An excerpt of a supposed exchange between Laozi (attributed author of Daodejing) and Kongzi (aka Confucius). . 孔子解释道："吾乃忧大道不行，仁义不施，战乱不止，国乱不治也，故有人生短暂，不能有功于世、不能有为于民之感叹矣。" Kongzi explains his concerns "I am worried that should the great Dao be not moving/functioning, that benevolence and righteous be not practised, there will be no end to the chaos of war, there will be no governance/cure to the chaos in countries. Human life is short and temporary, yet I have no successful contribution to society and no useful service to the populace. This is why I am lamenting/sighing here [by the bank of the river]." 老子道："天地无人推而自行，日月无人燃而自明，星辰无人列而自序，禽兽无人造而自生，此乃自然为之也，何劳人为乎？人之所以生、所以无、所以荣、所以辱，皆有自然之理、自然之道也。顺自然之理而趋，遵自然之道而行，国则自治，人则自正，何须津津于礼乐而倡仁义哉？津津于礼乐而倡仁义，则违人之本性远矣。犹如人击鼓寻求逃跑之人，击之愈响，则人逃跑得愈远矣!" Laozi says "Heaven and earth have no human pushing but move/function by themselves. Sun and moon have no human lighting but shine by themselves. The constellation of stars have no human arranging but are in proper-order by themselves. Birds and beasts have no human constructing but are born by themselves. This is action naturally as such by itself. It burdens not on human to act for them. As for humans, why they come to be born, come to be non-existent, come to rise in fame/glory, come to sink in disgrace/obscurity, it all has its reason/pattern naturally as such by itself too, it all has its way/dao naturally as such by itself too. Accord to the natural reason/pattern and walk, accord to the natural way/dao and move, countries will come to be governed/cured by themselves, humans will come to be correct/upright by themselves. What's the need then to indulge in propriety/ritual-music/pleasure to advocate benevolence and righteousness? To indulge in propriety/ritual-music/pleasure to advocate benevolence and righteousness is actually to deviate far from the original nature that's of human. Just like someone striking the drum hard to seek those people who are fleeing away. The more booming the strike, the further the people flee away!"