Chapter 72 of the Tao Te Ching

In ancient times, said Jiāo Hóng, the word 威 wēi (commonly “majesty”) and the word 畏 wèi (“to fear”) were used interchangeably (cf. Kangxi Dictionary). Literally: 'When people do not fear what they should fear, then what is greatly to be feared arrives.'

E: The words 'things to fear' refer to 'diseases, scourges, calamities.' The words 'greatly to be feared thing' refer to death.

In the course of life, the people do not know how to fear what is to be feared; they abandon themselves to their inclinations and let themselves be carried away by passions, imagining that it is harmless (literally: 'that it does no harm'). Soon their vices accumulate so much that they can no longer hide them, their crimes worsen so much that they can no longer free themselves from them, and then the greatly to be feared thing arrives, that is, death.

E: Your dwelling is sometimes low, sometimes high; one can be pleased as much in one as in the other. Beware of finding your house too narrow and too small, as if it could not contain you.

E: Your means of existence will sometimes be abundant, sometimes meager. In either case, they can suffice for your needs. Beware of being disgusted by them as if they were unworthy of you.

Laozi speaks thus to awaken the people, to urge them to be pleased with poverty, to endure their fate and to be happy on earth. All the more so for kings, princes, ministers, and magistrates who have great revenues and live in magnificent houses, they must (be content with their lot and) protect themselves from these insatiable desires that increase like the waters of a torrent.

苏辙 Sū Zhé: Literally: 'As soon as I am not disgusted with life, I recognize that life has nothing that can inspire disgust.'

E: Ordinary people are dissatisfied with their lot and want to enrich themselves endlessly. Then they seek profit and receive harm; they seek peace and find danger. Previously their situation was not bad, but today it has become detestable. He who is not disgusted with his lot, who knows how to be content and desires nothing, remains, to the end of his life, safe from danger and misfortune. This is why his lot has nothing that can inspire disgust in him.

刘骏 Liú Jùn: If I do not find my dwelling too cramped, it is because I have freed myself from my body; if I am not disgusted with my lot (literally: 'my life'), it is because I have freed myself from material life to live only by inner life. This is why the people imitate my example and are not disgusted with their lot. We see that this commentator attributes to the people the words 不厌 bù yàn and renders them as 'not to be disgusted with,' while Sū Zhé explains them as 'having nothing that inspires disgust.'

If we adopted the interpretation of Liú Jùn, it would be necessary to translate: 'I am not disgusted with my lot, so the people are not disgusted (with theirs).'

E: From the very beginning, the nature of our condition is fixed (by heaven). Ordinary people do not understand their destiny, which is why they are disgusted with their lot. Only the Sage knows his own condition and accepts with docility the destiny that heaven sends him; he does not boast, he has no desire for external things, and he finds himself in abundance. Ordinary people do not like their house and find it cramped. But the Sage 'loves his dwelling' and is pleased everywhere. He does not enlarge himself in his own eyes; he does not think of leaving his retreat to take on offices.

刘骏 Liú Jùn: He does not reveal what he knows to show it to other men.

E has related the words 自爱 zì ài (literally 'to love oneself') to the attachment that the sage has for his humble dwelling; other interpreters, for example A and 董思靖 Dǒng Sījìng, whom I have followed, think that the words 自爱 zì ài mean 自爱其精神 zì ài qì jīngshén, literally 'he is avaricious of his spirit,' that is, 'he cherishes his vital spirits, and, to not wear them out, he renounces passions.'

尹文子 Yǐn Wénzǐ: If he esteemed himself, he would despise creatures.

A: He renounces making the beauty of his virtue shine and rising to obtain, in the world, honors or glory.

E: He sets the example for men who find themselves cramped and are disgusted with their lot, and he adopts the art of limiting oneself and being sufficient to oneself.