A warning to power at the end of its rope: when the people no longer fear what is powerful, then great power will come upon them. Authority that has spent its intimidation has nothing left — the moment fear stops working is the moment everything stops working, and something larger than the ruler arrives. The prescription is to stop pressing before that moment: do not oppress their dwellings; do not weary their lives. Only because you do not weary them will they not grow weary of you. Tolerance of rulers is a resource, drained by every intrusion.
The chapter then gives the personal discipline behind restrained power, in the paired self-knowledge of the sage: he knows himself but does not display himself; loves himself but does not exalt himself. Self-respect without self-advertisement — the inner security that needs no enforcement outside. Thus he puts away the one and takes up the other: away goes display and exaltation, in favour of knowledge and care. Power that must be shown, the chapter implies, is already almost gone.
Key verses
When the people no longer fear what is powerful, then great power will come upon them. Do not oppress their dwelling-places; do not weary their lives. Only because you do not weary them will they not grow weary of you. Therefore the sage knows himself but does not display himself; he loves himself but does not exalt himself. Thus he puts away the one and takes up the other.
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