Line by Line - Verse 80, Line 4

Though they had boats and carriages, they should have no occasion to ride in them;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Although they have boats and chariots
They have no need to take them
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

They may have owned boats and carriages,
but they never went anywhere.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

In a just society, those who are more well off lack the desire to flaunt their riches in other people's faces. They fully understand the line from the song, there but for fortune go you or I!

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