Chapter 75 — The harm of greed貪損
1The people go hungry because those above eat too much in taxes
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，以其上求生之厚，是以輕死。夫唯無以生為者，是賢於貴生。
The people go hungry because those above eat too much in taxes. That is why they go hungry. The people are hard to govern because those above act. That is why they are hard to govern. The people take death lightly because those above seek life too richly. That is why they take death lightly. Only one who makes nothing of living is worthier than one who prizes life.
note 7
言民之所以僻，治之所以亂，皆由上不由其下也，民從上也。
This says that the people's going astray and the disorder of government both come from those above and not from those below: the people follow those above.
人民所以饑深者，以其君上稅食下太多，民皆化上為貪，叛道違德，故饑。
The people go deeply hungry because their ruler takes and eats too much in taxes from below, so that the people all take after those above and grow covetous, forsaking the Dao and going against virtue. That is why they go hungry.
民之不可治者，以其君上多欲，好有為也，
The people cannot be governed because their ruler wants much and likes to have something he is doing.
是以其民化上有為，情偽難治。
So his people take after those above and come to have something they are doing; they dress up falsehood, and are hard to govern.
人民所以侵犯死者，以其求生活之道太厚，貪利以自危。
The people trespass upon death because they seek the way of living too richly, coveting gain and so putting themselves in danger.
以求生太厚之故，輕入死地也。
Because they seek life too richly, they enter the place of death lightly.
夫唯獨無以生為務者，爵祿不干於意，財利不入於身，天子不得臣，諸侯不得使，則賢於貴生也。
It is only one who does not labor at making a business of living whose purpose office and stipend cannot cross, into whose body goods and gain cannot enter, whom the Son of Heaven cannot make his subject and the feudal lords cannot employ; such a one is worthier than one who prizes life.