lipu Pona la: kasi nanpa 58 pi lipu Nasin Pona
| 其政闷闷 | When the government is laid back | |
| 其民淳淳 | The people are relaxed. | |
| 其政察察 | When the government is nitpicking | |
| 其民缺缺 | The people have anxiety. | |
| 祸兮福之所倚 | Misfortune depends upon fortune. | |
| 福兮祸之所伏 | Fortune conceals misfortune. | |
| 孰知其极 | What has a definite delimitation? | |
| 其无正 | Or abnormality? | |
| 正复为奇 | The normal reverts to strangeness. | |
| 善复为妖 | Goodness reverts to perversion. | |
| 人之迷 |
People certainly have been confused for a long time. | |
| 是以圣人方而不割 | Therefore the sage squares things without cutting. | |
| 廉而不刿 | Edges without separating. | |
| 直而不肆 | Straightens without lining up. | |
| 光而不耀 | Shines but does not glare. |