lipu Pona la: kasi nanpa 75 pi lipu Nasin Pona
| 民之饥 | The reason people starve | |
| 以其 |
Is because their rulers tax them excessively. | |
| 是以饥 | [Therefore they starve.] | |
| 民之难治 | They are difficult to govern | |
| 以其 |
Because their rulers have their own [selfish] ends in mind. | |
| 是以难治 | [Therefore they are difficult to govern.] | |
| 民之轻死 | The reason people take death lightly | |
| 以其 |
Is because they want life to be rich. | |
| 是以轻死 | Therefore they take death lightly. | |
| 夫唯无以生为者 | It is only by not living for your own ends | |
| 是贤于贵生 | That you can go beyond valuing life. |