As, before putting up a large building, the architect surveys and sounds the site to see if it will bear the weight, the wise legislator does not begin by laying down laws good in themselves, but by investigating the fitness of the people, for which they are destined, to receive them.
put up
(建てる)
[動]
build
large
(大きな)
[形]
of great size or extent
building
(建物)
[名]
a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory
architect
(建築家)
[名]
a person who designs buildings
survey
(調査する)
[動]
examine and record the area and features of (an area of land)
sound
(調べる)
[動]
find out or discover the nature or quality of
site
(場所)
[名]
an area of ground on which something is located
bear
(耐える)
[動]
carry or support
weight
(重さ)
[名]
the amount that a person or thing weighs
wise
(賢明な)
[形]
having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment
investigate
(調査する)
[動]
examine or inspect closely and thoroughly
fitness
(適性)
[名]
the condition of being physically fit and healthy
destined
(運命にある)
[形]
preordained; fated
大きな建物を建てる前に、建築家がその場所を調査して重さに耐えられるかどうかを調べるように、賢明な立法者は、それ自体が善い法律を定めることから始めるのではなく、その法律を受け入れる運命にある人々の適性を調査することから始める。
Plato refused to legislate for the Arcadians and the Cyrenæans, because he knew that both peoples were rich and could not put up with equality;
refuse
(拒否する)
[動]
decline to accept
legislate
(立法する)
[動]
make or enact laws
Arcadian
(アルカディア人)
[名]
a native or inhabitant of Arcadia
Cyrenæan
(キュレネ人)
[名]
a native or inhabitant of Cyrene
rich
(裕福な)
[形]
having a great deal of money or property
プラトンは、アルカディア人とキュレネ人のために立法することを拒否したが、それは両民族とも裕福で平等に耐えられないことを知っていたからである。
and good laws and bad men were found together in Crete, because Minos had inflicted discipline on a people already burdened with vice.
Crete
(クレタ島)
[名]
the largest island of Greece
Minos
(ミノス)
[名]
a legendary king of Crete
discipline
(規律)
[名]
training that produces orderliness, obedience, and self-control
vice
(悪徳)
[名]
immoral or wicked behavior
クレタ島では、ミノスがすでに悪徳に悩む人々に規律を与えたために、良い法律と悪い人間が同時に存在していた。
A thousand nations have achieved earthly greatness, that could never have endured good laws;
a thousand
(数知れない)
[名]
a very large number
achieve
(成し遂げる)
[動]
reach or attain a goal or objective
earthly
(この世の)
[形]
of or relating to the earth or human life on earth
greatness
(栄華)
[名]
the quality of being great
endure
(耐える)
[動]
tolerate or accept something unpleasant
これまでに、良い法律に耐えることができなかった国々が、この世で栄華を極めたことは数知れない。
even such as could have endured them could have done so only for a very brief period of their long history.
brief
(短い)
[形]
short in duration
history
(歴史)
[名]
the study of past events
良い法律に耐えることができたような国々でさえ、その長い歴史の中でごく短い期間しか耐えることができなかった。
Most peoples, like most men, are docile only in youth;
like
(と同じように)
[前]
similar to
be docile
(従順である)
[動]
be willing to be controlled or led by others
in youth
(若い時)
[名]
the period of being young
ほとんどの民族は、ほとんどの人と同じように、若い時だけ従順である。
as they grow old they become incorrigible.
grow old
(年をとる)
[動]
become old
incorrigible
(手に負えない)
[形]
not able to be changed or improved
年をとるにつれて、彼らは手に負えなくなる。
When once customs have become established and prejudices inveterate, it is dangerous and useless to attempt their reformation;
once
(いったん)
[副]
on one occasion or for one time only
become established
(確立する)
[動]
become accepted or recognized
prejudice
(偏見)
[名]
a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience
inveterate
(根強い)
[形]
firmly established and unlikely to change
reformation
(改革)
[名]
the act of reforming or the state of being reformed
いったん習慣が確立し、偏見が根強くなると、それを改革しようとするのは危険で無駄なことだ。
the people, like the foolish and cowardly patients who rave at sight of the doctor, can no longer bear that any one should lay hands on its faults to remedy them.
foolish
(愚かな)
[形]
lacking good sense or judgment
cowardly
(臆病な)
[形]
lacking courage
patient
(患者)
[名]
a person receiving or registered to receive medical treatment
rave
(狂ったように騒ぐ)
[動]
talk wildly or incoherently
doctor
(医者)
[名]
a person qualified to practice medicine
sight
(見ると)
[名]
the ability or an instance of seeing
any one
(誰かが)
[代]
some person
lay hands on
(手を加える)
[動]
touch or handle
fault
(欠点)
[名]
a defect or weakness in a person or thing
remedy
(治療する)
[動]
cure or relieve
人々は、医者を見ると狂ったように騒ぐ愚かで臆病な患者のように、誰かが自分の欠点に手を加えて治療しようとするのに耐えられなくなる。
There are indeed times in the history of States when, just as some kinds of illness turn men's heads and make them forget the past, periods of violence and revolutions do to peoples what these crises do to individuals: horror of the past takes the place of forgetfulness, and the State, set on fire by civil wars, is born again, so to speak, from its ashes, and takes on anew, fresh from the jaws of death, the vigour of youth.
illness
(病気)
[名]
a disease or period of sickness affecting the body and mind
turn
(狂わせる)
[動]
cause to change direction, position, or course
head
(頭)
[名]
the upper part of the human body or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
forget
(忘れる)
[動]
not be able to remember
past
(過去)
[名]
a time that has gone by
horror
(恐怖)
[名]
an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust
forgetfulness
(忘却)
[名]
the state of being unable to remember something
set on fire
(火をつける)
[動]
cause to burn
civil war
(内戦)
[名]
a war between citizens of the same country
so to speak
(いわば)
[副]
used to indicate that a word or phrase is being used in a special sense or ironically
take on
(取り戻す)
[動]
assume or undertake
anew
(新たに)
[副]
in a new or different way
fresh
(抜け出す)
[形]
recently produced or harvested
jaws of death
(死の淵)
[名]
a situation from which it is very unlikely that you will escape alive
vigour
(若さ)
[名]
physical or mental strength or energy
国家の歴史には、ある種の病気が人の頭を狂わせて過去を忘れさせるように、暴力や革命の時代が個人に起こる危機と同じことを人々に起こすことがある。過去の恐怖が忘却に取って代わり、内戦によって火がつけられた国家は、いわば灰の中から生まれ変わり、死の淵から抜け出して、若さを取り戻す。
Such were Sparta at the time of Lycurgus, Rome after the Tarquins, and, in modern times, Holland and Switzerland after the expulsion of the tyrants.
Sparta
(スパルタ)
[名]
a city-state in ancient Greece
Tarquins
(タルクィニウス)
[名]
the name of several ancient Roman kings
Holland
(オランダ)
[名]
a country in western Europe
Switzerland
(スイス)
[名]
a country in western Europe
リュクルゴス時代のスパルタ、タルクィニウス後のローマ、そして現代では暴君追放後のオランダやスイスなどがそうだった。
But such events are rare; they are exceptions, the cause of which is always to be found in the particular constitution of the State concerned.
event
(出来事)
[名]
something that happens or takes place
exception
(例外)
[名]
a person or thing that is excluded from a general statement or rule
しかし、そのような出来事はまれであり、例外であり、その原因は常に当該国家の特定の憲法にある。
They cannot even happen twice to the same people, for it can make itself free as long as it remains barbarous, but not when the civic impulse has lost its vigour.
twice
(二度)
[副]
two times
barbarous
(野蛮な)
[形]
uncivilized; savage
make oneself free
(自由になる)
[動]
become free
civic
(市民的)
[形]
of or relating to a city or town or its inhabitants
同じ国民に二度も起こることはあり得ない。なぜなら、国民は野蛮なままであれば自由になることができるが、市民的衝動が活力を失ったときには自由になることができないからである。
Then disturbances may destroy it, but revolutions cannot mend it: it needs a master, and not a liberator.
disturbance
(騒動)
[名]
an interruption of a settled and peaceful condition
revolution
(革命)
[名]
a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system
mend
(修復する)
[動]
repair or restore
liberator
(解放者)
[名]
a person who liberates someone or something
すると、騒動によって国家は破壊されるかもしれないが、革命によって国家を修復することはできない。国家には解放者ではなく主人が必要である。
Free peoples, be mindful of maxim;
be mindful of
(忘れるな)
[動]
be aware of; be conscious of
自由な人々よ、この格言を忘れるな。
“Liberty may be gained, but can never be recovered.”
gain
(獲得する)
[動]
obtain or win something by effort
recover
(取り戻す)
[動]
regain possession or use of
「自由は獲得できるが、取り戻すことはできない」
Youth is not infancy.
youth
(青年期)
[名]
the period of life between childhood and adulthood
infancy
(幼年期)
[名]
the earliest period of life
青年期は幼年期ではない。
There is for nations, as for men, a period of youth, or, shall we say, maturity, before which they should not be made subject to laws;
maturity
(成熟期)
[名]
the state of being fully developed
before
(それまで)
[副]
earlier than; previously
国家にも人間と同じように青年期、あるいは成熟期があり、それまでは法律に従うべきではない。
but the maturity of a people is not always easily recognisable, and, if it is anticipated, the work is spoilt.
recognisable
(認識できる)
[形]
able to be recognised
anticipate
(予測する)
[動]
to be aware of something before it happens
spoil
(台無しにする)
[動]
to make something less good or enjoyable
しかし、国民の成熟は常に容易に認識できるものではなく、また、それを予測すると、その仕事は台無しになる。
One people is amenable to discipline from the beginning;
be amenable to
(従順である)
[動]
be willing to accept or be influenced by
ある国民は最初から規律に従順である。
another, not after ten centuries.
別の国民は、10世紀経っても従順ではない。
Russia will never be really civilised, because it was civilised too soon.
Russia
(ロシア)
[名]
a country in northern Eurasia
really
(真に)
[副]
in reality; in fact; actually
civilised
(文明化された)
[形]
having an advanced or humane culture
too soon
(あまりにも早く)
[副]
before the usual or expected time
ロシアは、あまりにも早く文明化されたので、決して真に文明化されることはない。
Peter had a genius for imitation;
Peter
(ピョートル)
[名]
the name of a person
have a genius for
(天才である)
[動]
be very good at something
ピョートルは模倣の天才だった。
but he lacked true genius, which is creative and makes all from nothing.
lack
(欠ける)
[動]
be without or deficient in
creative
(創造的)
[形]
having the quality or power of creating
make
(生み出す)
[動]
cause to happen or exist
しかし、彼には真の天才性、つまり創造的で無からすべてを生み出す天才性が欠けていた。
He did some good things, but most of what he did was out of place.
out of place
(場違い)
[形]
inappropriate or unsuitable
彼はいくつか良いことをしたが、彼がしたことのほとんどは場違いだった。
He saw that his people was barbarous, but did not see that it was not ripe for civilisation: he wanted to civilise it when it needed only hardening.
see
(知る)
[動]
get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
civilisation
(文明化)
[名]
the process of becoming civilized
ripe
(熟した)
[形]
ready to be eaten
harden
(鍛える)
[動]
make or become hard or harder
civilise
(文明化する)
[動]
bring to a stage of social, cultural, and moral development considered to be more advanced
彼は自分の国民が野蛮であることを知っていたが、文明化に熟していないことを知らなかった。彼は、国民を鍛えるだけでよかったのに、文明化しようとした。
His first wish was to make Germans or Englishmen, when he ought to have been making Russians; and he prevented his subjects from ever becoming what they might have been by persuading them that they were what they are not.
wish
(望み)
[名]
a desire or hope for something
German
(ドイツ人)
[名]
a native or inhabitant of Germany
Englishmen
(イギリス人)
[名]
a native or inhabitant of England
Russian
(ロシア人)
[名]
a native or inhabitant of Russia
they are what they are not
(自分たちがそうではないことを)
[句]
they are not what they are
彼の最初の望みは、ロシア人を作るべきだったときに、ドイツ人やイギリス人を作ることだった。そして彼は、臣下たちが自分たちがそうではないことを説得することで、彼らが本来あるべき姿になることを阻止した。
In this fashion too a French teacher turns out his pupil to be an infant prodigy, and for the rest of his life to be nothing whatsoever.
in this fashion
(同じように)
[副]
in this way
French
(フランス人の)
[形]
of or relating to France or its people or language
teacher
(教師)
[名]
a person who teaches, especially in a school
turn out
(育てる)
[動]
to cause to happen or exist
pupil
(生徒)
[名]
a person who is studying at a school
infant
(神童)
[名]
a very young child
prodigy
(神童)
[名]
a young person with exceptional qualities or abilities
for the rest of
(残りの)
[名]
the remaining part of
life
(人生)
[名]
the period of time during which a person is alive
同じように、フランス人の教師は生徒を神童に育て、残りの人生は何もないようにする。
The empire of Russia will aspire to conquer Europe, and will itself be conquered.
aspire
(熱望する)
[動]
direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something
Europe
(ヨーロッパ)
[名]
a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere
ロシア帝国はヨーロッパを征服しようとするだろうが、自らも征服されるだろう。
The Tartars, its subjects or neighbours, will become its masters and ours, by a revolution which I regard as inevitable.
Tartars
(タタール人)
[名]
a member of a Turkic people of the Eurasian steppe
neighbour
(隣人)
[名]
a person who lives next door or near to the speaker
inevitable
(避けられない)
[形]
certain to happen; unavoidable
ロシアの臣民や隣人であるタタール人は、私が避けられないと考える革命によって、ロシアと私たちの主人になるだろう。
Indeed, all the kings of Europe are working in concert to hasten its coming.
hasten
(早める)
[動]
cause to happen sooner than otherwise expected
実際、ヨーロッパのすべての王は、その到来を早めるために協力して働いている。