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商君書 - Shang Jun Shu

[Warring States (475 BC - 221 BC)] English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?]
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[Also known as: 《商子》, "The Book of Lord Shang"]

農戰 - Agriculture and War

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
3 農戰:
善為國者,倉廩雖滿,不偷於農;國大民眾,不淫於言,則民樸一。民樸一,則官爵不可巧而取也。不可巧取,則姦不生。姦不生則主不惑。
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.
今境內之民及處官爵者,見朝廷之可以巧言辯說取官爵也,故官爵不可得而常也。是故進則曲主,退則慮所以實其私,然則下賣權矣。夫曲主慮私,非國利也,而為之者,以其爵祿也。下賣權,非忠臣也,而為之者,以末貨也。
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.
然則下官之冀遷者,皆曰:「多貨則上官可得而欲也。」曰:「我不以貨事上而求遷者,則如以狸餌鼠爾,必不冀矣。若以情事上而求遷者,則如引諸絕繩而求乘枉木也,愈不冀矣。之二者不可以得遷,則我焉得無下動眾取貨以事上,而以求遷乎!」
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?
百姓曰:「我疾農,實公倉,收餘以事親,為上忘生而戰,以尊主安國也;倉虛,主卑,家貧,然則不如索官!」親戚交游合,則更慮矣。豪傑務學詩書,隨從外權;要靡事商賈,為技藝:皆以避農戰。民以此為教,則粟焉得無少,而兵焉得無弱也!
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?

6 農戰:
今為國者多無要。朝廷之言治也,紛紛焉務相易也。是以其君惛於說,其官亂於言,其民惰而不農。故其境內之民,皆化而好辯樂學,事商賈,為技藝,避農戰,如此則亡國不遠矣。國有事,則學民惡法,商民善化,技藝之民不用,故其國易破也。
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.
夫農者寡,而遊食者眾,故其國貧危。今夫螟螣蚵蠋春生秋死,一出而民數年乏食。今一人耕,而百人食之,此其為螟螣蚼蠋亦大矣。雖有詩書,鄉一束,家一員,獨無益於治也,非所以反之之術也。故王反之於農戰。故曰:百人農,一人居者,王;十人農,一人居者,強;半農半居者,危。
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.
故治國者欲民之農也。國不農,則與諸侯爭權不能自持也,則眾力不足也。故諸侯撓其弱,乘其衰,土地侵削而不振,則無及已。聖人知治國之要,故令民歸心於農。歸心於農,則民樸而可正也。紛紛,則不易使也;信,可以守戰也。壹,則少詐而重居;壹,則可以賞罰進也;壹,則可以外用也。
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.

說民 - Discussion about the People

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
9 說民:
民之所欲萬,而利之所出一。民非一則無以致欲,故作一。作一則力摶,力摶則強;強而用,重強。故能生力,能殺力,曰:「攻敵之國」,必疆。塞私道以窮其志,啟一門以致其欲,使民必其所惡,然後致其所欲,故力多。力多而不用則志窮,志窮則有私,有私則有弱。故能生力,不能殺力,曰:「自攻之國」,必削。故曰王者國不蓄力,家不積粟。國不蓄力,下用也;家不積粟,上藏也。
Discussion about the People:...:
The things which the people desire are innumerable, but that from which they benefit is one and the same thing. Unless the people be made one, there is no way to make them attain their desire. Therefore, they are unified; as a result of this unification, their strength is consolidated, and in consequence of this consolidation, they are strong; if, being strong, they are made use of, they are doubly strong. Therefore, a country that knows how to produce strength and how to reduce it is said to be one that attacks the enemy, and is sure to become strong. It bars all private roads for gratifying their ambition, and opens only one gate through which they can attain their desire; thus, without doubt, it can make the people first do what they hate, in order thereafter, to reach what they desire; and so their strength will be great. If their strength is great, but not made use of, ambition is gratified; and this being so, there will be private interest and in consequence there will be weakness. Therefore, a country that knows how to produce strength, but not how to reduce it, is said to be one that attacks itself, and it is certain to be dismembered. So it is said that if a state has attained supremacy, it does not reserve its strength and the family does not hoard grain. That the state does not reserve its strength means that its subjects are used, and that the family does not hoard grain means that the superiors keep it in the granaries.

算地 - Calculation of Land

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
2 算地:
故為國任地者,山陵居什一,藪澤居什一,谿谷流水居什一,都邑蹊道居什四。此王之正律也,故為國分田數小。畝五百,足待一役,此地不任也。方土百里,出戰卒萬人者,數小也。此其墾田足以食其民,都邑遂路足以處其民,山陵藪澤谿谷足以供其利,藪澤隄防足以畜。故兵出,糧給而財有餘;兵休,民作而畜長足。此所謂任地待役之律也。
Calculation of Land:
In administering a state therefore, and in disposing of its territory, to populate the mountains and forests with a tenth of the people, the marshes and moors with a tenth, the valleys, dales and streams with a tenth, cities, towns and highways with four tenths was the correct rule of the former kings. In administering a state, therefore, and in dividing arable land, if a minimum of 500 mu is sufficient to support one soldier, it is not making proper use of the land. But if a territory of 100 square li supports 10,000 soldiers for war as a minimum, then it shows that the cultivated land is sufficient to nourish its population, that cities, towns and highways are sufficient to accommodate their inhabitants, that mountains and forests, marshes and moors, valleys and dales, are sufficient to provide profit, and that marshes and moors, dykes and embankments are sufficient for grazing. Therefore, when the army marches out and grain is given them, there is still a surplus of riches; when the army is resting and the people at work, the cattle are always sufficient. This is said to be the rule for making use of the land and for supporting soldiers.

開塞 - Opening and Debarring

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
5 開塞:
故效於古者,德而治;效於今者,前刑而法;此世之所惑也。今世之所謂義者,將立民之所好,而廢其所惡;此其所謂不義者,將立民之所惡,而廢其所樂也。二者名貿實易,不可不察也。立民之所樂,則民傷其所惡;立民之所惡,則民安其所樂。何以知其然也?夫民憂則思,思則出度;樂則淫,淫則生佚。故以刑治則民威,民威則無姦,無姦則民安其所樂。以義教則民縱,民縱則亂,亂則民傷其所惡。吾所謂利者,義之本也;而世所謂義者,暴之道也。夫正民者:以其所惡,必終其所好;以其所好,必敗其所惡。
Opening and Debarring:...:
Wherefore, if you wish to imitate the ancients, you will have orderly government by promoting virtue, and if you wish to imitate modern times, you will have laws by emphasizing punishments, and this is commonly distrusted. What the world now calls righteousness is the establishment of what people like and the abolishment of what they dislike, and what the world calls unrighteousness is the establishment of what people dislike and the abolishment of that in which they take delight. The names and practice of these two methods may be interchanged. It is necessary to examine this: if you establish what people delight in, then they will suffer from what they dislike; but if you establish what the people dislike, they will be happy in what they enjoy. How do I know that this is so? Because, if people are in sorrow, they think, and in thinking they invent various devices. Whereas, if they enjoy themselves, they are dissolute, and dissoluteness breeds idleness. Therefore, if you govern by punishment the people will fear. Being fearful, they will not commit villainies; there being no villainies, people will be happy in what they enjoy. If, however, you teach the people by righteousness, then they will be lax, and if they are lax, there will be disorder; if there is disorder, the people will suffer from what they dislike. What I call profit is the basis of righteousness, but what the world calls righteousness is the way to violence. Indeed, in making the people correct, one always attains what they like by means of what they dislike, and one brings about what they dislike by means of what they like.

壹言 - Unification of Words

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
4 壹言:
今世主皆欲治民,而助之以亂;非樂以為亂也,安其故而不闚於時也。是上法古而得其塞,下修今而不時移,而不明世俗之變,不察治民之情,故多賞以致刑,輕刑以去賞。夫上設刑而民不服,賞匱而姦益多。故上之於民也,刑而後賞。
Unification of Words:...:
The rulers of the present day all desire to govern the people, but their way of helping them is disorderly, not because they take pleasure in disorder, but because they rest on antiquity and do not watch for the needs of the times; that is, the ruler models himself on antiquity, and as a result, is hampered by it; subordinates follow the present and do not change with the times, and when the changes in the customs of the world are not understood, and the conditions for governing the people are not examined, then the multiplication of rewards only leads to punishments, and the lightening of punishments only eliminates rewards. Indeed, the ruler institutes punishments, but the people do not obey; his rewards are exhausted, but crimes continue to increase; for the people in their relation to the ruler, think first of punishments and only afterwards of rewards.

錯法 - Establishing Laws

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
3 錯法:
人君有爵行而兵弱者,有祿行而國貧者,有法立而治亂者,此三者,國之患也。故人君者便請謁,而後功力,則爵行而兵弱矣。民不死犯難,而利祿可致也,則祿行而國貧矣。法無度數,而事日煩,則法立而治亂矣。是以明君之使其民也,使必盡力以規其功,功立而富貴隨之,無私德也,故教化成。如此,則臣忠君明,治著而兵強矣。
Establishing Laws:
Among the princes of men there are some who bestow titles, but whose army is weak; there are some who grant emoluments, but whose state is poor; there are some who have fixed laws, but who yet suffer disorder. These three things are calamities for a country. For if a ruler of men places the making easy of audiences before the acquiring of merit, then although he bestows titles, his army will be weak; if people, without risking their lives in dangers, can obtain profit and emoluments, then the granting of emoluments will only make the country poor. If the law has neither measures nor figures, then affairs will daily become more complicated, and although laws have been established, yet the result will be that the administration will be in disorder. Therefore, an intelligent prince, in directing his people, will so direct them that they will exert their strength to the utmost, in order to strive for a particular merit; and if, when they have acquired merit, riches and honour follow upon it, there will be no bravery in private causes. Therefore, if this teaching spreads and becomes successful, then when that is the case, ministers will be loyal, princes intelligent, order manifest, and the army strong.

戰法 - Method of Warfare

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
1 戰法:
凡戰法必本於政勝,則其民不爭;不爭則無以私意,以上為意。故王者之政,使民怯於邑鬥,而勇於寇戰。民習以力攻難,故輕死;見敵如潰潰而不止,則免。故兵法:「大戰勝,逐北無過十里;小戰勝,逐北無過五里。」兵起而程敵:政不若者,勿與戰;食不若者,勿與久;敵眾勿為客,敵盡不如,擊之勿疑。故曰兵大律在謹。論敵察眾,則勝負可知也。
Method of Warfare:
Generally in the method of warfare, the fundamental principle consists in making government measures supremely prevalent. If this is done, then the people concerned will have no disputes; and having no disputes, they will have no thought of self-interest, but will have the interest of the ruler in mind. Therefore a real king, through his measures, will cause people to be fearful in fights between various cities, but brave in wars against external foes. If people have been trained to attack dangers with energy, they will, as a result, think lightly of death. Should the enemy be routed as soon as the engagement has begun, and should he not stop in his rout, abstain from further pursuit. Therefore does the "Art of War" say: 'In a big battle, in the event of victory, pursue the fugitives not further than 10 li; in a small battle, in the event of victory, pursue the fugitives not further than 5 li.' When hostilities begin, weigh the strength of the enemy; if your organization is not equal to his, do not engage him in battle; if your provisions are not equal to his, do not protract the war; if the enemy is numerically strong, do not invade his territory; if the enemy is in every way your inferior, attack him without hesitation. Therefore it is said: 'The great rule of an army is prudence.' By estimating the strength of the enemy and by examining one's own hosts, victory or defeat may be known beforehand.

修權 - Cultivation of the Right Standard

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
2 修權:
世之為治者,多釋法而任私議,此國之所以亂也。王縣權衡,立尺寸,而至今法之,其分明也。夫釋權衡而斷輕重,廢尺寸而意長短,雖察,商賈不用,為其不必也。故法者,國之權衡也,夫倍法度而任私議,皆不知類者也。不以法論知能賢不肖者,惟堯,而世不盡為堯,是故王知自議譽私之不可任也,故立法明分,中程者賞之,毀公者誅之。賞誅之法,不失其義,故民不爭。授官予爵,不以其勞,則忠臣不進。行賞賦祿,不稱其功,則戰士不用。
Cultivation of the Right...:
Those who are engaged in governing, in the world, chiefly dismiss the law and place reliance on private appraisal, and this is what brings disorder in a state. The early kings hung up scales with standard weights, and fixed the length of feet and inches, and to the present day these are followed as models because their divisions were clear. Now dismissing standard scales and yet deciding weight, or abolishing feet and inches and yet forming an opinion about length - even an intelligent merchant would not apply this system, because it would lack definiteness. Now, if the back is turned on models and measures, and reliance is placed on private appraisal, in all those cases there would be a lack of definiteness. Only a Yao would be able to judge knowledge and ability, worth or unworth without a model. But the world does not consist exclusively of Yaos! Therefore, the ancient kings understood that no reliance should be placed on individual opinions or biassed approval, so they set up models and made the distinctions clear. Those who fulfilled the standard were rewarded, those who harmed the public interest were punished. The standards for rewards and punishments were not wrong in their appraisals, and therefore people did not dispute them. But if the bestowal of office and the granting of rank are not carried out according to the labour borne, then loyal ministers have no advancement; and if in awarding rewards and giving emoluments the respective merits are not weighed, then fighting soldiers will not enter his service.

來民 - Encouragement of Immigration

English translation: J. J. L. Duyvendak [?] Library Resources
1 來民:
地,方百里者:山陵處什一,藪澤處什一,谿谷流水處什一,都市蹊道處什一,惡田處什二,良田處什四,以此食作夫五萬。其山陵藪澤谿谷可以給其材,都邑蹊道足以處其民,王制土分民之律也。
Encouragement of Immigration:...:
In a territory of a hundred square li, a tenth should be occupied by mountains and hills, a tenth by glades and morasses, a tenth by valleys, dales, and running water, a tenth by cities, towns, and highways, a tenth by barren fields, and four-tenths by fertile fields. In this way 50,000 workmen can be fed; those mountains and hills, glades and morasses, valleys and dales, are able to provide the required material, and the cities, towns and highways are sufficient to accommodate the people concerned. This was the proportion according to which the early kings regulated the land and divided the people.

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