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Chinese Text Project
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Scope: Calculation of Land Request type: Paragraph
Condition 1: Contains text "今夫盜賊上犯君上之所禁下失臣子之禮故名辱而身危猶不止者利也" Matched:1.
Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.

算地 - Calculation of Land

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
5 算地:
夫治國者能盡地力而致民死者,名與利交至。民之生,饑而求食,勞而求佚,苦則索樂,辱則求榮,此民之情也。民之求利,失禮之法;求名,失性之常。奚以論其然也?今夫盜賊上犯君上之所禁,下失臣子之禮,故名辱而身危,猶不止者,利也。其上世之士,衣不煖膚,食不滿腸,苦其志意,勞其四肢,傷其五臟,而益裕廣耳,非性之常,而為之者,名也。故曰名利之所湊,則民道之。
Calculation of Land:
Now, if he who administers a country is able to develop the capacity of the soil to the full and to cause the people to fight to the death, then fame and profit will jointly accrue. It is the nature of the people, when they are hungry, to strive for food; when they are tired, to strive for rest; when they suffer hardship, to seek enjoyment; when they are in a state of humiliation, to strive for honour. Such is the natural disposition of the people. If the people strive for gain, then they lose the rules of polite behaviour; if they strive for fame, they lose the eternal principles of human nature. How can we conclude that it is so ? Well, take now robbers and thieves; they infringe the interdicts of the prince, above, and below they fail in the polite behaviour of subject and son. Therefore, though their reputations are dishonoured and their persons endangered, yet because of the profit they do not desist. Above these are the scholars of the world; their clothes do not warm their skins, their food does not fill their stomachs, they travail their thoughts, fatigue their four limbs and suffer in their five internal organs, and yet they go on increasing their activity. This is not prompted by the eternal principles of human nature, but for the sake of fame. Therefore is it said: 'Where fame and profit meet, that is the way the people will follow.'

Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.