Introduction

This verse was very challenging to translate. Characters were used repeatedly, sometimes as nouns and sometimes as verbs. The cadence and poetic flow relied on double negatives, and the entire meaning is couched in Daoist cosmology and metaphysics. After chewing on it for an alarmingly long time, considering its brevity, I am ready to say, “Here it is!”

Translation

Govern the Nation,
  as one would fry a small fish.

When the World is governed by Dao,
  its “ghosts” do not stir. 

Not only do “ghosts” not stir,
  Spirit is not distressed. 

Not only is Spirit not distressed,
  neither is the Wise.

When neither harms the other,
  Integrity moves freely between them. 

Commentary

Govern the Nation,
  as one would fry a small fish.

Recall from verse 59 that the Nation is a delicate balance of the Three Treasures, resulting in the realization of a subtle, energetic life force known as Breath (炁, qì). 

If you’ve ever tried to fry a small fish, you know that it tends to fall apart as it cooks. If we are impatient or overzealous in tending to the fish, our attempts to manipulate it destroy it. Our overall health, well-being, meditative process, and work in Weaving the Way are like this. Our job is to maintain awareness of the appropriate conditions, providing only the gentlest of nudges as we allow the process to unfold. 

By contrast, fusing breath (气, qì) and Spirit (神, shèn) to realize Breath requires significantly more effort! 

Also, similar to the last verse, these opening lines are somewhat disconnected from the teaching. We are invited to spend some moments entering into a meditative mind before receiving the instructions that follow.