What is meant by "do without doing" in the Tao Te Ching?

Question

In my translation of the Tao Te Ching, it says essentially (paraphrasing from audiobook Chapter 2):

If nothing is done, then all will be well.

There is this idea that you should not do at all, but somehow still work when required. How does this work? I can't wrap my head around it. I think that is translated here from "夫唯弗居，是以不去。" as "Does not focus on it, and thus it does not go." (which doesn't make any sense to me).

Another chapter touches on the topic, saying:

Understanding and being open to all things, are you able to do nothing?

Another one later on:

A truly good man is never doing, yet leaves nothing undone. A foolish man is always doing, yet much remains to be done.

I don't get it haha. I get "A foolish man is always doing, yet much remains to be done.", but not the rest.

Later on still:

Work without doing is understood by very few.

Answer 1

The principle of action through inaction is known as "wu wei". It is also advocated in other walks of life, see for example its Wikipedia article.

As I understand it, the Daoist sage seeks to be "at one with the Dao" and therefore to be always at one with whatever is happening. Any necessary action will take place spontaneously as a part of that oneness. There is therefore no need for premeditated or deliberate interference. Worse, such an act of will means that you are no longer at one with the Dao.

Answer 2

From a different translation:

The ten thousand things arise, but he [the Sage] doesn’t begin them;

He acts on their behalf, but he doesn’t make them dependent;

He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn’t dwell on them;

It is only because he doesn’t dwell on them that they therefore do not leave him.

See Daosim: dao is the "way", the "method", the "practice".

A way is the answer to a “how” or “what-to-do” question. We typically use talk of ways in advising someone. Ways are deeply practical (i.e., prescriptive or normative).

But there are more meanings...

The Daode Jing opens with:

“Dao that can be dao-ed is not constant dao [the Way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way]

that conveys a sort of skepticism: the correct dao can never be known, or maybe it cannot be put in words (i.e. teached).

It is a sort of paradoxical attitude [compare with Wittgenstein's Tractatus last sentence] that implies a "rule" like the following: “lack acting and yet lack ‘don’t-act’.”

In a nutshell, avoid desires that lead to competition and strife but, at the same time, avoid hermit-like escape from daily life.