Chapter 80

小国寡民

Chapter Translation

小xiǎo国guó寡guǎ民mín。

使shǐ有yǒu什shí伯bǎi之zhī器qì而ér不bù用yòng；

使shǐ民mín重zhòng死sǐ而ér不bù远yuǎn徙xǐ。

虽suī有yǒu舟zhōu舆yú，

无wú所suǒ乘chéng之zhī，

虽suī有yǒu甲jiǎ兵bīng，

无wú所suǒ陈chén之zhī。

使shǐ民mín复fù结jié绳shéng而ér用yòng之zhī。

甘gān其qí食shí，

美měi其qí服fú，

安ān其qí居jū，

乐lè其qí俗sú。

邻lín国guó相xiāng望wàng，

鸡jī犬quǎn之zhī声shēng相xiāng闻wén，

民mín至zhì老lǎo死sǐ，

不bù相xiāng往wǎng来lái。

Make the state small and the people few. Let there be arms for troops in tens and hundreds, but unused. Make the people treat death seriously and not move to distant places. Though there be boats and carriages, they shall not be ridden. Though there be armor and weaponry, they shall not be deployed. Let the people return to keeping records by knotted rope. Their food sweet to them, their clothes beautiful to them, their homes comfortable to them, their customs joyful to them. Though neighboring states be in sight of one another and the sounds of the cocks and dogs heard from one to the other, the people of one will never visit the other, even as they grow old and die.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.