第75章 · 原文
现代白话译文
人民所以遭受饥荒，是因为统治者吞食的赋税太多，所以遭受饥荒。人民所以难治理，是因为统治者妄作为政，所以难治理。人民所以轻视死亡，是因为统治者追求奉养的过分丰厚，所以轻视死亡。只有不把奉养生命看得太重的人，比过分看重生命的人高明。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up too much in tax-grain That the people are hungry. The people are difficult to govern. It is because those in authority are too fond of action That the people are difficult to govern. The people treat death lightly: It is because the people set too much store by life That they treat death lightly. It is just because one has no use for life that one is wiser than the man who values life.
Robert Henricks
1. The reason why people starve, 2. Is because they take so much in tax-grain. 3. Therefore they starve. 4. The reason why the common people cannot be ruled, 5. Is because their superiors have their reason for acting. 6. Therefore they cannot be ruled. 7. The reason why people take death lightly, 8. Is because they so avidly seek after life. 9. Therefore they take death lightly. 10. Only those who do not act for the purpose of living — 11. Only these are superior to those who value life.
Addiss & Lombardo
People are hungry because the rulers eat too much tax. That is why they are hungry. People are hard to govern because the rulers have too much action. That is why they are hard to govern. People treat death lightly because they seek life too much. That is why they treat death lightly. Only those who do not seek life are wiser than those who value life.
Arthur Waley
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.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit. Act for the people's benefit. Trust them; leave them alone.