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Chinese text
民之饥，以其上食税之多，是以饥。
民之难治，以其上有为，是以难治。
人之轻死，以其生生之厚，是以轻死。
夫唯无以生为者，是贤于贵生。
Translation
The people are hungry because the ruler devours too much in taxes.
This is why they are hungry.
The people are difficult to govern because the ruler likes to act.
This is why they are difficult to govern.
The people despise death because they seek the means to live with too much eagerness.
This is why they despise death.
But he who does not concern himself with living is wiser than he who values life.
Notes
刘骏 : The work of a single plowman is enough to feed several people. How is it that the people suffer from scarcity and hunger? Is it not because the prince (A) imposes too heavy taxes?
C: When the government is tyrannical, when the laws are excessively strict, and the prince uses all the resources of prudence to better oppress his subjects, the people resort to cunning and fraud to evade the harshness of the administration, and then they are difficult to govern.
I followed commentator A: 以其上求生之厚 . E: He who seeks the means to live with too much eagerness is the slave of a thousand projects; he wears out his life and destroys the peace of his soul. He makes foolish expenditures, and, thinking of profit, he forgets misfortune and failures. This is why he despises death.
刘骏 : If the people are content with their food, clothing, and shelter, they do not despise death. When they despise death, it is because they are driven by the need to preserve their lives. This is why the Sage does not establish troublesome regulations, and the people become rich. They have no desires, and the people, who imitate him, return to their original purity. Then the prince does not consume a large amount of taxes, and no one suffers from hunger.
A: The words 无以生为 mean "he who does not make life his occupation, who does not concern himself with living."
E: He who does not concern himself with living is the one of whom Laozi said (chapter VII): "he separates himself from his body (literally 'he puts his body outside of him') and his body is preserved." Such a man is infinitely wiser than (sic A; E: surpasses) he who values life.
刘骏 : The Sage does not seek fame because he has stripped himself of his body; he does not value himself because he has renounced life. This shows that he has no concern for life.
A: The Sage does not concern himself with life; high offices and rich emoluments do not enter his mind; riches and profit do not touch his soul; the emperor could not subjugate him, all the kings could not subject him to their power. This shows that he is wiser than those who value life.
