How did Adam Smith use the invisible hand idea in The Theory of Moral Sentiments?

In The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), Adam Smith uses the metaphor of the "invisible hand" to describe how the self-interested actions of the wealthy can unintentionally benefit society.12

Specifically, in Part IV, chapter 1, Smith explains that as wealthy individuals pursue their own interests and employ others to labor for them, they are "led by an invisible hand" to distribute the necessities of life in a manner that approximates the outcome of an equal division of the earth. Even though these individuals are motivated by their own desires rather than a conscious intent to promote the public good, their actions result in a distribution of resources that serves the broader interests of society.12

This usage illustrates Smith’s broader philosophical view that human nature—driven by passions yet regulated by reason and sympathy—can lead to beneficial social outcomes without those outcomes being the intended goal of the individual actors.12