Chapter 74

The people do not fear death; so what is the point of trying to frighten them with it? If the people truly feared death, and I could seize those who do wrong and execute them, who would dare to act wrongly?

There is always One who presides over the carrying out of death. To take the place of this presiding power and inflict death yourself is like trying to do the work of a master carpenter by chopping wood in his place. Rarely does anyone who takes up the master carpenter’s tools avoid cutting his own hands.