The people are difficult to governAdults tend to rebel for the very same reason most of us did as children and teenagers: we want to see how much we can get away with! Anytime one individual or group seeks to control another, rebellion -- in thought or deed -- is present.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
Why are the people rebellious?
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
The people's difficulty in being governed
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
People rebel
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
It is a natural response to the attempt to control.
When humankind tries to control a river, the river constantly rebels. It eats away at dams and shorelines. When it sees the opportunity, it overwhelms the bank and tries to rush off in a different direction.
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