Line by Line - Verse 77, Line 7

He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

He takes from those who do not have enough and give to those who already have too much.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

It reduces the lacking
In order to offer to the excessive
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

But most people take from those who don't have enough, so those who have too much already can have more.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

I easily could write an entire treatise on this one line!!

Suffice it to say that the message of this line is rampant in the world today. As austerity races around the globe -- taking from the poor to give to the rich -- societies are beginning to convulse.

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