Tao Te Ching Ch.75: Why the People Starve — Chinese, Pinyin and English

民mín之zhī饥jī，以yǐ其qí上shàng食shí税shuì之zhī多duō，是shì以yǐ饥jī。

1The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors.

2It is through this that they suffer famine.

民mín之zhī难nán治zhì，以yǐ其qí上shàng之zhī有yǒu为wéi，是shì以yǐ难nán治zhì。

3The people are difficult to govern because of the (excessive) agency of their superiors (in governing them).

4It is through this that they are difficult to govern.

民mín之zhī轻qīng死sǐ，以yǐ其qí上shàng求qiú生shēng之zhī厚hòu，是shì以yǐ轻qīng死sǐ。

5The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their labours in seeking for the means of living.

6It is this which makes them think light of dying.

夫fú唯wéi无wú以yǐ生shēng为wéi者zhě，是shì贤xián于yú贵guì生shēng。

7Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better than to set a high value on it.