小國寡民。 |
In a small country with few people |
Das Land sei klein, das Volk wenig, |
使有什伯之器。而不用。 |
let there be
aldermen and mayors who are possessed of power
over men but would not use it. |
lasse es Beamte für zehn und hundert Menschen haben
und nicht gebrauchen. |
使民重死而不遠徒。 |
Induce people to
grieve at death but do not cause them to move to a
distance. |
Lasse das Volk den Tod schwer nehmen
und nicht in die Ferne ziehen. |
雖有舟輿。無所乘之。 |
Although they had ships and carriages,
they should find no occasion to ride in them. |
Obschon es Schiffe und Wagen habe,
nicht habe es Anlaß, sie zu besteigen. |
雖有甲兵。無所陳之。 |
Although
they had armours and weapons, they should find no
occasion to don them. |
Obschon es Panzer und Waffen habe,
nicht habe es Anlaß, sie anzulegen. |
使人復結繩而用之。 |
Induce people to return to [the old custom of]
knotted cords and to use them [in the place of writing], |
Lasse das Volk wieder Schnüre knoten
und sie gebrauchen. |
甘其食。美其服。 |
to delight in their food, to be proud of their
clothes, |
Süß sei ihm seine Speise,
schön seine Kleidung, |
安其居。樂其俗。 |
to be content with their homes, and to rejoice
in their customs : |
friedlich seine Wohnung,
freudig seine Sitte. |
鄰國相 望。 |
then in a neighboring state within
sight, |
Nachbarländer seien gegenseitig zu erblicken, |
鷄犬之聲相聞。 |
the voices of the cocks and dogs would be
within hearing, |
der Hähne und Hunde Stimmen gegenseitig zu hören, |
民至老死。不相往來。 |
yet the people might grow old and
die before they visited one another. |
und das Volk erreiche Alter und Tod,
ohne einander zu besuchen. |