Chapter 80 Dyer
Imagine a small country with few people.
They have weapons and do not employ them.
They enjoy the labor of their hands and do not waste time inventing labor-saving machines.
They take death seriously and do not travel far since they dearly love their homes.
They are not interested in travel.
Although they have boats and carriages no one uses them.
They are content with healthy food, pleased with useful clothing, satisfied in snug homes, and protective of their way of life.
Although they live within sight of their neighbors and crowing cocks and barking dogs can be heard across the way, they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die.
Chapter 80 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.
Chapter 80 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.
Chapter 80 Wu
Ah, for a small country with a small population!
Though there are highly efficient mechanical
contrivances, the people have no use for them. Let them
mind death and refrain from migrating to distant places.
Boats and carriages, weapons and armour there may still
be, but there are no occasions for using or displaying
them. Let the people revert to communication by
knotting cords. See to it that they are contented with
their food, pleased with their clothing, satisfied with
their houses, and inured to their simple ways of living.
Though there may be another country in the
neighbourhood so close that they are within sight of
each other and the crowing of cocks and barking of dogs
in one place can be heard in the other, yet there is no
traffic between them, and throughout their lives the two
peoples have nothing to do with each other.