Chapter 74
民不畏死
民不畏死，
奈何以死惧之？
若使民常畏死，
而为奇者，
吾得执而杀之，
孰敢？
常有司杀者杀。
夫代司杀者杀，
是谓代大匠斲者，
希有不伤其手矣。
a> If the people do not fear death, what good is threatening them with death? If you make the people ever fearful of death and threaten to execute any who innovate new things, who will dare to do so?
b> Always have an executioner whose charge it is to kill. One who takes the place of an executioner is like one who takes the carpenter’s place in hewing wood. Few who take the carpenter’s place fail to wound their hands.
A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.
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