The following are some verses in Daodejing relating to leadership.
Chapter Two - The nourishment of the person [1]
是以聖人處無為之事，行不言之教； 萬物作焉而不辭，生而不有。 為而不恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。
Therefore the master acts without doing anything, and teaches without saying anything.Things arise and she lets them come.Things disappear and she lets them go.She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect.When her work is done, she forgets it.That is why it lasts forever.
James Legge Translation
Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything,
and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.All things spring up, and there is not one which declines to show itself;
they grow, and there is no claim made for their ownership;
they go through their processes, and there is no expectation (of a reward for the results).
The work is accomplished, and there is no resting in it (as an achievement).The work is done, but how no one can see;'Tis this that makes the power not cease to be.
Chapter Three - Keeping the people at rest [1]
不尚賢，使民不爭；不貴難得之貨，使民不為盜；不見可欲，使心不亂。是以聖人之治，虛其心，實其腹，弱其志，強其骨。常使民無知無欲。使夫知者不敢為也。為無為，則無不治。
If you over-esteem great men, people become powerless.
If you over-value possessions, people begin to steal.The master leads by emptying people's minds, and filling their cores,by weakening their ambition, and toughening their resolve.He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire,and creates confusion in those who think that they know.Practice not doing, and everything will fall into place.
James Legge Translation
Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves;not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves;not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder.Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government,empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones.He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without desire,and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act (on it).When there is this abstinence from action, good order is universal.
Chapter Thirty One - Stilling war [1]
夫佳兵者，不祥之器，物或惡之，故有道者不處。君子居則貴左，用兵則貴右。兵者不祥之器，非君子之器，不得已而用之，恬淡為上。勝而不美，而美之者，是樂殺人。夫樂殺人者，則不可以得志於天下矣。吉事尚左，凶事尚右。偏將軍居左，上將軍居右，言以喪禮處之。殺人之衆，以哀悲泣之，戰勝以喪禮處之。
Weapons are the tools of violence.
All decent men detest them.Weapons are the tools of fear.A decent man will avoid them, except in the direst necessity, and if compelled, will use them only with the utmost restraint.Peace is his highest value.If peace has been shattered, how can he be content?His enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.He doesn't wish them personal harm, nor does he rejoice in victory.How could he rejoice in victory, and delight in the slaughter of men?He enters a battle gravely with sorrow, and with great compassion, as if he were attending a funeral.
James Legge Translation
Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen, hateful, it may be said, to all creatures. Therefore they who have the Dao do not like to employ them.The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most honourable place, but in time of war the right hand.Those sharp weapons are instruments of evil omen, and not the instruments of the superior man; - he uses them only on the compulsion of necessity.Calm and repose are what he prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him undesirable.To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand.The second in command of the army has his place on the left; the general commanding in chief has his on the right; - his place, that is, is assigned to him as in the rites of mourning.He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief; and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.
Chapter Forty Nine - No fixed mind [1]
聖人無常心，以百姓心為心。善者，吾善之；不善者，吾亦善之；德善。信者，吾信之；不信者，吾亦信之；德信。聖人在天下，歙歙為天下渾其心，百姓皆注其耳目，聖人皆孩之。
The sage has no fixed mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good; - and thus (all) get to be good.To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere; - and thus (all) get to be sincere.When the sage rules the world, they keep themselves quiet and non-judgemental, merging and simplifying the mind for the sake of the world.The people all strain their ears and eyes, but the Sage treats them all like infants.
James Legge Translation
The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good; - and thus (all) get to be good.To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere; - and thus (all) get to be sincere.The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.
Additional Chapters
Chapter 57, 59, 60 and 61 are also some of the chapters in Daodejing that relate to leadership.
Notes:
- Please find separate posts in this blog of the above Daodejing chapters 2, 3, 31 and 49. You can find those chapters using the search function at the left hand top corner of this post.
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