Seventy Five
Why are the people starving?
Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.
Therefore the people are starving.
Why are the people rebellious?
Because the rulers interfere too much.
Therefore they are rebellious.
Why do people think so little of death?
Because the rulers demand too much of life.
Therefore the people take death lightly.
Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.
`
LaoTsu
Tao Te Ching
#75
___________________
also
Twenty-Seven
A good walker leave no tracks;
A good speaker makes no slips.
A good reckoner needs no tally.
A good door needs no lock,
Yet no one can open it.
Good binding requires no knots,
Yet no one can loosen it.
`
Therefore the sage takes care of all men
and abandons no one.
He takes care of all things
and abandons nothing.
`
What is a good man?
A teacher of a bad man.
What is a bad man?
A good man’s charge.
If the teacher is not respected,
And the student not cared for,
Confusion will arise, however clever one is.
This is the crux of mystery.
`
Lao Tsu
Tao Te Ching
#27