Harmed Through Greed, Starving People, Excessive Taxes, Don't Worry About Death,
Be Disinterested, Less Government is Better, Avoid an Excessive Interest in
Daily Affairs 貪損
"The people starve because those above them eat too much
tax-grain.
That is the only reason why they starve.
The people are difficult to keep in order because those above them interfere.
That is the only reason why they are so difficult to keep in order.
The people attach no importance to death,
Because those above them are too grossly absorbed in the pursuit of life.
That is why they attach no importance to death.
And indeed, in that their hearts are so little set on life
They are superior to these who set store by life."
- Translation by
Arthur Waley,
Chapter 75
"People are hungry.
Because their rulers levy too much grain tax,
Therefore they are hungry.
People are hard to rule.
Because their rulers rule by action (wei),
Therefore they are hard to rule.
People take death lightly.
Because they are in thick pursuit of life,
Therefore they take death lightly.
One who has nothing to pursue in life,
Is wiser than one who values life."
- Translated by
Helen Chen,
Chapter 75
"The hunger of the people
Is from their superiors eating up so much of their tax grain
This is behind the hunger
The difficulties in governing the people
Are due to their superiors having to take action
This is behind the difficulties in government
The people come to take death lightly
Because they pursue life’s riches
This is behind their taking death lightly
Only when one does not think life a performance
Will there be skill in valuing life."
- Translated by
Bradford Hatcher,
2005, Chapter 75
By Hu Xuzehi
Annotated translation by Victor Mair 
By Ha Poong Kim
By Hans-Georg Moeller 
By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall
By Wes Burgess
By Arthur Waley
"Starvation of a people comes when an official
appropriates to himself too much of the taxes.
The reason a people are difficult to govern is because the officials are too
meddlesome; the people make light of death because they are so absorbed in
life's interests.
The one who is not absorbed in life is more moral than he who esteems life."
- Translated by
Dwight Goddard,
1919, Chapter 75
"If you require many concessions from children, they
won’t be able to fulfill their own hearts.
Give them many rules to follow and they will rebel.
When people outwardly value life, death is taken lightly.
If death is taken lightly, life will easily be sacrificed."
- Translated by
David Bullen,
Chapter 75
Why are the people starving?
Because their rulers devour too much in taxes.
That's why they starve.
Why are the people rebellious?
Because their rulers can't stop interfering.
That's why they rebel.
Why do the people make light of death?
Because they are intent on life.
That's why they make light of death.
Yet those who do not strive to live
are wiser than those who value life.
- Translated by
Tim Chilcott,
2005, Chapter 75
By Alexander Simkins. 
By Derek Lin.
By Ming-Dao Deng.
By Benjamin Hoff.
By Ming-Dao Deng.
Translated by Thomas Cleary.
" 'The people are starving.' It is because those
high up eat too much tax grain, this is why they are starving.
'The people are hard to govern.' It is because there is Working among those high
up, this is why they are hard to govern.
'The people take death lightly.' It is because they pursue a lavish life, this
is why they take death lightly.
Simply: Those who do not Work at 'living' - these are better men than those who
'love life.' "
- Translated by
Michael LaFargue,
1992, Chapter 75
"The people suffer from famine because of the multitude
of taxes consumed by their superiors.
Because of this they suffer from famine.
The people are difficult to govern because of the officiousness of their
superiors; because of this they are difficult to govern.
Men are continually dying because they lust after life; because of this they
frequently die.
It is only those with whom life is no object who truly value life."
- Translated by
C. Spurgeon Medhurst,
1905, Chapter 75
Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni
Translated by Brian Walker
Translated by Arthur Waley
Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles
By Eva Wong
"When the nation is in want of food, it can be seen that
the government officials are eating too much of the grain in excessive taxes.
And why are the people restive and hard to govern?
They are in a state of near rebellion due to the intrusive machinations of the
government.
The people learn to make light of death when they strive to obtain goods and
extravagant items.
They are relentlessly working to acquire more, and look to death as a release
from pursuit of material gain.
In this wise it is easy to not place too high a price on life."
- Translated by
John Dicus, 2002,
Chapter 75
"If the people starve, it is because those above them
tax their livelihood too heavily.
That is why they starve.
If the people are unruly,
It is because those above them are too Active.
That is why they are unruly.
If the people take death lightly, it is because they seek life's bounty.
That is why they take death lightly.
Those who live life without striving are exemplars of valuing life."
- Translated by
Tam Gibbs, Chapter
75
Dao Te Ching by Lao Tsu, Posts to the Cloud Hands Blog
Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching
Translated by Livia Kohn
Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude
of taxes consumed by their superiors.
It is through this that they suffer famine.
The people are difficult to govern because of the (excessive) agency of their
superiors (in governing them).
It is through this that they are difficult to govern.
The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their labours in
seeking for the means of living.
It is this which makes them think light of dying.
Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better
than to set a high value on it."
- Translated by
James Legge, 1891,
Chapter 75
"When taxes are too heavy, hunger lays the people low.
When those who govern interfere too much, the people become rebellious.
When those who govern demand too much of people's lives, death is taken lightly.
When the people are starving in the land, life is of little value,
and so is more easily sacrificed by them in overthrowing government."
- Translated by
Stan Rosenthal,
1984, Chapter 75
Translated by Eva Wong 
Translated by Philip Ivahoe
By James Miller
Translated by Stephen Bokencamp
By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins
Translated by Thomas Cleary
By Livia Kohn
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