民不畏威則大威至[矣(•)] •無狎其所居無厭其所生(•)夫唯不厭是以不厭是以聖人自知不自見•自愛不自貴•(•)故去彼取此If the citizens do not fear your authority,Then a greater authority will arrive!Do not disrespect their dwellings,Do not despise their livelihood.Now : only because you do not despise them,Thus they will not tire of you.Thus the sage :Knows himself but not display himself,Loves himself but does not exalt himself.Therefore he leaves that and chooses this.If thecitizensdonotfear[your]authority,Thenagreaterauthoritywillarrive!A♦Donotdisrespecttheirdwellings2,♦Donotdespisetheirlivelihood2B.[detest] [that whichtheyproduce]♦Now:onlybecause [you] donotdespise[them], [detest]♦Thus2[they] willnottire of{detest}C[you].♦Thus2thesage2:♦Knowshimselfbutnotdisplayhimself, [show]♦Loveshimselfbut doesnotexalthimself. [high rank,respected]ThereforeheleavesthatDandchoosesthisE.NotesA :possibly meaning someone else will take over, either from within or without?B : these two symbols could also be translated as “placeofbirth” or even “parents” (they whogave themlife)C : this seems to be something of a play on words, because the symbol for “despise” in the previous line is the same symbol for “tire of”, so this line could also be translated asThus2they willnotdespiseyoubut “tire of” is used here because of #66, where the citizens do not tire of the sage’s ruleD :presumably, displaying and exaltingE :presumably, knowing and lovingCross-referencesfear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #74citizens do not fear : #74not tire of leadership : #66not displaying oneself (showing off) : #22, #24, #47, #77leaves that and chooses this : #12, #38Chapter Seventy Three•勇於敢則殺勇於不敢則活此兩者或利或害天之所惡孰知其故是以聖人猶難之天之道不爭而善勝•不言而善應•不召而自來繟然而善謀天網恢恢疏而不失When your courage lies in daring,The consequence is killing.When your courage lies in not daring,The consequence is survival.These two choices, they sometimes cause benefit,sometimes cause harm.That which heaven detests – who knows its reasons?The Way of heaven :Does not strive, yet skillfully achieves its goals.Does not speak, yet skillfully responds.Does not summon, yet everything naturally comes to it.Is certainly unhurried, yet skillfully prepares.Heaven’s net is extremely vast;It is wide meshed, yet does not fail.♦When yourcourage* liesindaring,♦Theconsequenceiskilling.♦When yourcourage* liesinnotdaring,♦Theconsequenceissurvival.♦Thesetwo[choices],theysometimescausebenefit,sometimescause harm.[maybe,perhaps] [maybe,perhaps]♦That whichheaven[it]detestsA–whoknowsitsreasons?Thus2thesage2plansforthingsto bedifficult.B[them] [schemes]♦TheWayofheaven:♦Doesnotstrive,yetskillfullyachieves its goals. [victory,beat]♦Doesnotspeak,yetskillfullyresponds.♦Doesnotsummon,yeteverythingnaturallycomesto it.Iscertainlyunhurried,yetskillfullyprepares.C[slow,patient,calm] [plans]♦Heaven’snetisextremely vast2D;♦It iswide meshed,yetdoesnotfail. [sparce]NotesThere are two themes in this chapter which do not seem to fit in with typical Daoist concepts – that of heavenconquering(literally “victory” or “beat”, interpreted as “achieving its goals”) which sounds more like striving than non-action, andplanning(interpreted as “prepares”) which seems contradictory to being “naturally so” (although the sage also “plans” here and in #63)A :in early societies, whatever endeavors failed were by definition what heaven (or the gods) “detested”B : this sentence only appears in the later sources, and seems to be a parenthetical comment; although it technically is in the majority, it seems so out-of-place that it is left out of the final translation aboveC : this sentence is nearly impossible to translate; while the first symbol in WB and HSG are the same, making them the default “majority”, it is different in every other source, andnoneof their modern translations make sense; some translators use a symbol slightly different than that in WB and HSG but pronounced the same way; finally, “slow, patient, calm” is only the most likely translation that could be found for the first symbolD : “extremely” is implied by the repeated symbolCross-referencesthe sage plans for difficulties : #63Way of heaven : #9, #47, #77, #79, #81no striving : #3, #8, #22, #66, #68, #81Chapter Seventy Four民不畏死奈何以死懼之•若使民常畏死而為奇者吾得執而殺之•孰敢•常有司殺者__(•)夫代司殺者殺•是謂代大匠斲•(•)夫代大匠斲者希__不傷其手矣(•)If the citizens do not fear death,How can you use death to frighten them?Assuming you could ensure that the citizens always feardeath,And I get hold of those who act strange and unusual andkill them,Then who would be daring?There will always exist an executioner.Now : to take the place of the executioner to do thekilling,This is called taking the place of a great craftsman to carvewood.Now : of those who take the place of a great craftsman tocarve wood,Few will not injure their hand!If thecitizensdonotfeardeath,How2can youusedeathtofrightenthem?Assumingyou couldensurethat thecitizensalwaysfeardeath, [make,cause]AndIgetholdofthose whoactstrange and unusualandkillthem,Thenwhowould bedaring{bold}?There willalwaysexistanexecutioner3A. [he whoattends to/manageskilling]♦Now: totake the place oftheexecutioner3to do thekilling, [he whoattends to/manageskilling]This iscalledtaking the place ofagreatcraftsmantocarve wood.♦Now: ofthose whotake the place ofagreatcraftsmantocarve wood,Fewwillnotinjuretheirhand![rare,infrequent]NotesA :it is speculated by some that this refers to heaven or Dao, and while that does make sense in context of the lines that follow, there is no direct support for it in the original ChineseCross-referencesfear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #72citizens do not fear : #72die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #75, #76, #80citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :#75, #80Chapter Seventy Five•民之饑•以其上食稅之多•是以饑民之難治•以其上之有為•是以難治•民之輕死•以其求生之厚•是以輕死(•)夫唯無以生為者是 賢 於 貴 生•The citizens are hungryBecause their superiors eat too much of their taxes.Thus they are hungry.The citizens are hard to governBecause their superiors are compelled to take action.Thus they are hard to govern.The citizens take death lightlyBecause they seek the substance of life.Thus they take death lightly.Now : only he who has no use for being aliveIs virtuous compared to he who values living.Thecitizens[they] arehungryBecausetheirsuperiorseattoo muchoftheirtaxes.AThus2they arehungry.Thecitizens[they] arehardtogovernBecausetheirsuperiors[they] arecompelledto takeactionB. [possess]Thus2they arehardtogovern.♦Thecitizens[they] takedeathlightlyBecausetheyCseekthesubstanceDoflife.♦Thus2they takedeathlightly.Now:onlyhe whohasnouseforbeingaliveIsvirtuouscompared to[he who]valuesliving.ENotesA : taxes were taken in grain at the time the DDJ was written, so this seems to be something of a play on wordsB : literally, they “possessaction”C : HSG and FY haveBecausetheirsuperiorsseekthesubstanceoflifethus placing the blame not on the people, but those who govern them (WB used the viewpoint of the earlier sources)D : compare to #38, where living for the “substance” is apparently a good thing, and #50, where it is a bad thingE :one who “values living” will be less virtuous than one who does not, because the former is out to get what he can for himselfCross-referencescitizens are hard to govern : #65die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #74, #76, #80citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :#74, #80substance : #38, #50, #55Chapter Seventy Six
民不畏威則大威至[矣(•)] •無狎其所居無厭其所生(•)夫唯不厭是以不厭是以聖人自知不自見•自愛不自貴•(•)故去彼取此If the citizens do not fear your authority,Then a greater authority will arrive!Do not disrespect their dwellings,Do not despise their livelihood.Now : only because you do not despise them,Thus they will not tire of you.Thus the sage :Knows himself but not display himself,Loves himself but does not exalt himself.Therefore he leaves that and chooses this.If thecitizensdonotfear[your]authority,Thenagreaterauthoritywillarrive!A♦Donotdisrespecttheirdwellings2,♦Donotdespisetheirlivelihood2B.[detest] [that whichtheyproduce]♦Now:onlybecause [you] donotdespise[them], [detest]♦Thus2[they] willnottire of{detest}C[you].♦Thus2thesage2:♦Knowshimselfbutnotdisplayhimself, [show]♦Loveshimselfbut doesnotexalthimself. [high rank,respected]ThereforeheleavesthatDandchoosesthisE.NotesA :possibly meaning someone else will take over, either from within or without?B : these two symbols could also be translated as “placeofbirth” or even “parents” (they whogave themlife)C : this seems to be something of a play on words, because the symbol for “despise” in the previous line is the same symbol for “tire of”, so this line could also be translated asThus2they willnotdespiseyoubut “tire of” is used here because of #66, where the citizens do not tire of the sage’s ruleD :presumably, displaying and exaltingE :presumably, knowing and lovingCross-referencesfear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #74citizens do not fear : #74not tire of leadership : #66not displaying oneself (showing off) : #22, #24, #47, #77leaves that and chooses this : #12, #38
民不畏威
則大威至[矣(•)] •
無狎其所居
無厭其所生
(•)夫唯不厭
是以不厭
是以聖人
自知不自見•
自愛不自貴•
(•)故去彼取此
If the citizens do not fear your authority,
Then a greater authority will arrive!
Do not disrespect their dwellings,
Do not despise their livelihood.
Now : only because you do not despise them,
Thus they will not tire of you.
Thus the sage :
Knows himself but not display himself,
Loves himself but does not exalt himself.
Therefore he leaves that and chooses this.
If thecitizensdonotfear[your]authority,
Thenagreaterauthoritywillarrive!A
♦Donotdisrespecttheirdwellings2,
♦Donotdespisetheirlivelihood2B.
[detest] [that whichtheyproduce]
♦Now:onlybecause [you] donotdespise[them], [detest]
♦Thus2[they] willnottire of{detest}C[you].
♦Thus2thesage2:
♦Knowshimselfbutnotdisplayhimself, [show]
♦Loveshimselfbut doesnotexalthimself. [high rank,respected]
ThereforeheleavesthatDandchoosesthisE.
Notes
A :possibly meaning someone else will take over, either from within or without?
B : these two symbols could also be translated as “placeofbirth” or even “parents” (they whogave themlife)
C : this seems to be something of a play on words, because the symbol for “despise” in the previous line is the same symbol for “tire of”, so this line could also be translated as
Thus2they willnotdespiseyou
but “tire of” is used here because of #66, where the citizens do not tire of the sage’s rule
D :presumably, displaying and exalting
E :presumably, knowing and loving
Cross-references
fear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #74
citizens do not fear : #74
not tire of leadership : #66
not displaying oneself (showing off) : #22, #24, #47, #77
leaves that and chooses this : #12, #38
Chapter Seventy Three
•勇於敢則殺勇於不敢則活此兩者或利或害天之所惡孰知其故是以聖人猶難之天之道不爭而善勝•不言而善應•不召而自來繟然而善謀天網恢恢疏而不失When your courage lies in daring,The consequence is killing.When your courage lies in not daring,The consequence is survival.These two choices, they sometimes cause benefit,sometimes cause harm.That which heaven detests – who knows its reasons?The Way of heaven :Does not strive, yet skillfully achieves its goals.Does not speak, yet skillfully responds.Does not summon, yet everything naturally comes to it.Is certainly unhurried, yet skillfully prepares.Heaven’s net is extremely vast;It is wide meshed, yet does not fail.♦When yourcourage* liesindaring,♦Theconsequenceiskilling.♦When yourcourage* liesinnotdaring,♦Theconsequenceissurvival.♦Thesetwo[choices],theysometimescausebenefit,sometimescause harm.[maybe,perhaps] [maybe,perhaps]♦That whichheaven[it]detestsA–whoknowsitsreasons?Thus2thesage2plansforthingsto bedifficult.B[them] [schemes]♦TheWayofheaven:♦Doesnotstrive,yetskillfullyachieves its goals. [victory,beat]♦Doesnotspeak,yetskillfullyresponds.♦Doesnotsummon,yeteverythingnaturallycomesto it.Iscertainlyunhurried,yetskillfullyprepares.C[slow,patient,calm] [plans]♦Heaven’snetisextremely vast2D;♦It iswide meshed,yetdoesnotfail. [sparce]NotesThere are two themes in this chapter which do not seem to fit in with typical Daoist concepts – that of heavenconquering(literally “victory” or “beat”, interpreted as “achieving its goals”) which sounds more like striving than non-action, andplanning(interpreted as “prepares”) which seems contradictory to being “naturally so” (although the sage also “plans” here and in #63)A :in early societies, whatever endeavors failed were by definition what heaven (or the gods) “detested”B : this sentence only appears in the later sources, and seems to be a parenthetical comment; although it technically is in the majority, it seems so out-of-place that it is left out of the final translation aboveC : this sentence is nearly impossible to translate; while the first symbol in WB and HSG are the same, making them the default “majority”, it is different in every other source, andnoneof their modern translations make sense; some translators use a symbol slightly different than that in WB and HSG but pronounced the same way; finally, “slow, patient, calm” is only the most likely translation that could be found for the first symbolD : “extremely” is implied by the repeated symbolCross-referencesthe sage plans for difficulties : #63Way of heaven : #9, #47, #77, #79, #81no striving : #3, #8, #22, #66, #68, #81
•勇於敢
則殺
勇於不敢
則活
此兩者或利或害
天之所惡孰知其故
是以聖人猶難之
天之道
不爭而善勝•
不言而善應•
不召而自來
繟然而善謀
天網恢恢
疏而不失
When your courage lies in daring,
The consequence is killing.
When your courage lies in not daring,
The consequence is survival.
These two choices, they sometimes cause benefit,
sometimes cause harm.
That which heaven detests – who knows its reasons?
The Way of heaven :
Does not strive, yet skillfully achieves its goals.
Does not speak, yet skillfully responds.
Does not summon, yet everything naturally comes to it.
Is certainly unhurried, yet skillfully prepares.
Heaven’s net is extremely vast;
It is wide meshed, yet does not fail.
♦When yourcourage* liesindaring,
♦Theconsequenceiskilling.
♦When yourcourage* liesinnotdaring,
♦Theconsequenceissurvival.
♦Thesetwo[choices],theysometimescausebenefit,
sometimescause harm.
[maybe,perhaps] [maybe,perhaps]
♦That whichheaven[it]detestsA–whoknowsitsreasons?
Thus2thesage2plansforthingsto bedifficult.B[them] [schemes]
♦TheWayofheaven:
♦Doesnotstrive,yetskillfullyachieves its goals. [victory,beat]
♦Doesnotspeak,yetskillfullyresponds.
♦Doesnotsummon,yeteverythingnaturallycomesto it.
Iscertainlyunhurried,yetskillfullyprepares.C[slow,patient,calm] [plans]
♦Heaven’snetisextremely vast2D;
♦It iswide meshed,yetdoesnotfail. [sparce]
Notes
There are two themes in this chapter which do not seem to fit in with typical Daoist concepts – that of heavenconquering(literally “victory” or “beat”, interpreted as “achieving its goals”) which sounds more like striving than non-action, andplanning(interpreted as “prepares”) which seems contradictory to being “naturally so” (although the sage also “plans” here and in #63)
A :in early societies, whatever endeavors failed were by definition what heaven (or the gods) “detested”
B : this sentence only appears in the later sources, and seems to be a parenthetical comment; although it technically is in the majority, it seems so out-of-place that it is left out of the final translation above
C : this sentence is nearly impossible to translate; while the first symbol in WB and HSG are the same, making them the default “majority”, it is different in every other source, andnoneof their modern translations make sense; some translators use a symbol slightly different than that in WB and HSG but pronounced the same way; finally, “slow, patient, calm” is only the most likely translation that could be found for the first symbol
D : “extremely” is implied by the repeated symbol
Cross-references
the sage plans for difficulties : #63
Way of heaven : #9, #47, #77, #79, #81
no striving : #3, #8, #22, #66, #68, #81
Chapter Seventy Four
民不畏死奈何以死懼之•若使民常畏死而為奇者吾得執而殺之•孰敢•常有司殺者__(•)夫代司殺者殺•是謂代大匠斲•(•)夫代大匠斲者希__不傷其手矣(•)If the citizens do not fear death,How can you use death to frighten them?Assuming you could ensure that the citizens always feardeath,And I get hold of those who act strange and unusual andkill them,Then who would be daring?There will always exist an executioner.Now : to take the place of the executioner to do thekilling,This is called taking the place of a great craftsman to carvewood.Now : of those who take the place of a great craftsman tocarve wood,Few will not injure their hand!If thecitizensdonotfeardeath,How2can youusedeathtofrightenthem?Assumingyou couldensurethat thecitizensalwaysfeardeath, [make,cause]AndIgetholdofthose whoactstrange and unusualandkillthem,Thenwhowould bedaring{bold}?There willalwaysexistanexecutioner3A. [he whoattends to/manageskilling]♦Now: totake the place oftheexecutioner3to do thekilling, [he whoattends to/manageskilling]This iscalledtaking the place ofagreatcraftsmantocarve wood.♦Now: ofthose whotake the place ofagreatcraftsmantocarve wood,Fewwillnotinjuretheirhand![rare,infrequent]NotesA :it is speculated by some that this refers to heaven or Dao, and while that does make sense in context of the lines that follow, there is no direct support for it in the original ChineseCross-referencesfear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #72citizens do not fear : #72die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #75, #76, #80citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :#75, #80
民不畏死
奈何以死懼之•
若使民常畏死
而為奇者吾得執而殺之•
孰敢•
常有司殺者__
(•)夫代司殺者殺•
是謂代大匠斲•
(•)夫代大匠斲者
希__不傷其手矣(•)
If the citizens do not fear death,
How can you use death to frighten them?
Assuming you could ensure that the citizens always fear
death,
And I get hold of those who act strange and unusual and
kill them,
Then who would be daring?
There will always exist an executioner.
Now : to take the place of the executioner to do the
killing,
This is called taking the place of a great craftsman to carve
wood.
Now : of those who take the place of a great craftsman to
carve wood,
Few will not injure their hand!
If thecitizensdonotfeardeath,
How2can youusedeathtofrightenthem?
Assumingyou couldensurethat thecitizensalwaysfear
death, [make,cause]
AndIgetholdofthose whoactstrange and unusualand
killthem,
Thenwhowould bedaring{bold}?
There willalwaysexistanexecutioner3A. [he whoattends to/manageskilling]
♦Now: totake the place oftheexecutioner3to do the
killing, [he whoattends to/manageskilling]
This iscalledtaking the place ofagreatcraftsmanto
carve wood.
♦Now: ofthose whotake the place ofagreatcraftsmanto
carve wood,
Fewwillnotinjuretheirhand![rare,infrequent]
Notes
A :it is speculated by some that this refers to heaven or Dao, and while that does make sense in context of the lines that follow, there is no direct support for it in the original Chinese
Cross-references
fear/afraid : #15, #17, #20, #72
citizens do not fear : #72
die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #75, #76, #80
citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :
#75, #80
Chapter Seventy Five
•民之饑•以其上食稅之多•是以饑民之難治•以其上之有為•是以難治•民之輕死•以其求生之厚•是以輕死(•)夫唯無以生為者是 賢 於 貴 生•The citizens are hungryBecause their superiors eat too much of their taxes.Thus they are hungry.The citizens are hard to governBecause their superiors are compelled to take action.Thus they are hard to govern.The citizens take death lightlyBecause they seek the substance of life.Thus they take death lightly.Now : only he who has no use for being aliveIs virtuous compared to he who values living.Thecitizens[they] arehungryBecausetheirsuperiorseattoo muchoftheirtaxes.AThus2they arehungry.Thecitizens[they] arehardtogovernBecausetheirsuperiors[they] arecompelledto takeactionB. [possess]Thus2they arehardtogovern.♦Thecitizens[they] takedeathlightlyBecausetheyCseekthesubstanceDoflife.♦Thus2they takedeathlightly.Now:onlyhe whohasnouseforbeingaliveIsvirtuouscompared to[he who]valuesliving.ENotesA : taxes were taken in grain at the time the DDJ was written, so this seems to be something of a play on wordsB : literally, they “possessaction”C : HSG and FY haveBecausetheirsuperiorsseekthesubstanceoflifethus placing the blame not on the people, but those who govern them (WB used the viewpoint of the earlier sources)D : compare to #38, where living for the “substance” is apparently a good thing, and #50, where it is a bad thingE :one who “values living” will be less virtuous than one who does not, because the former is out to get what he can for himselfCross-referencescitizens are hard to govern : #65die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #74, #76, #80citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :#74, #80substance : #38, #50, #55
•民之饑•
以其上食稅之多•
是以饑
民之難治•
以其上之有為•
是以難治•
民之輕死•
以其求生之厚•
是以輕死
(•)夫唯無以生為者
是 賢 於 貴 生•
The citizens are hungry
Because their superiors eat too much of their taxes.
Thus they are hungry.
The citizens are hard to govern
Because their superiors are compelled to take action.
Thus they are hard to govern.
The citizens take death lightly
Because they seek the substance of life.
Thus they take death lightly.
Now : only he who has no use for being alive
Is virtuous compared to he who values living.
Thecitizens[they] arehungry
Becausetheirsuperiorseattoo muchoftheirtaxes.A
Thus2they arehungry.
Thecitizens[they] arehardtogovern
Becausetheirsuperiors[they] arecompelledto take
actionB. [possess]
Thus2they arehardtogovern.
♦Thecitizens[they] takedeathlightly
BecausetheyCseekthesubstanceDoflife.
♦Thus2they takedeathlightly.
Now:onlyhe whohasnouseforbeingalive
Isvirtuouscompared to[he who]valuesliving.E
Notes
A : taxes were taken in grain at the time the DDJ was written, so this seems to be something of a play on words
B : literally, they “possessaction”
C : HSG and FY have
Becausetheirsuperiorsseekthesubstanceoflife
thus placing the blame not on the people, but those who govern them (WB used the viewpoint of the earlier sources)
D : compare to #38, where living for the “substance” is apparently a good thing, and #50, where it is a bad thing
E :one who “values living” will be less virtuous than one who does not, because the former is out to get what he can for himself
Cross-references
citizens are hard to govern : #65
die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #74, #76, #80
citizens do not fear death, take death seriously/lightly :
#74, #80
substance : #38, #50, #55
Chapter Seventy Six