Frugality of the Tao

Governing people and aligning with Heaven's Dao, nothing surpasses the principle of frugal reverence. Only through such restraint can one early attune to natural law. Early attunement means accumulating virtue through persistent cultivation. When virtue becomes profound, one overcomes all obstacles; with such omnipotent capacity, one's power becomes immeasurable. Possessing immeasurable power qualifies one to govern a nation. By mastering the mother-principle of governance, lasting stability is achieved. This is the truth of deep-rooted foundations and sturdy trunks—the Dao of enduring vitality and perpetual sustainability.

(This passage from Chapter 59 of the Tao Te Ching centers on the philosophy of "frugal reverence" (啬). Laozi advocates harmonizing statecraft and self-cultivation through desire moderation and energy conservation. He views frugality not merely as virtue, but as survival wisdom aligned with Heaven's Dao—only when inner virtue grows as deeply as tree roots can individuals and nations achieve lasting prosperity.)

Notes:
1. "Frugal reverence" (啬): Translated as a dual concept combining material thrift and spiritual awe, preserving its original ambiguity.
2. Natural law alignment: Rendered "attune to natural law" to convey proactive harmony rather than passive compliance.
3. Virtue accumulation: Used "persistent cultivation" to emphasize the active process of 重积德.
4. Tree metaphor: Translated 深根固柢 as "deep-rooted foundations and sturdy trunks" to maintain botanical imagery.
5. Perpetual sustainability: Interpreted 长生久视 as a holistic concept encompassing both longevity and visionary governance.
6. Philosophical framing: Explicitly linked "desire moderation" (节制欲望) and "energy conservation" (积蓄力量) in the annotation to clarify practical applications.

The translation balances poetic cadence with philosophical precision, echoing the structural parallelism seen in previous Tao Te Ching translations while contextualizing ancient wisdom for modern readers.