2 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. XVIII.
get these things, they are very sorrowful, and go on to be troubled with fears. Their thoughts are all about the body ; are they not silly ?
Now the rich embitter their lives by their incessant labours ; they accumulate more wealth than they can use : while they act thus for the body, they make it external to themselves l . Those who seek for honours carry their pursuit of them from the day into the night, full of anxiety about their methods whether they are skilful or not : while they act thus for the body they treat it as if it were indifferent to them ' 2 . The birth of man is at the same time the birth of his sorrow ; and if he live long he be- comes more and more stupid, and the longer is his anxiety that he may not die ; how great is his bit- terness ! while he thus acts for his body, it is for a distant result. Meritorious officers are regarded by the world as good ; but (their goodness) is not sufficient to keep their persons alive. I do not know whether the goodness ascribed to them be really good or really not good. If indeed it be considered good, it is not sufficient to preserve their persons alive ; if it be deemed not good, it is sufficient to preserve other men alive. Hence it is said, ' When faithful remonstrances are not listened to, (the re- monstrant) should sit still, let (his ruler) take his course, and not strive with him.' Therefore when 3ze-hsli 3 strove with (his ruler), he brought on him-
1 If they did not do so, they would be content when they had enough.
2 Wishing to attach it more closely to them.
3 Wfi 3ze-hsii, the scourge of Kh& ; and who perished miser- ably at last, when the king of Wu would no longer listen to his remonstrances; in about B.C. 475.
