為學日益，為道日損。
損之又損，以至於無為。
無為而無不為。
取天下常以無事，及其有事，不足以取天下。
The student of knowledge (aims at) learning day by day;
The student of Tao (aims at) losing day by day.
By continual losing
One reaches doing nothing (laissez-faire).
He who conquers the world often does so by doing nothing.
When one is compelled to do something,
The world is already beyond his conquering.
(Translation by Lin Yutang)
By learning day by day, your knowledge will increase day by day.
On the other hand, those who seek and practice the Tao will reduce greed and delusion of the heart day by day until there is none and they will reach the state of doing-nothing.
Having arrived at this point of non-action, there is nothing which he does not do.
Letting things take their course is the way to rule the world. That is to do nothing. If the rulers try to tamper with it and they interfere with nature, they are not fit to conquer the world.
