Chapter 75 · Taxed into Famine

Tao Te Ching (Legge, 1891) · chapter title added by Learn the Dao

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The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors.

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This chapter in plain modern English — David Kooi’s rendering ↓

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.

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Chapter 75, in a second rendering

Squeezing So Much Life Out of Them

Dao De Kooi — an original rendering by David Kooi

People go hungry because the ones up top eat too much of the taxes. That's why there's hunger. People are hard to govern because the ones up top keep meddling. That's why they're hard to govern. People treat death lightly because the ones up top squeeze so much life out of them. That's why they don't cling to it. And honestly, the ones who aren't busy clutching at life are the ones who know what it's worth.

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