Ruling a great nation is like frying little fish

If the world is overseen with the Way:

It's ghosts will not be divine
Not that they are not divine

It's divinity shall not harm the people
Not that it doesn't harm the people

And the Sage wouldn't harm them either!

When these two halves do not impair one other
Character concocts a return there

治大國若烹小鮮

以道蒞天下

其鬼不神
非其鬼不神

其神不傷人
非其神不傷人

聖人亦不傷人

夫兩不相傷
故德交歸焉