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民不畏威，則大威至。無狎其所居，無厭其所生。夫唯不厭，是以不厭。是以聖人自知不自見；自愛不自貴。故去彼取此。

Translation Notes

1. "When the people no longer fear a ruler’s authority, then a greater threatening power arrives." (民不畏威，則大威至) — Alternatives considered: “When the people no longer fear authority, greater might arrives.” · “If people stop fearing the ruler’s威, the great威 will come forth.” · Chose present rendering because The translation aims to keep the aphorism’s negative force and to differentiate the semantic shift between the two 威 occurrences.
2. "Do not intrude upon the places where they dwell; do not oppress what gives them life." (無狎其所居，無厭其所生) — Alternatives considered: “Do not crowd where they live; do not weary what sustains them.” · “Do not be overly familiar with their dwelling; do not be disgusted with what they live on.” · Chose present rendering because “Crowd” risks being too mild and merely physical; the chosen phrasing better reflects the governance-imperative and matches the parallel with the later semantic doubling of 厭.
3. "It is precisely because one does not oppress them that they do not grow weary of one." (夫唯不厭，是以不厭) — Alternatives considered: “Only because he does not 厭 them, they therefore do not 厭 him.” · “Therefore they will not be displeased.” · Chose present rendering because “Grow weary of” attempts to capture both the weariness and the aversive attitude implied by the doubled term while remaining idiomatic in English.
4. "Therefore the Sage knows himself but does not display himself; loves himself but does not exalt himself." (是以聖人自知不自見；自愛不自貴) — Alternatives considered: “knows himself but is not seen” · “loves himself but does not become noble” · Chose present rendering because These alternatives lose the ethical-political contrast—against self-advertisement and status-seeking—which is central to the aphoristic balance of the sentence.
5. "Thus he rejects that and takes this." (故去彼取此) — Alternatives considered: “Thus he abandons the previous and adopts the latter.” · “Thus he removes false ways and takes the true way.” · Chose present rendering because The chosen phrasing preserves the epigrammatic, closing function of the Chinese while letting readers infer the antecedents from the immediately preceding antitheses.

Footnotes

1. "a greater threatening power" (威) — In the Daodejing, 威 (wēi) in “民不畏威，則大威至” is multivalent. The first 威 refers to the ruler’s authority that people recognize and therefore “fear.” The second 威 in “大威至” shifts toward ominous, escalating force—often understood as calamity/backlash that follows when authority loses legitimacy. Scholars frequently gloss the structure as cause-and-effect: once fear dissipates, greater (and darker)威 arrives. Cf. Wang Bi 王弼 (226–249): “威，猶令也；大威至，謂其禍大至也” (威 as a kind of command/order; “great威 arrives” as “great harm comes”).
2. "places where they dwell" (狎其所居) — “居” (jū) in “無狎其所居” denotes more than physical housing: it indicates the people’s lived sphere, including settled dwelling and the social space in which ordinary life is carried out. “所居” is thus a political image for the boundaries of where the ruler should not meddle. On “狎” (xiá): it can mean to become overly familiar, to treat disrespectfully through closeness, or to intrude/harass. In governance contexts, it most naturally conveys coercive encroachment rather than merely crowdedness. Cf. He Shanggong 河上公 (Han commentary): “狎，親狎也，近而不敬” (狎 as “to be overly close,” i.e., closeness without proper restraint).
3. "what gives them life" (所生 / 厭) — “所生” (suǒ shēng) in “無厭其所生” is the “thing by which they生,” i.e., the basic conditions or livelihood mechanisms that sustain ordinary life. The parallel construction with “所居” (where they dwell) indicates that this is primarily socio-economic and political: the ruler must not oppress the people’s livelihood or the sources/conditions that enable them to live. The verb “厭” (yàn) here is active—stifling, pressing down on, or oppressing, thereby making life burdensome. This contrasts with the later “夫唯不厭，是以不厭,” where 厭 is exploited for wordplay between “oppress/make weary” and “become weary/reject.”
4. "grow weary of one" (厭) — “夫唯不厭，是以不厭” hinges on semantic doubling of 厭. In the first clause, “不厭” is best read as “not oppressing/stifling” (active sense: do not burden them so that they are worn out). The second “不厭” is passive-reflexive: “they do not become weary of/reject [the ruler]” (the people’s attitude and willingness). The translation therefore differentiates “oppress” vs. “grow weary of.” A number of classical commentators foreground this causal logic: because the ruler does not oppress, resentment does not arise. Cf. 王弼: “唯不厭人，故人不厭之” (If [he] does not厭 the people, therefore they do not厭 him). Note that some modern editors read “是以不厭” as “thus they will not grow to dislike,” emphasizing aversion (厭惡) rather than mere fatigue; however, both senses depend on the initial active oppression.
5. "the Sage knows himself but does not display himself" (聖人 / 自知不自見) — 聖人 (shèngrén) in the Daodejing is conventionally translated “the Sage,” often referring to an idealized paradigmatic figure rather than an ordinary wise person. “自知不自見” uses 見 (jiàn) not as simple “to be seen,” but as active “to show oneself / make oneself conspicuous” (self-display). Thus the contrast is inward knowledge (自知) vs. outward exhibitionism (自見). Classical exegesis commonly reads 不自見 as refusal of self-advertisement that would invite competition or undermine Daoist non-assertion. Cf. 王弼: “自知其德，而不自見於人” (knowing one’s virtue, yet not displaying it to others).
6. "loves himself but does not exalt himself" (自愛 / 自貴) — “自愛不自貴” contrasts proper inward valuation (自愛: to cherish/protect oneself in terms of integrity, life, or Dao-aligned sufficiency) with “self-exaltation” (不自貴: not to prize oneself as noble/important, i.e., not to elevate one’s status or demand honor). In Daoist political ethics, such self-exaltation is often tied to vanity, competition, and a politics of prestige, which undermines the Sage’s restraint. 王弼 glosses 貴 as valuing oneself as high and above others, hence the critique of status-inflation while allowing inward care.
7. "rejects that and takes this" (去彼取此) — “故去彼取此” is an epigrammatic conclusion using demonstratives 彼 (that) and 此 (this) to mark selective rejection and adoption. What is rejected is the preceding mode of governance/behavior associated with intrusion, oppression, and self-display; what is taken is the alternative: non-intrusive, non-oppressive governance and Sage-like inward self-possession. Because 彼/此 are intentionally context-bound and compressed, many translators leave them as “that/this” rather than expanding. Classical commentators generally take the contrast as “remove the earlier faults; choose the Daoist method.” Cf. 王弼: “去其偽而取其真” (remove what is false and take what is true), i.e., the antithesis is doctrinal as well as ethical.

Glossary References

威

authority/threatening power (context-dependent) · In “民不畏威，則大威至,” 威 shifts from the ruler’s recognized authority (first occurrence) to a more ominous escalatory force or calamity (大威, second occurrence).

狎

intrude/encroach through over-familiarity · In “無狎其所居,” 狎 implies disrespectful intrusion/harassment rather than neutral physical proximity.

厭

oppress/stifle; (later) grow weary of/reject · Used twice with a semantic turn: active “oppress” in “無厭其所生,” then causal wordplay in “夫唯不厭，是以不厭.”

聖人

the Sage · Capitalized to indicate the paradigmatic ideal figure in Daodejing usage rather than an ordinary wise individual.

見（自見）

display oneself · In “自知不自見,” 見 is not mere visibility; it implies making oneself conspicuous/self-advertisement.

貴（自貴）

exalt oneself · In “自愛不自貴,” 貴 critiques status-seeking/self-exaltation rather than simple inward care.

去彼取此

reject that and take this · A compressed demonstrative conclusion (彼/此) pointing back to the preceding contrast between improper vs. Dao-aligned conduct. ---

Context

This passage is Chapter 72 of the Daodejing, traditionally attributed to Laozi and generally situated in the late Spring and Autumn to Warring States intellectual milieu, though the text reached written form through layered compilation. It belongs to the political and philosophical stratum of the work concerned with rulership, restraint, and the paradoxes of authority. The chapter warns that when people cease to fear a ruler's authority, a greater and more ominous form of threatening power or calamity follows. It then turns to advice on governance: do not intrude upon the people's living space, and do not oppress the conditions by which they live. The closing lines apply the political lesson to the Sage, whose self-possession avoids self-display and self-exaltation. The passage reflects a broader early Chinese concern with how coercive rule produces backlash, disorder, and loss of legitimacy.

The chapter presumes a world of hierarchical rule in which political order depends less on overt force than on measured non-intrusion. Terms such as 居 and 生 evoke basic conditions of life: dwelling space, livelihood, and the ordinary sphere in which common people sustain themselves. The contrast between feared authority and destructive backlash resonates with early Chinese political thought across traditions, where excessive extraction, surveillance, and interference provoke social instability. The idealized figure of the Sage-ruler embodies Daoist values of non-assertion, minimal governance, and inward sufficiency. The final antitheses, 自知不自見 and 自愛不自貴, belong to a larger Daodejing pattern that distinguishes genuine inward possession from outward self-advertisement and status-seeking.

Themes

1. Authority and backlash The opening sentence distinguishes between ordinary political authority and a greater, darker consequence that arrives when that authority loses legitimacy. The warning is not merely about strength but about escalatory backlash, threatening power, or calamity generated by misrule.
2. Non-oppressive governance The middle lines instruct the ruler not to intrude upon where the people dwell and not to oppress the sources of their livelihood. Political wisdom lies in respecting boundaries and preserving the conditions under which people can live.
3. Wordplay on oppression and aversion The repetition of 厭 turns on two related but distinct senses: the ruler must not oppress, stifle, or make the people weary, and therefore the people will not become weary of or reject the ruler. The chapter's logic depends on preserving this polysemy.
4. Self-knowledge without self-display The Sage knows himself yet does not put himself on display. The text contrasts inward clarity with outward exhibitionism, suggesting that true authority is undermined by visible self-assertion.
5. Self-regard without self-exaltation The Sage values himself but does not magnify his own status. The distinction rejects vanity and honor-seeking while allowing proper self-possession.
6. Rejection of excess The final sentence, 故去彼取此, sums up the chapter through selective renunciation: one abandons the modes of intrusive, self-advertising, self-exalting rule and embraces restraint, humility, and inward sufficiency.

Idioms

1. 民不畏威，則大威至 A compact and memorable warning that when the people no longer fear a ruler's authority, a greater threatening power or calamity comes. The two instances of 威 should not be flattened into the same English term: the first is legitimate authority, while the second carries a darker sense of backlash or ominous force.
2. 無狎其所居，無厭其所生 A paired admonition against violating the people's space and livelihood. 狎 suggests overfamiliar intrusion, encroachment, or harassment rather than simple physical crowding; 厭 in this line is active and oppressive, meaning to press upon, stifle, or weary the sources of life.
3. 夫唯不厭，是以不厭 A famous Daoist instance of semantic wordplay. The first 厭 is best taken in the active sense, 'to oppress, stifle, or make weary,' while the second means 'to become weary of, reject, or feel aversion toward.' The line means that precisely because the ruler does not oppress them, they do not grow weary of the ruler.
4. 自知不自見 An antithetical formula contrasting true self-knowledge with self-display. 見 here is not simple passive visibility but active showing forth, making oneself conspicuous, or parading oneself before others.
5. 自愛不自貴 Another balanced antithesis: the Sage values or cherishes himself without exalting himself as noble, precious, or superior. It critiques status inflation while preserving inward dignity.
6. 去彼取此 A concise concluding formula in the Daodejing meaning 'reject that and take this.' It marks ethical and political discrimination, often closing a chapter by setting aside the inferior mode in favor of the Daoist alternative.

Literary Devices

1. Antithetical parallelism The chapter relies on tightly balanced syntactic pairs: 無狎其所居，無厭其所生 and 自知不自見；自愛不自貴. These should be reflected in English with parallel structure and similar rhythm.
2. Paronomasia and semantic doubling The repeated use of 威 and especially 厭 creates layered meaning through polysemy. The first and second occurrences are not exact synonyms; the rhetorical force depends on preserving the shift in sense.
3. Cause-and-effect compression The text states political causality with extreme brevity: if people no longer fear authority, greater threatening power or calamity follows; if the ruler does not oppress them, they do not reject him. The translator should preserve this aphoristic causal structure.
4. Negative instruction The chapter teaches by prohibitions: 無狎, 無厭, 不自見, 不自貴. This accumulative use of negation is central to Daoist political style and should not be diluted.
5. Aphoristic closure 故去彼取此 ends the chapter with a gnomic summation. Its force lies in brevity and decisiveness, not explanatory expansion.
6. Shift from public rule to sage conduct The chapter moves from a general statement about the people and authority to direct advice on governance, then to the exemplary comportment of the Sage. This movement links political practice with personal cultivation.

Translation Challenges

1. 民不畏威，則大威至 — The two instances of 威 carry importantly different nuances and should not be translated identically. The first refers to a ruler's authority or awe-inspiring legitimacy; the second suggests greater threatening power, ominous force, or even calamitous backlash. 大威至 is not praise of stronger rulership; it is a warning of escalation. Rendering it merely as 'greater might arrives' risks losing the negative force of the line. The sentence is deliberately terse and aphoristic. Over-explaining the implied causality in the main translation may weaken its impact, though a note may clarify the distinction.
2. 無狎其所居 — 狎 can mean to become overly familiar, to disrespect through undue closeness, to intrude upon, or to harass. 'Crowd' is possible but may be too mild and too physical. 其所居 is literally 'the place where they dwell,' but the phrase implies the people's lived space and domestic sphere more broadly. The translator must decide whether to stay literal or make the political implication more explicit.
3. 無厭其所生 — 厭 here is not the same as the second 厭 in the next sentence. In this line it has an active sense: to oppress, stifle, press down on, or make weary. 所生 may mean 'that by which they live,' hence livelihood, means of subsistence, or life-generating conditions. A too-biological rendering of 生 may miss the economic and political sense. The line should remain parallel to 無狎其所居 in syntax and force.
4. 夫唯不厭，是以不厭 — This is the passage's most important wordplay. The first 厭 should be rendered in an active oppressive sense, while the second should be rendered as aversion, weariness, or rejection. Using the same English gloss twice obscures the contrast. The translator must decide how much to signal the wordplay in the main line. A version such as 'because he does not oppress them, they do not grow weary of him' preserves the causal logic while differentiating the senses. The implicit subject may be a ruler or the Sage. English may need to specify this in context, but over-specification risks reducing the aphoristic openness of the original.
5. 是以聖人自知不自見；自愛不自貴 — 聖人 in Daodejing contexts is conventionally translated 'the Sage' and capitalized to indicate the paradigmatic ideal figure rather than an ordinary wise person. 見 in 不自見 is not simply 'to be seen'; it is reflexive and performative, meaning to display oneself, show oneself off, or make oneself conspicuous. 貴 in 不自貴 means to prize oneself as exalted or make oneself noble/important, not merely to have self-respect. The contrast with 自愛 must be maintained: proper self-regard without self-exaltation. The semicolon-like pause between the two clauses is rhetorically important and should be marked in English.
6. 故去彼取此 — 彼 and 此 are intentionally compressed and depend on the preceding contrasts. The translator must infer what 'that' and 'this' refer to without overloading the line. The sentence works best as a terse conclusion. Expanding it into explicit doctrinal prose can flatten the epigrammatic finish.

Translation Principles

1. Differentiate the two 威 in the opening line: the first should suggest the ruler's authority or awe, while the second should convey threatening power, ominous force, or calamity rather than a neutral 'might.'
2. Preserve the polysemy of 厭 in 夫唯不厭，是以不厭. The first occurrence should convey oppressing, stifling, or making weary; the second should convey becoming weary of, rejecting, or feeling aversion toward.
3. Render 狎 strongly enough to show intrusive boundary-violation: 'intrude upon,' 'encroach upon,' or 'harass' may fit better than milder phrasing such as 'crowd.'
4. Keep the paired prohibitions and antitheses visibly parallel in English: 無狎其所居，無厭其所生 and 自知不自見；自愛不自貴 should sound balanced.
5. Use 'the Sage' for 聖人, capitalized, in keeping with standard Daodejing translation practice and the ideal-type function of the figure.
6. Do not over-explain the aphorisms in the main translation. Preserve brevity and force in the body of the line, and leave fuller semantic clarification to annotation if needed.
7. Maintain the closing terseness of 故去彼取此. It should read like a decisive summation rather than an elaborated paraphrase.

Segmentation

1. 民不畏威，則大威至。 `sentence`
2. 無狎其所居，無厭其所生。 `sentence`
3. 夫唯不厭，是以不厭。 `sentence` `ambiguous`
4. 是以聖人自知不自見；自愛不自貴。 `sentence`
5. 故去彼取此。 `sentence`

Segmentation Notes

Segmentation follows strong boundary cues: conditional 「則」; prohibitive 「無」 with parallel relative constructions 「其所居/其所生」; explicit causal linkage 「是以」 (twice) and self-antithesis pattern 「自…不自…」. The only flagged ambiguity is in 「夫唯不厭，是以不厭」, where both occurrences of 「不厭」 are formally identical and could be interpreted with different semantic readings (though grammar still cleanly segments at 「是以」).

Tone & Style

Admonitory and politically severe at the opening, cautioning against the dangerous consequences of failed authority; practical and restrained in the middle prescriptions about how rulers should treat the people; then quietly elevated and exemplary in the turn to the Sage. The overall tone is aphoristic, compact, and authoritative, with no ornament beyond the force of its paradoxes and balances.

Classic Daodejing prose: extremely compressed, gnomic, and rhythmically balanced. The passage combines political counsel with philosophical paradox, using short clauses, negation, semantic play, and antithetical parallelism. The register is elevated but spare, and its authority comes from compression rather than discursive explanation.

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