| | 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. |
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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。 |
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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！」 |
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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：「我疾農，先實公倉，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！ |
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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? |
