焉——人与自然互不相伤，德就互相归附了。
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