| | 更法: |
君曰：「代立不忘社稷，君之道也；錯法務明主長，臣之行也。今吾欲變法以治，更禮以教百姓，恐天下之議我也。」 |
| Reform of the Law: |
The prince said: "Not to forget, at his succession, the tutelary spirits of the soil and of grain, is the way of a prince; to shape the laws and to see to it that an intelligent ruler reigns, are the tasks of a minister. I intend, now, to alter the laws, so as to obtain orderly government, and to reform the rites, so as to teach the people; but I am afraid the empire will criticize me." |
| | 更法: |
公孫鞅曰：「臣聞之，『疑行無成，疑事無功，』君亟定變法之慮，殆無顧天下之議之也。且夫有高人之行者，固見負於世；有獨知之慮者，必見訾於民。語曰：『愚者闇於成事，知者見於未萌。民不可與慮始，而可與樂成。』郭偃之法曰：『論至德者，不和於俗；成大功者，不謀於眾。』法者，所以愛民也；禮者，所以便事也。是以聖人苟可以強國，不法其故；苟可以利民，不循其禮。」 |
| Reform of the Law: |
Gong sun Yang said: "I have heard it said that he who hesitates in action, does not accomplish anything, and that he who hesitates in affairs, gains no merit. Let Your Highness settle Your thoughts quickly about altering the laws and perhaps not heed the criticism of the empire. Moreover, he who conducts himself as an outstanding man is, as a matter of course, disapproved of by the world; he who has thoughts of independent knowledge is certainly despised by the world. The saying runs: 'The stupid do not even understand an affair when it has been completed, but the wise see it even before it has sprouted.' One cannot let the people share in the thoughts about the beginnings of an affair, but they should be allowed to share in the rejoicings over the completion of it. The law of Guo Yan says: 'He who is concerned about the highest virtue is not in harmony with popular ideas; he who accomplishes a great work, does not take counsel with the multitude.' The law is an expression of love for the people; rites are a means for making things run smoothly. Therefore a sage, if he is able to strengthen the state thereby, does not model himself on antiquity, and if he is able to benefit the people thereby, does not adhere to the established rites." |
| | 更法: |
甘龍曰：「不然。臣聞之，聖人不易民而教，知者不變法而治。因民而教者，不勞而功成；據法而治者，吏習而民安。今若變法，不循秦國之故，更禮以教民，臣恐天下之議君，願孰察之。」 |
| Reform of the Law: |
But Gan Long said: "Not so. I have heard it said: 'A sage teaches without changing the people, and a wise man obtains good government without altering the laws.' If one teaches in accordance with the spirit of the people, success will be achieved without effort; if one governs, holding on to the law, officials will be well versed in it and the people will live quietly. Now, if Your Highness alters the laws without adhering to the old customs of the Ch'in state, and reforms the rites in order to teach the people, I am afraid that the empire will criticize Your Highness, and I wish that You would reflect maturely." |
| | 墾令: |
訾粟而稅，則上壹而民平。上壹則信，信則官不敢為邪。民平則慎，慎則難變。上信而官不敢為邪，民慎而難變，則下不非上，中不苦官。下不非上，中不苦官，則壯民疾農不變。壯民疾農不變，則少民學之不休。少民學之不休，則草必墾矣。 |
| Order to Cultivate Waste...: |
If taxes are levied according to the measure of grain, then the ruler will have system and consequently the people will have peace. If the ruler has system, he will be a man of his word, and being a man of his word, the officials will not dare to commit any depravity. If the people have peace, they are circumspect, and being circumspect, they are difficult to move. If the ruler is a man of his word and in consequence the officials dare not commit any depravity, and if the people are circumspect and consequently difficult to move, then there will be no criticism by inferiors of superiors, nor will the officials be regarded as obnoxious. If so, then the able-bodied will be strenuous in agriculture, without changing. If the able-bodied are so, then the youthful will learn it without resting, and when the youthful learn it without resting, it is certain waste lands will be brought under cultivation. |
| | 農戰: |
善為國者，其教民也，皆從壹空而得官爵。是故不以農戰，則無官爵。國去言則民樸，民樸則不淫。民見上利之從壹空出也，則作壹，作壹則民不偷。民不偷淫則多力，多力則國強。 |
| 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. |
| | |
今境內之民，皆曰：「農戰可避，而官爵可得也。」是故豪傑皆可變業，務學詩書，隨從外權，上可以得顯，下可以得官爵；要靡事商賈，為技藝：皆以避農戰。具備，國之危也。民以此為教者，其國必削。 |
| |
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. |
| | 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，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！ |
| |
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? |
| | 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，使民必先其所惡，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. |
| | 說民: |
治國貴下斷，故以十里斷者弱，以五里斷者強，家斷則有餘，故曰日治者王。官斷則不足，故曰夜治者強。君斷則亂，故曰宿治者削。故有道之國，治不聽君，民不從官。 |
| Discussion about the People:...: |
Those who administer a country deem it important that inferiors should give judgments; therefore, when ten hamlets are the unit for making judgments, there will be weakness; whereas when five hamlets are the unit for making judgments, there will be strength. If it is the family that gives judgments, there will be abundance. Therefore, of such a country it is said: 'He who creates order in one day will attain supremacy.' If it is the officials who give judgments, the order will not be sufficient; therefore of such a country it is said: 'He who creates order in a night will merely be strong.' But if it is the prince who gives judgments, there will be disorder; therefore of such a country it is said: 'He who procrastinates in creating order will be dismembered.' Therefore in a country that has the true way, order does not depend on the prince, and the people do not merely follow the officials. |
| | 算地: |
凡世主之患，用兵者不量力，治草萊者不度地。故有地狹而民眾者，民勝其地；地廣而民少者，地勝其民。民勝其地者，務開；地勝其民者，事徠。開則行倍。民過地，則國功寡而兵力少；地過民，則山澤財物不為用。夫棄天物，遂民淫者，世主之務過也，而上下事之，故民眾而兵弱，地大而力小。 |
| Calculation of Land: |
The disasters of the rulers of the world, generally, come from their not measuring their strength in the use of armies, and from their not measuring their territory in managing the grass-fields and uncultivated lands. Therefore, sometimes the territory is narrow and the population numerous, so that the population exceeds the territory; or sometimes the territory is extensive, but the population sparse, so that the territory exceeds the population. If the population exceeds the territory, then one should pay attention to opening up new land; if the territory exceeds the population, then one should set about calling in colonists. By opening up new land, one effects increase. If the population exceeds the territory, then the achievements of the state will be few and the military strength small; if the territory exceeds the population, then the resources of mountains and moors will not be utilized. Now, to neglect natural resources and to pander to the people's dissipations is to fail in one's duty as a ruler, and when high and low act thus, then in spite of a large population, the army will be weak, and in spite of a big territory, its strength will be small. |
| | 算地: |
故為國之數，務在墾草；用兵之道，務在一賞。私利塞於外，則民務屬於農；屬於農則樸，樸則畏令。私賞禁於下，則民力摶於敵，摶於敵則勝。奚以知其然也？夫民之情，樸則生勞而易力，窮則生知而權利。易力則輕死而樂用，權利則畏罰而易苦。易苦則地力盡，樂用則兵力盡。 |
| Calculation of Land: |
Therefore, the statistical method of administering a country is to give attention to the cultivation of the grass lands; the way to employ the soldiers is to pay attention to making uniform rewards. If private gain has been debarred in outside occupations, then the people will be concerned with keeping to agriculture. If they keep to agriculture, they will be simple, and if they are simple, they fear the law. If private rewards are forbidden to those below, then the people will take the offensive forcibly against the enemy, and by taking the offensive against him, they conquer. How does one know that it will be thus ? Well, the natural disposition of the people is that if they are simple, they will produce hard work and will exert their strength easily. If they are poor, they will develop common sense and give due consideration to what is profitable. If they exert their strength easily, they will think lightly of death and will enjoy employment in warfare. If they give due consideration to what is profitable, they will fear punishment and will easily suffer hardship; if they easily suffer hardship, then the capacity of the soil will be developed to the full; if they enjoy employment in warfare, military strength will be developed to the utmost. |
