本章经旨，是说对待恶人，当立道德以教化，以天理恪除其恶心，使其化恶为善，根除顽恶之性，这才是治本之法。若只用刑杀，不教化其心，其死既不畏，又有何法再加乎?故治国之道，罚之以刑，不如教之以理；杀之其身，不如化之其心，使愚顽之徒转昧为明，知天理昭昭，良心不可逆违。此章通篇宗旨，在于教化世人要以德为本，不可主次颠倒，不可舍本逐末。无论治国治家治身，皆同此理，不可断章取义。
《道德经》（第七十四章）
民不畏死，
奈何以死惧之。
若使民常畏死，
而为奇者，
吾得执而杀之，
孰敢？
常有司杀者杀。
夫代司杀者杀，
是谓代大匠斫，
希有不伤其手者矣。
Chapter 74（Victor H. Mair 译）
If the people never fear death,
what is the purpose of threatening to kill them?
If the people ever fear death,
and I were to capture and kill those who are devious,
who would dare to be so?
If the people must be ever fearful of death,
then there will always be an executioner.
Now,
To kill in place of the executioner
Is like
Hewing wood in place of the master carpenter;
Few indeed will escape cutting their own hands!
Chapter 74（Jane English & Gia-Fu Feng 译）
If men are not afraid to die, It is of no avail to threaten them with death.
If men live in constant fear of dying, And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed, Who will dare to break the law?
There is always an official executioner.
If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood.
If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
Chapter 74（马德五 译）
When the people live in a situation that they wish to die instead of to survive, they will not be afraid of threat!
The ruler should teach the people to love their lives and not to do evils which will be punished to death.
If the bad people do evil, and later they are punished to death, who else dares do evil again?
To kill evildoers is the responsibility of just officials.
If a person wants to do the job a just official does, it is like trying to cut wood for a master carpenter.
When you are wood-cutting for a professional carpenter, naturally, you will hurt your fingers.
