Chapter 75
"When people are hungry,
It is because their rulers eat too much tax-grain.
Therefore the unruliness of hungry people
Is due to the interference of their rulers.
That is why they are unruly.
The people are not afraid of death,
Because they are anxious to make a living.
That is why they are not afraid of death.
It is those who interfere not with their living
That are wise in exalting life."
- Translated by Lin Yutang, 1955, Chapter 75
"The people suffer from famine on account of the heavy taxation put upon them.
This is the cause of their need.
The people are difficult to govern because of the overbearing of their superiors.
This is the cause of their trouble.
The people make light of dying because of the great hardships of trying to live.
This is the reason for their indifference to death.
Therefore to keep living in obscurity is better than making overmuch of it."
- Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 75
"The taxes eaten by the ruling class
Left nothing to be eaten by the mass,
And that is why through famine they must pass.
The ruling class made such a great ado
In ruling men, that these made trouble, too,
and that is why their difficulties grew.
People make light of death in their turmoil,
And, seeking life s excess, thereby beguile
Themselves till death, made light of, claims his spoil.
On life to set less store is therefore best,
It thus becomes a far more worthy quest
Than when tis made one s ruling interest."
- Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, 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
民之飢, 以其上食稅之多, 是以飢.
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.
- Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 75
min chih chi, yi ch'i shang shih shui chih, to shih yi chi.
min chih nan chih, yi ch'i shang chih yu wei, shih yi nan chih.
min chih ch'ing ssu, yi ch'i ch'iu shêng chih hou, shih yi ch'ing ssu.
fu wei wu yi shêng wei chê, shih hsien yü kuei shêng.
- Wade-Giles (1892) Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 75
"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
"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 that to set a high value on it."
- Translated by Andre von Gauthier, Chapter 75
"El pueblo tiene hambre.
Como sus gobernantes le imponen un impuesto al grano demasiao alto,
entonces tiene hambre.
El pueblo es difícil de gobernar.
Como sus gobernantes gobiernan mediante la acción,
entonces es difícil de gobernar.
El pueblo toma la muerte a la ligera.
Como se la pasan persiguiendo a la vida,
entonces toman la muerte a la ligera.
El que no tiene tiene nada que perseguir en la vida,
es más sabio que aquél que valora la vida."
- Translated by Álex Ferrara, 2003, Capítulo 75
"People go hungry because taxes eat their food.
Therefore, the people go hungry.
People are hard to manage because they are oppressed.
Therefore, they are hard to manage.
People laugh at death because their lives are cheapened
With the weight of expectation.
This is why they laugh at death.
Who could value life
When food is scarce, and freedom repressed?"
- Translated by Brian Donohue, 2005, 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
A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes over 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter. Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization. Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter.
Chapter 75, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index
Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index
Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices
Taoism: A Selected Reading List
One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey
