第80章 · 原文
现代白话译文
使国家小，人民少。即使有各种器具也不使用；使人民重视死亡而不向远方迁徙。虽然有船只车辆，却没有乘坐的需要；虽然有武器装备，却没有陈列的机会。使人民回到结绳记事的状态。使人民饮食香甜，服饰美好，居住安适，习俗欢乐。邻国之间可以互相望见，鸡鸣狗叫的声音可以互相听到，但人民直到老死也不互相往来。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
Reduce the size of the population and the state. Ensure that even though the people have tools of war for a troop or a battalion they will not use them; And also that they will be reluctant to move to distant places because they look on death as no light matter. Even when they have ships and carts, they will have no use for them; And even when they have armor and weapons, they will have no occasion to make a show of them. Bring it about that the people will return to the use of the knotted rope, Will find relish in their food And beauty in their clothes, Will be content in their abode And happy in the way they live. Though adjoining states are within sight of one another, And the sound of dogs barking and cocks crowing in one state can be heard in another, yet the people of one state will grow old and die without having had any dealings with those of another.
Robert Henricks
1. Let the country be small and people few — 2. Bring it about that there are weapons for "tens" and "hundreds," yet let no one use them; 3. Have the people regard death gravely and put migrating far from their minds. 4. Though they might have boats and carriages, no one will ride them; 5. Though they might have armor and spears, no one will display them. 6. Have the people return to knotting cords and using them. 7. They will relish their food, 8. Regard their clothing as beautiful, 9. Delight in their customs, 10. And feel safe and secure in their homes. 11. Neighboring states might overlook one another, 12. And the sounds of chickens and dogs might be overheard, 13. Yet the people will arrive at old age and death with no comings and goings between them.
Addiss & Lombardo
A small state with few people: Let there be tools for a hundred or ten, but not use them. Let people value death and not travel far. Let there be boats and carriages but no one rides them. Let there be armor and weapons but no one displays them. Let people return to knotting ropes and using them. Let food be sweet, clothes beautiful, home secure, customs happy. Neighboring states look at each other, hear chickens and dogs, but people grow old and die without visiting.
Arthur Waley
Given a small country with few inhabitants, He could bring it about that through There should be among the people contrivances requiring ten times, A hundred times less labour, they would not use them. He could bring it about that the people would be ready To lay down their lives and lay them down again in defence of their homes, Rather than emigrate. There might still be boats and carriage, But no one would go in them; There might still be weapons of war, But no one would drill with them. He could bring it about that "The people should have no use for any from of writing save knotted ropes, Should be contented with their food, pleased with their clothing, Satisfied with their homes, Should take pleasure in their rustic tasks. The next place might be so near at hand That one could one could hear the cocks crowing in it, the dogs barking; But the people would grow old and die without ever having been there".
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
If a country is governed wisely, its inhabitants will be content. They enjoy the labor of their hands and don't waste time inventing labor-saving machines. Since they dearly love their homes, they aren't interested in travel. There may be a few wagons and boats, but these don't go anywhere. There may be an arsenal of weapons, but nobody ever uses them. People enjoy their food, take pleasure in being with their families, spend weekends working in their gardens, delight in the doings of the neighborhood. And even though the next country is so close that people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking, they are content to die of old age without ever having gone to see it.