弱民 Weakening the People
民弱国强，民强国弱。故有道之国，务在弱民。朴则强，淫则弱。When the people are weak, the state is strong; when the people are strong, the state is weak. Therefore, in a state governed by the proper way, the focus must be on weakening the people. The simple-minded are strong, while the indulgent are weak.
弱则轨，淫则越志。弱则有用，越志则强。When the people are weak, they abide by the rules; when they are indulgent, they exceed their proper aspirations. The weak are useful, while those who exceed their aspirations become strong.
故曰：以强去强者，弱；以弱去强者，强。Thus it is said: Using the strong to eliminate the strong will result in weakness; using the weak to eliminate the strong will result in strength.
民，善之则亲，利之用则和。用则有任，和则匮，有任乃富于政。The people, when treated kindly, will be affectionate. When utilized for profit, they will be harmonious. Being utilized means having responsibilities, and harmony means thrift. Having responsibilities enriches the governance.
上舍法，任民之所善，故奸多。民贫则力富，力富则淫，淫则有虱。If the ruler abandons the law and allows the people to do as they please, there will be many villains. When the people are poor, they strive for wealth through effort. When they gain wealth through effort, they become indulgent, and indulgence gives rise to parasites.
故民富而不用，则使民以食出，各必有力，则农不偷。农不偷，六虱无萌。故国富而贫治，重强。So, if the wealthy people are not put to use, make the people contribute grain. Each must put in effort, then the farmers will not be lazy. When the farmers are not lazy, the six parasites will not sprout. Thus, the state can be wealthy while being governed as if it were poor, and it will be doubly strong.
兵易弱难强。民乐生安佚，死难难正，易之则强。It is easy for an army to become weak and difficult to make it strong. The people love a life of ease and comfort, and it is hard to get them to face death uprightly. If this can be changed, the army will be strong.
事有羞，多奸；寡赏，无失。多奸疑，敌失必，利。Matters that cause shame lead to much villainy. With few rewards, there will be no mistakes. Much villainy brings suspicion, and making the enemy make mistakes is beneficial.
兵至强，威；事无羞，利。用兵久处利势，必王。When the army is extremely strong, it has might. When matters are free from shame, there is profit. If the army remains in an advantageous position for a long time, one will surely become a king.
故兵行敌之所不敢行，强；事兴敌之所羞为，利。Therefore, when the army undertakes what the enemy dares not do, it is strong; when affairs are carried out that the enemy is ashamed to do, it is profitable.
法有，民安其次；主变，事能得齐。国守安，主操权，利。故主贵多变，国贵少变。When the laws exist, the people abide by their positions. When the ruler makes changes, things can be made orderly. The state guards stability, the ruler wields power, which is profitable. Thus, the ruler values frequent change, while the state values few changes.
利出一孔，则国多物；出十孔，则国少物。守一者治，守十者乱。If profit comes from one source, the state will have many resources; if it comes from ten sources, the state will have few resources. Those who adhere to one thing achieve good governance, while those who adhere to ten things cause chaos.
治则强，乱则弱。强则物来，弱则物去。故国致物者强，去物者弱。Good governance means strength, chaos means weakness. When strong, resources come; when weak, resources go. Therefore, a state that attracts resources is strong, and a state that loses resources is weak.
民，辱则贵爵，弱则尊官，贫则重赏。以刑治民，则乐用；以赏战民，则轻死。The people, when humiliated, value noble ranks; when weak, respect officials; when poor, attach importance to rewards. Governing the people with punishments makes them willing to be used; inspiring the people to fight with rewards makes them despise death.
故战事兵用曰强。民有私荣，则贱列卑官；富则轻赏。So, in war, an army that is well-utilized is called strong. If the people have personal glory, they will disdain official ranks; when wealthy, they will not value rewards.
治民羞辱以刑，战则战。民畏死、事乱而战，故兵农怠而国弱。Governing the people with the shame of punishment makes them fight when needed. If the people fear death and are chaotic when it comes to affairs and fighting, the soldiers and farmers will be slack and the state will be weak.
农、商、官三者，国之常食官也。农辟地，商致物，官法民。Farmers, merchants, and officials are the three groups that the state regularly feeds. Farmers open up the land, merchants bring in goods, and officials rule the people.
三官生虱六：曰“岁”，曰“食”；曰“美”，曰“好”；曰“志”，曰“行”。These three groups give rise to six parasites: namely, "the year," "food"; "beauty," "luxury"; "aspirations," "conduct."
六者有朴，必削。农有余食，则薄燕于岁；商有淫利有美好，伤器；官设而不用，志、行为卒。When these six things become simple, they must be cut back. If farmers have surplus food, they will be lazy throughout the year; if merchants gain excessive profits from luxury goods, it will damage utensils; if officials are established but not used, aspirations and conduct will be wasted.
六虱成俗，兵必大败。法枉，治乱；任善，言多。治众，国乱；言多，兵弱。When the six parasites become a custom, the army will surely be defeated. Crooked laws bring chaos; relying on kindness leads to much talk. Governing the masses in this way causes national chaos; much talk makes the army weak.
法明，治省；任力，言息。治省，国治；言息，兵强。故治大，国小；治小，国大。Clear laws mean simple governance; relying on effort means the end of chatter. Simple governance means good national governance; the end of chatter means a strong army. Therefore, extensive governance makes the state small; concise governance makes the state large.
政作民之所恶，民弱；政作民之所乐，民强。民弱，国强；民强，国弱。Policies that do what the people dislike make the people weak; policies that do what the people like make the people strong. When the people are weak, the state is strong; when the people are strong, the state is weak.
故民之所乐民强，民强而强之，兵重弱。So, if what the people like makes them strong, and you further strengthen them, the army will be extremely weak.
民之所乐民强，民强而弱之，兵重强。故以强，重弱；弱，重强。王。If what the people like makes them strong, and you weaken them, the army will be extremely strong. Therefore, with strength, there is extreme weakness; with weakness, there is extreme strength. This is the way to be a king.
以强政强，弱，弱存；以弱政弱，强，强去。强存则弱，强去则王。Using strong policies on the strong, weakness remains; using weak policies on the weak, strength is removed. The remaining strength leads to weakness, and the removal of strength leads to kingship.
故以强政弱，削；以弱政强，王也。So, using strong policies on the weak leads to decline; using weak policies on the strong leads to kingship.
明主之使其臣也，用必加于功，赏必尽其劳。人主使其民信此如日月，则无敌矣。A wise ruler, when employing his ministers, apportions rewards according to merit, and exhausts rewards for their toil. If the ruler makes his people believe this as firmly as they believe in the sun and the moon, he will be invincible.
今离娄见秋豪之末，不能以明目易人；Now, even though Li Lou can see the tip of an autumn hair, he cannot give others his sharp eyes;
乌获举千钧之重，不能以多力易人；圣贤在体性也，不能以相易也。Even though Wu Huo can lift a thousand jun of weight, he cannot give others his great strength; sages and the wise have their inborn natures, and these cannot be transferred.
今当世之用事者，皆欲为上圣，举法之谓也。Now, those in power in the current age all want to be supreme sages, which means upholding the law.
背法而治，此任重道远而无马、牛，济大川而无舡、楫也。Governing while going against the law is like shouldering a heavy burden on a long journey without horses or oxen, or crossing a great river without a boat or oars.
今夫人众兵强，此帝王之大资也，苟非明法以守之也，与危亡为邻。Now, having a large population and a strong army is the great capital for an emperor. But if it is not guarded with clear laws, it is adjacent to danger and ruin.
故明主察法，境内之民无辟淫之心，游处之士迫于战阵，万民疾于耕战。有以知其然也。Therefore, a wise ruler examines the laws, so that the people within the territory have no heart for debauchery, the wandering scholars are forced to face the battlefront, and all the people are eager for farming and warfare. There are reasons to know this is so.
楚国之民，齐疾而均，速若飘风；宛钜铁虿，利若蜂虿；The people of Chu were quick and uniform, as swift as the wind; their weapons like the great iron stings of wasps, as sharp as bee stings;
胁蛟犀兕，坚若金石；江、汉以为池，汝、颍以为限；隐以邓林，缘以方城。Their armor, tough as metal and stone; with the Yangtze and Han rivers as moats, the Ru and Ying rivers as boundaries; hidden by the Deng forest, bordered by the Fangcheng wall.
秦师至，鄢、郢举，若振槁；唐蔑死于垂涉，庄发于内，楚分为五。Yet when the Qin army arrived, the cities of Yan and Ying were captured as easily as shaking dry grass; Tang Mie died at Chu She, and Zhuang Qiao rebelled from within, and Chu was split into five parts.
地非不大也，民非不众也，甲兵财用非不多也；It was not that the land was not vast, the people not numerous, or the weapons, troops, and wealth not abundant;
战不胜，守不固，此无法之所生也，释权衡而操轻重者。They could not win battles or defend firmly. This was the result of having no laws, like discarding the scales and trying to measure weights.
