第七十四章      恩威有度

民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得而杀之，孰敢？ 常有司杀者杀，夫代司杀者杀，是谓代大匠斫，夫代大匠斫者，希有不伤其手矣。

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压迫到了极限人民就不畏惧死亡了，又怎能用杀人的手段来威胁他们？百姓惧怕死亡，对于那些违法乱纪的，就以律法将其捉拿而杀掉，谁还敢违法乱纪？应设专人执行的处决罪犯的任务。代替专职人员去执行惩处是不可取的，就如同带代替木匠去砍木头一样，

非职业木匠替代木匠去伐木，很少有不自伤其手的。

TheUse of Encouragement and Punishment

When the people are no longer afraid of death，how can they be treathened with death?

Supposing the people always had the fearof death, and we could catch law breakers and kill them - whodare follow their suit?

There is always the master executioner (Nature) who kills. Toundertake executions for the master executioner is like hewing wood for themaster carpenter. Whoever undertakes hewing wood for the master carpenterrarely escapes injuring his own hands.