民之饑。以其上食税之多。

The people hunger because their superiors consume too many taxes ;

Das Volk hungert, weil seine Oberen zuviel Abgaben verzehren.

是以饑。

therefore they hunger.

Deshalb hungert es.

民之難治。以其上之有爲。

The people are difficult to govern because their superiors are too meddlesome ;

Das Volk ist schwer zu regieren, weil seine Oberen zu tun haben.

是以難治。

therefore it is difficult to govern.

Deshalb ist es schwer zu regieren.

民之輕死。以其上求生之厚。

The people make light of death on account of the intensity of their clinging to life ;

Das Volk achtet den Tod gering, weil es Lebensüppigkeit sucht.

是以輕死。

therefore they make light of death.

Deshalb achtet es den Tod gering.

夫唯無以生爲者。是賢於貴生。

He who is not bent on life is worthier than he who esteems life.

Nur wer nichts um des Lebens willen tut, ist weise gegen den, der das Leben hochschätzt.