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 the citizens do not fear death, How2 can you use death to frighten them? Assuming you could ensure that the citizens always fear death, [make,cause] And I get hold of those who act strange and unusual and kill them, Then who would be daring{bold}? There will always exist an executioner3A. [he who attends to/manages killing] ♦Now : to take the place of the executioner3 to do the killing, [he who attends to/manages 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 ! [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 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. The citizens [they] are hungry Because their superiors eat too much of their taxes.A Thus2 they are hungry. The citizens [they] are hard to govern Because their superiors [they] are compelled to take actionB. [possess] Thus2 they are hard to govern. ♦The citizens [they] take death lightly Because theyC seek the substanceD of life. ♦Thus2 they take death lightly. Now : only he who has no use for being alive Is virtuous compared to [he who] values living.E Notes