← Back to quotes

74

"If the people do not fear death, How then can you frighten them by death? But if you cause the people continually to fear death, And if one of them becomes a great criminal, Can you take hold of him and slay him? Would you dare to this? There is always one, the Executioner, who kills men. But, on the contrary, if you kill as if you were Executioner, It would be as if you tried to do the work of a Master Carpenter. In attempting to do the work of a Master Carpenter, Few there be who do not wound their own hands."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"If the people do not fear death, How then can you frighten them by death? But if you cause the people continually to fear death, And if one of them becomes a great criminal, Can you take hold of him and slay him? Would you dare to this? There is always one, the Executioner, who kills men. But, on the contrary, if you kill as if you were Executioner, It would be as if you tried to do the work of a Master Carpenter. In attempting to do the work of a Master Carpenter, Few there be who do not wound their own hands."

Loading…
Loading the web debug toolbar…
Attempt #