| | 农战: |
凡人主之所以劝民者，官爵也；国之所以兴者，农战也。今民求官爵，皆不以农战，而以巧言虚道，此谓劳民。劳民者，其国必无力。无力者，其国必削。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
The means whereby a ruler of men encourages the people are office and rank; the means whereby a country is made prosperous are agriculture and war. Now those who seek office and rank, never do so by means of agriculture and war, but by artful words and empty doctrines. That is called "wearying the people". The country of those who weary their people will certainly have no strength, and the country of those who have no strength will certainly be dismembered. |
| | 农战: |
善为国者，其教民也，皆从壹空而得官爵。是故不以农战，则无官爵。国去言则民朴，民朴则不淫。民见上利之从壹空出也，则作壹，作壹则民不偷。民不偷淫则多力，多力则国强。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
Those who are capable in organizing a country teach the people that office and rank can only be acquired through one opening, and thus, there being no rank without office, the state will do away with fine speaking, with the result that the people will be simple; being simple, they will not be licentious. The people, seeing that the highest benefit comes only through one opening, will strive for concentration, and having concentration, will not be negligent in their occupations. When the people are not negligent in their occupations, they will have much strength, and when they have much strength the state will be powerful. |
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今境内之民，皆曰：“农战可避，而官爵可得也。”是故豪杰皆可变业，务学诗书，随从外权，上可以得显，下可以得官爵；要靡事商贾，为技艺：皆以避农战。具备，国之危也。民以此为教者，其国必削。 |
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But now the people within the territory all say that by avoiding agriculture and war, office and rank may be acquired, with the result that eminent men all change their occupations, to apply themselves to the study of the Odes and History and to follow improper standards; on the one hand, they obtain prominence, and on the other, they acquire office and rank. Insignificant individuals will occupy themselves with trade and will practise arts and crafts, all in order to avoid agriculture and war, thus preparing a dangerous condition for the state. Where the people are given to such teachings, it is certain that such a country will be dismembered. |
| | 农战: |
善为国者，仓廪虽满，不偷于农；国大民众，不淫于言，则民朴一。民朴一，则官爵不可巧而取也。不可巧取，则奸不生。奸不生则主不惑。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
The way to organize a country well is, even though the granaries are filled, not to be negligent in agriculture, and even though the country is large and its population numerous, to have no licence of speech. (This being so), the people will be simple and have concentration; the people being simple and having concentration, then office arid rank cannot be obtained by artfulness. If these cannot be obtained by artfulness, then wickedness will not originate; and if wickedness does not originate, the ruler will not be suspicious. |
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今境内之民及处官爵者，见朝廷之可以巧言辩说取官爵也，故官爵不可得而常也。是故进则曲主，退则虑所以实其私，然则下卖权矣。夫曲主虑私，非国利也，而为之者，以其爵禄也。下卖权，非忠臣也，而为之者，以末货也。 |
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But now the people within the territory, and those who hold office and rank, see that it is possible to obtain, from the court, office and rank by means of artful speech and sophistry. Therefore, there is no permanency in office and rank, with the result that at court they deceive their ruler and, retiring from court, they think of nothing but of how to realize their selfish interests and thus sell power to their inferiors. Now deceiving the ruler and being concerned for their own interests is not to the advantage of the state, but those who thus act, do so for the sake of rank and emolument; selling power to inferiors is not proper for a loyal minister, but those who thus act do so for the sake of insignificant presents. |
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然则下官之冀迁者，皆曰：“多货则上官可得而欲也。”曰：“我不以货事上而求迁者，则如以狸饵鼠尔，必不冀矣。若以情事上而求迁者，则如引诸绝绳而求乘枉木也，愈不冀矣。之二者不可以得迁，则我焉得无下动众取货以事上，而以求迁乎！” |
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Consequently all the lower officials, who hope for promotion, say: 'If we send many presents, we may obtain the higher office which we desire.' They say too: 'To strive for promotion, without serving superiors with presents, is like setting a cat as bait for a rat - it is absolutely hopeless. To strive for promotion by serving superiors with sincerity is like wishing to climb a crooked tree by holding on to a broken rope - it is even more hopeless. If, to attain promotion, these two methods are out of the question, what else can we do, in striving for it, but bring the masses below us into action and obtain presents, for the purpose of serving our superiors? |
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百姓曰：“我疾农，先实公仓，收馀以事亲，为上忘生而战，以尊主安国也；仓虚，主卑，家贫，然则不如索官！”亲戚交游合，则更虑矣。豪杰务学诗书，随从外权；要靡事商贾，为技艺：皆以避农战。民以此为教，则粟焉得无少，而兵焉得无弱也！ |
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The people say: We till diligently, first to fill the public granaries, and then to keep the rest for the nourishment of our parents; for the sake of our superiors we forget our love of life, and fight for the honour of the ruler and for the peace of the country. But if the granaries are empty, the ruler debased and the family poor, then it is best to seek office. Let us then combine relatives and friends and think of other plans. Eminent men will apply themselves to the study of the Odes and History, and pursue these improper standards; insignificant individuals will occupy themselves with trade, and practise arts and crafts, all in order to avoid agriculture and war. Where the people are given to such teachings, how can the grain be anything but scarce, and the soldiers anything but weak? |
| | 农战: |
善为国者，官法明，故不任知虑；上作壹，故民不偷淫，则国力搏。国力搏者强，国好言谈者削。故曰：农战之民千人，而有诗书辩慧者一人焉，千人者皆怠于农战矣。农战之民百人，而有技艺者一人焉，百人者皆怠于农战矣。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
The way to administer a country well, is for the law for the officials to be clear; therefore one does not rely on intelligent and thoughtful men. The ruler makes the people singleminded, and therefore they will not scheme for selfish profit. Then the strength of the country will be consolidated. A country where the strength has been consolidated, is powerful, but a country that loves talking is dismembered. Therefore is it said: If there are a thousand people engaged in agriculture and war, and only one in the Odes and History, and clever sophistry, then those thousand will all be remiss in agriculture and war; if there are a hundred people engaged in agriculture and war and only one in the arts and crafts, then those hundred will all be remiss in agriculture and war. |
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国待农战而安，主待农战而尊。夫民之不农战也，上好言而官失常也。常官则国治，壹务则国富，国富而治，王之道也。故曰：王道作，外身作壹而已矣。 |
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The country depends on agriculture and war for its peace, and likewise the ruler, for his honour. Indeed, if the people are not engaged in agriculture and war, it means that the ruler loves words and that the officials have lost consistency of conduct. If there is consistency of conduct in officials, the country is well-governed; and if single-mindedness is striven after, the country is rich; to have the country both rich and well governed is the way to attain supremacy. Therefore is it said: 'The way to supremacy is no other than by creating single-mindedness!' |
| | 农战: |
今上论材能知慧而任之，则知慧之人希主好恶使官制物，以适主心。是以官无常，国乱而不壹，辩说之人而无法也。如此，则民务焉得无多，而地焉得无荒？ |
| Agriculture and War: |
However, nowadays, the ruler, in his appointments, takes into consideration talent and ability and cleverness and intelligence, and thus clever and intelligent men watch for the likes and dislikes of the ruler, so that officials are caused to transact their business in a way which is adapted to the ruler's mind. As a result there is no consistency of conduct in the officials, the state is in disorder and there is no concentration. Sophists (are honoured) and there is no law. Under such circumstances, how can the people's affairs be otherwise than many and how can the land be otherwise than fallow? |
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诗、书、礼、乐、善、修、仁、廉、辩、慧，国有十者，上无使守战。国以十者治，敌至必削，不至必贫。国去此十者，敌不敢至；虽至，必却；兴兵而伐，必取；按兵不伐，必富。国好力者，曰“以难攻”，以难攻者必兴；好辩者，曰“以易攻”，以易攻者必危。故圣人明君者，非能尽其万物也，知万物之要也。故其治国也，察要而已矣。 |
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If, in a country, there are the following ten things: odes and history, rites and music, virtue and the cultivation thereof, benevolence and integrity, sophistry and intelligence, then the ruler has no one whom he can employ for defence and warfare. If a country is governed by means of these ten things, it will be dismembered as soon as an enemy approaches, and even if no enemy approaches, it will be poor. But if a country banishes these ten things, enemies will not dare to approach, and even if they should, they would be driven back. When it mobilizes its army and attacks, it will gain victories; when it holds the army in reserve and does not attack, it will be rich. A country that loves strength makes assaults with what is difficult, and thus it will be successful. A country that loves sophistry makes assaults with what is easy, and thus it will be in danger. Therefore sages and intelligent princes are what they are, not because they are able to go to the bottom of all things, but because they understand what is essential in all things. Therefore the secret of their administration of the country lies in nothing else than in their examination of what is essential. |
| | 农战: |
今为国者多无要。朝廷之言治也，纷纷焉务相易也。是以其君惛于说，其官乱于言，其民惰而不农。故其境内之民，皆化而好辩乐学，事商贾，为技艺，避农战，如此则亡国不远矣。国有事，则学民恶法，商民善化，技艺之民不用，故其国易破也。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
But now, those who run a state for the most part overlook what is essential, and the discussions at court, on government, are confused, and efforts are made to displace each other in them; thus the prince is dazed by talk, officials confused by words, and the people become lazy and will not farm. The result is that all the people within the territory change and become fond of sophistry, take pleasure in study, pursue trade, practise arts and crafts, and shun agriculture and war; and so in this manner (the ruin of the country) will not be far off. When the country has trouble, then because studious people hate law, and merchants are clever in bartering and artisans are useless, the state will be easily destroyed. |
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夫农者寡，而游食者众，故其国贫危。今夫螟螣蚵蠋春生秋死，一出而民数年乏食。今一人耕，而百人食之，此其为螟螣蚼蠋亦大矣。虽有诗书，乡一束，家一员，独无益于治也，非所以反之之术也。故先王反之于农战。故曰：百人农，一人居者，王；十人农，一人居者，强；半农半居者，危。 |
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Indeed, if farmers are few, and those who live idly on others are many, then the state will be poor and in a dangerous condition. Now, for example, if various kinds of caterpillars, which are born in spring and die in autumn, appear only once, the result is that the people have no food for many years. Now, if one man tills and a hundred live on him, it means that they are like a great visitation of caterpillars. Though there may be a bundle of the Odes and History in every hamlet and a copy in every family, yet it is useless for good government, and it is not a method whereby this condition of things may be reversed. Therefore the ancient kings made people turn back to agriculture and war. For this reason is it said: 'Where a hundred men farm and one is idle, the state will attain supremacy; where ten men farm and one is idle, the state will be strong; where half farms and half is idle, the state will be in peril. |
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故治国者欲民之农也。国不农，则与诸侯争权不能自持也，则众力不足也。故诸侯挠其弱，乘其衰，土地侵削而不振，则无及已。圣人知治国之要，故令民归心于农。归心于农，则民朴而可正也。纷纷，则不易使也；信，可以守战也。壹，则少诈而重居；壹，则可以赏罚进也；壹，则可以外用也。 |
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That is why those who govern the country well, wish the people to take to agriculture. If the country does not take to agriculture, then in its quarrels over authority with the various feudal lords, it will not be able to maintain itself, because the strength of the multitude will not be sufficient. Therefore the feudal lords vex its weakness and make use of its state of decadence; and if the territory is invaded and dismembered, without the country being stirred to action, it will be past saving. A sage knows what is essential in administrating a country, and so he induces the people to devote their attention to agriculture. If their attention is devoted to agriculture, then they will be simple, and being simple, they may be made correct. Being perplexed, it will be easy to direct them; being trustworthy, they may be used for defence and warfare. Being single-minded, opportunities of deceit will be few, and they will attach importance to their homes. Being single-minded, their careers may be made dependent on rewards and penalties; being single-minded, they may be used abroad. |
| | 农战: |
夫民之亲上死制也，以其旦暮从事于农。夫民之不可用也，见言谈游士事君之可以尊身也，商贾之可以富家也，技艺之足以糊口也。民见此三者之便且利也，则必避农；避农则民轻其居，轻其居则必不为上守战也。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
Indeed, the people will love their ruler and obey his commandments even to death, if they are engaged in farming, morning and evening; but they will be of no use if they see that glib-tongued, itinerant scholars succeed in being honoured in serving the prince, that merchants succeed in enriching their families, and that artisans have plenty to live upon. If the people see both the comfort and advantage of these three walks of life, then they will indubitably shun agriculture; shunning agriculture, they will care little for their homes; caring little for their homes, they will certainly not fight and defend these for the ruler's sake. |
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凡治国者，患民之散而不可搏也，是以圣人作壹，抟之也。国作壹一岁者，十岁强；作壹十岁者，百岁强；作壹百岁者，千岁强，千岁强者王。 |
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Generally speaking, in administrating a country, the trouble is when the people are scattered and when it is impossible to consolidate them. That is why a sage tries to bring about uniformity and consolidation. A state where uniformity of purpose has been established for one year, will be strong for ten years; where uniformity of purpose has been established for ten years, it will be strong for a hundred years, where uniformity of purpose has been established for a hundred years, it will be strong for a thousand years; and a state which has been strong for a thousand years will attain supremacy. |
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君修赏罚以辅壹教，是以其教有所常，而政有成也。王者得治民之至要，故不待赏赐而民亲上，不待爵禄而民从事，不待刑罚而民致死。国危主忧，说者成伍，无益于安危也。 |
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An ordinary prince cultivates the system of rewards and penalties in order to support his teaching of uniformity of purpose, and in this way his teaching has permanency and his administration is successfully established. But he who attains supremacy, succeeds in regulating those things which are most essential for the people, and therefore, even without the need of rewards and gifts, the people will love their ruler; without the need of ranks and emoluments, the people will follow their avocations; without the need of penalties, the people will do their duty to the death.When a country is in peril and the ruler in anxiety, it is of no avail to the settling of this danger for professional talkers to form battalions. |
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夫国危主忧也者，强敌大国也。人君不能服强敌，破大国也，则修守备，便地形，抟民力以待外事，然后患可以去，而王可致也。是以明君修政作壹，去无用，止畜学事淫之民，壹之农，然后国家可富，而民力可抟也。 |
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The reason why a country is in danger and its ruler in anxiety lies in some strong enemy or in another big state. Now if a prince is unable to vanquish that strong enemy or to destroy that big state, he improves his defences, makes the best use of the topographical conditions, consolidates the strength of the people and thus meets the foreign attack. After this the danger may be averted and supremacy yet attained. That is why an intelligent prince, in improving the administration, strives for uniformity, removes those who are of no use, restrains volatile scholars and those of frivolous pursuits, and makes them all uniformly into farmers. Thereafter the reigning dynasty may become rich and the people's strength may be consolidated. |
| | 农战: |
今世主皆忧其国之危而兵之弱也，而强听说者。说者成伍，烦言饰辞，而无实用。主好其辩，不求其实。说者得意，道路曲辩，辈辈成群。民见其可以取王公大人也，而皆学之。夫人聚党与说议于国，纷纷焉小民乐之，大人说之。故其民农者寡，而游食者众；众则农者怠，农者怠则土地荒。学者成俗，则民舍农，从事于谈说，高言伪议，舍农游食，而以言相高也。故民离上而不臣者，成群。此贫国弱兵之教也。夫国庸民以言，则民不畜于农。故惟明君知好言之不可以强兵辟土也。惟圣人之治国，作壹，抟之于农而已矣。 |
| Agriculture and War: |
Nowadays, the rulers of the world are all anxious over the perilous condition of their countries and the weakness of their armies, and they listen at all costs to the professional talkers: but though these may form battalions, talk profusely and employ beautiful expressions, it is of no practical use. When a ruler loves their sophistry and does not seek for their practical value, then the professional talkers have it all their own way, expound their crooked sophistries in the streets, their various groups become great crowds, and the people, seeing that they succeed in captivating kings, dukes and great men, all imitate them. Now, if men form parties, the arguments and dissensions in the country will be of confusing diversity; the lower classes will be amused and the great men will enjoy it, with the result that amongst such a people farmers will be few and those who, in idleness, live on others will be many. These latter being numerous, farmers will be in a perilous position, and this being so, land will be left lying fallow. If study becomes popular, people will abandon agriculture and occupy themselves with debates, high-sounding words and discussions on false premises; abandoning agriculture, they will live on others in idleness, and seek to surpass one another with words. Thus the people will become estranged from the ruler, and there will be crowds of disloyal subjects. This is a doctrine which leads to the impoverishment of the state and to the weakening of the army. Indeed, if a country employs people for their talking, then the people will not be nurtured in agriculture; so it is only an intelligent prince who understands that by fondness for words one cannot strengthen the army nor open up the land. Only when a sage rules the country will he strive for singleness of purpose and for the consolidation of the people in agriculture, and for that alone. |
