Line by Line - Verse 3, Line 4

Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Thus the governance of the sage: Empties their hearts Fills their bellies Weakens their ambitions Strengthens their bones
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

The Master leads by clearing the crap out of people's heads and opening their hearts. He lowers their aspirations and makes them suck in their guts.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

The above line is, for me, not that different than that of the Catholic Church's "liberation theology". It recognizes that, in order to find our place in the world, our basic needs must be met first. When people must scrounge to survive and face brutal oppression day after day, it can be difficult to find one's center or, in the case of Catholicism, to find God.

Have you ever tried to concentrate on a project or a problem when you're feeling under the weather or you are excessively hungry? It's hard to focus. The gnawing pain in your stomach (or wherever else) tends to impede the ability to go with the flow. Consequently, if you hope to tackle an issue head-on, the first thing you need to do is meet your basic needs.

A second point is expressed very well by Wang Pi, as quoted by Red Pine, in Lao-tzu's Taoteching: with Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years.

Bones don't know how to make trouble. It is the will that creates disorder. When the mind is empty, the will is weak.

In other words, when our bodies are strong and healthy, this provides us with the wherewithal to seek out the void. When our bodies are at peace, the opportunity better exists for our minds to be at peace too.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.