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民之性，度而取長，稱而取重，權而索利。明君慎觀三者，則國治可立，而民能可得。國之所以求民者少，而民之所以避求者多。入使民屬於農，出使民壹於戰。故聖人之治也，多禁以止能，任力以窮詐，兩者偏用則境內之民壹；民壹則農，農則樸，樸則安居而惡出。故聖人之為國也，民資藏於地，而偏託危於外。 |
| Calculation of Land: |
It is people's nature, when measuring, to take the longest part, when weighing, to take the heaviest, when adjusting the scales, to seek profit. If an intelligent prince watches these three things diligently, order may be established in the country and the capacities of the people may be utilized. If the state makes few demands from the people, then the people will make many evasions from those demands. Direct the people at home to adhere to farming, and abroad to be concentrated in warfare. Therefore, a sage's way of administering a country is to prohibit much, in order to limit the people's capacity, and to rely on force in order to render trickeries powerless. These two methods being used in combination, people within the borders will be single-minded; being single-minded, they will farm; farming, they will be simple and being simple, they will dwell quietly and dislike going out. Therefore, a sage's way of ordering a country is that the people's capital should be stored in the soil, and that dangers should be run abroad by borrowing a temporary habitat. |
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資於地則樸，託危於外則惑。民入則樸，出則惑，故其農勉而戰戢也。民之農勉則資重，戰戢則鄰危。資重則不可負而逃，鄰危則不歸於無資。歸危外託，狂夫之所不為也。 |
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If their capital lies in the soil, they will be simple, and if, by borrowing a temporary habitat abroad, dangers would be run, they will be anxious. If at home the people are simple, and abroad they are anxious, then as a result they will exert themselves in farming and be alert in warfare. If the people are zealous in farming, then their capital will be considerable; if they are alert in warfare, the neighbouring states will be in danger. If their capital is considerable, then they can not carry it on their backs and go elsewhere; if the neighbouring states are in danger, they will not go where there is no capital, for to go to a place of danger and to borrow a habitat outside, even a madman does not do such a thing. |
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故聖人之為國也，觀俗立法則治，察國事本則宜。不觀時俗，不察國本，則其法立而民亂，事劇而功寡，此臣之所謂過也。 |
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Therefore a sage, in ordering a country, looking to popular custom, fixes their laws with the result that there is order, and examining the state, gives his attention to what is fundamental, with the result that everything is fitting. When laws are fixed without looking to the customs of the times and without examining the fundamental things of the state, then the people will be in disorder, affairs will be troublesome, so that results will be few. This is what I call error. |
