41 Of Usury  論放債 中英對照

Many have made witty invectives against usury. They say, that it is pity, the devil should have God's part, which is the tithe. That the usurer is me greatest Sabbath breaker, because his plough goeth every Sunday. That the userer is the drone, that Virgil speaketh of: ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent.
許多人都曾經(jīng)說過巧妙的罵放債的話。他們說，人類應(yīng)給上帝的貢獻(xiàn)是每人底收入底十分之一，而現(xiàn)在這上帝應(yīng)得的一部竟被魔鬼占了，真是一件可悲的事。又說，放債的人乃是最大的破壞安息日的人，因為他底犁耙是每個安息日都在工作的。又說放債的人就是委吉爾所說的雄蜂。

That the usurer breaketh the first law that was made for mankind, after the fall; which was, in sudore vultus tui comedes panem tuum; not, in sudore vultus aliem. That usurers should have orange-tawny bonnets, because they do Judaise. That it is against nature, for money to beget money; and the like. I say this only, that usury is a concessum propter duritiem cads', for since there must be borrowing and lending, and men are so hard of heart as they will not lend freely, usury must be permitted. Some others have made suspicious and cunning propositions of banks, discovery of men's estates, and other inventions. But few have spoken of usury usefully. It is good to set before us the incommodides, and commodities of usury; that the good may be either weighed out, or culled out; and warily to provide, that while we make forth to that which is better, we meet not with that which is worse.
他們把那些雄蜂（一群偷懶的東西）從蜂房中驅(qū)逐出去了。又說放債的人把人類自失樂園以后的第一條法律破壞了。這第一條法律就是“你將汗流滿面然后得食”，而放債的人卻是“借他人面上的汗而得食”的。又說放債的人應(yīng)該戴姜黃色的帽子，因為他們是變了猶太人了。又說錢生錢是有悖天道的，諸如此類。我只有這句話可說，就是，放債是“因為人心太硬而始蒙上帝允許的一種事”。因為既然借與貸是免不了的，而且人底心腸是硬得不肯白借錢給人的，那么放債的事情便非準(zhǔn)許不可了。又有些人也曾經(jīng)關(guān)于銀行及財產(chǎn)呈報和其他的辦法作過多疑而巧妙的建議，但是很少有關(guān)于放債這件事說過有用的話的。把放債的利與害列舉在我們眼前，以便我們酌量采擇其利，并且小心辦理，庶幾我們在走向改良之途的時候不要遇見比現(xiàn)在更壞的事情，這是好的。

The discommodities of usury are: first, that it makes fewer merchants. For were it not for this lazy trade of usury, money would not lie still, but would, in great part, be employed upon merchandising; which is the vena porta of wealth in a state. The second, that it makes poor merchants. For as a fanner cannot husband his ground so well, if he sit at a great rent; so the merchant cannot drive his trade so well, if he sit at great usury. The third is incident to the other two; and that is, the decay of customs of kings or states, which ebb or flow with merchandising. The fourth, that it bringeth the treasure of a realm or state into a few hands. For the usurer being at certainties, and others at uncertainties, at the end of the game; most of the money will be in the box; and ever a state flourisheth, when wealth is more equally spread. The fifth, that it beats down the price of land: for the employment of money is chiefly, either merchandising, or purchasing; and usury waylays both. The sixth, that it dolh dull and damp all industries, improvements, and new inventions, wherein money would be stirring, if it were not for this slug. The last, that it is the cancer and ruin of many men's estates; which in process of time breeds a public poverty.
放債底害處：第一它使商人底數(shù)目減少。因為要是沒有放債這種懶惰生意，金錢是不會靜止不動的，反之，大部分的金錢將被用在商業(yè)上，而商業(yè)乃是國家底財富底“門靜脈”。第二，放債使商人性質(zhì)變劣。因為，一個農(nóng)人，假如他住在一個租價很大的田地上他就不能夠好好地經(jīng)營他底地土；類此，假如一個商人不得不靠高利貸的話，他就不能好好地進(jìn)行他底生意。第三件害處是附屬于上述的兩件害處的，就是帝王或國家底稅收之減少，稅收原是隨著貿(mào)易漲落的。第四件害處是放債把一國底財富都聚在少數(shù)人之手。因為放債的人是拿得穩(wěn)的，而別的生意人是不能拿得穩(wěn)的，所以到這場戲快結(jié)束的時候大多數(shù)的錢都進(jìn)了放債為生的人底箱子了。然而一個國家總是在財富分配得最為平均的時候最為興盛的。第五件害處是放債之舉把土地的價值打低了；因為金錢底用處，主要是在做生意或購置田產(chǎn)，而放債卻把這兩種事業(yè)都路劫了。第六件害處是，放債把一切的工業(yè)、改良、和新的發(fā)明都挫折，壓抑了，因為假如沒有放債這種事業(yè)阻撓的話，在上述的種種事業(yè)中自會有金錢活動的。最末的一件害處是，放債是蠹害許多人底財產(chǎn)的東西，而這種行為經(jīng)過了相當(dāng)時間之后是會引起一種共同的貧乏的。

On the other side, the commodities of usury are. First, that howsoever usury in some respect hindereth merchandising, yet in some other it advanceth it: for it is certain, that the greatest part of trade is driven by young merchants, upon borrowing at interest: so as if the usurer either call in, or keep back his money, there will ensue presently a great stand of trade. The second is, that were it not for this easy borrowing upon interest, men's necessities would draw upon them a most sudden undoing; in that they would be forced to sell their means (be it lands or goods) far under foot; and so, whereas duty doth but gnaw upon them, bad markets would swallow them quite up.
在另一方面，放債底益處是，第一，無論放債之舉在某種情形是多么阻撓商業(yè)的，然而在別的方面它卻是助長商業(yè)的；因為商業(yè)底最大部分是由年輕的商人靠著借有利息的債而經(jīng)營的，這是無疑的。如果放債的人把他底錢收回或者不放出去，馬上就會發(fā)生商業(yè)上的大停滯。第二件益處是，要沒有這樣容易的用利息借債的辦法，人們底需要將使他們驟然陷于沒落；因為他們將不得不被迫而賣掉他們賴以為生的資產(chǎn)（無論是田產(chǎn)或貨物）而且賣得價值遠(yuǎn)不及這些資產(chǎn)底真正價值。所以，放債的行為固然是蠹蝕這些人，但是若沒有放債的行為，則壞的市面將把他們整個吞噬了。

As for mortgaging, or pawning, it will lime mend the matter, for either men will not take pawns without use; or if they do, they will look precisely for the forfeiture. I remember a cruel moneyed man, in the country, that would say; the devil take this usury, it keeps us from forfeitures of mortgages and bonds. The third and last is; that it is a vanity to conceive that there would be ordinary borrowing without profit; and it is impossible to conceive the number ofinconveniencies that will ensue, if borrowing be cramped.
至于抵押或典當(dāng)之舉，那也是無補(bǔ)于事的：因為，不是人們不肯無利息地收受抵押和典當(dāng)；就是，如果他們肯這樣做，他們必定會眼睛專注在沒收那些資產(chǎn)上面的。記得有一位鄉(xiāng)下的狠心富翁，他常說，“鬼把這種放債的舉動拿去才好，它使得我們不能夠沒收抵押的產(chǎn)業(yè)和證券”。第三而第末的益處是，設(shè)想能有不帶利息的一般借貸乃是虛妄的；并且，如果借貸之事一受拘束，將發(fā)生的不便之處其數(shù)目之多是不能想象的。

Therefore, to speak of the abolishing of usury is idle. All states have ever had it, in one kind or rate, or other. So as that opinion must be sent to Utopia.
因此要廢止放債業(yè)的話是空話。所有的國家都有過這種生意的，不過種類與利率的不同罷了。所以這種意見只好送到烏托邦里去了。

To speak now, of the reformation and reiglement of usury; how the discommodities of it may be best avoided, and the commodities retained. It appears by the balance of commodities and discommodities of usury, two things are to be reconciled. The one, that the tooth of usury be grinded, that it bite not too much: the other, that there be left open a means, to invite moneyed men to lend to the merchants, for the continuing and quickening of trade. This cannot be done, except you introduce two several sorts of usury; a less, and a greater. For if you reduce usury to one low rate, it will ease the common borrower, but the merchant will be to seek for money. And it is to be noted that the trade of merchandise, being the most lucrative, may bear usury at a good rate; other contracts not so.
現(xiàn)在且一談改良并管理放債業(yè)之道；如何可以避免它底害處而保持它底益處。從放債業(yè)底利害相權(quán)看來，有兩件事是應(yīng)當(dāng)調(diào)和的。一件是，放債業(yè)底牙齒應(yīng)當(dāng)磨得鈍一點，使它不至于咬人咬得太厲害；另一件是，應(yīng)當(dāng)留一個門戶，可以鼓勵有錢的人放債給商家，以便商業(yè)能夠繼續(xù)并活動。這件事情除非你創(chuàng)立兩種大小不同的放債，是辦不到的。因為，假如你把放債業(yè)全減到一個低利率上去，這種辦法對一般的借債者將要容易一點而商人將不容易找到錢了。并且我們也應(yīng)當(dāng)注意，商品交易的事業(yè)，因為獲利最厚，所以能擔(dān)負(fù)高利貸，而別的事業(yè)則不如此。

To serve both intentions, the way would be briefly thus. That there be two rates of usury, the one free, and general for all; the other under licence only, to certain persons, and in certain places of merchandising. First therefore, let usury, in general, be reduced to five in the hundred; and let that rate be proclaimed to be free and current; and let the state shut itself out, to take any penalty for the same.
要把上述的兩種目的都達(dá)到，其方法略如下。要有兩種利率；一種是自由而且公開的；另一種是受統(tǒng)治的，唯有某種人并且在某種商業(yè)地域才可以得到允許的。因此第一，應(yīng)當(dāng)使普通放債底利率減到百分之五；這種利率應(yīng)當(dāng)公布為自由的通行的利率；并且國家應(yīng)當(dāng)擔(dān)承對于這種的利率不加以罪。

This will preserve borrowing from any general stop or dryness. This will ease infinite borrowers in the country. This will, in good part, raise the price of land, because land purchased at sixteen years purchase will yield six in the hundred, and somewhat more, whereas this rate of interest yields but five. This, by like reason, will encourage and edge industrious and profitable improvements; because many will rather venture in that kind, than take five in the hundred, especially having been used to greater profit Secondly, let there be certain persons licensed to lend, to known merchants, upon usury at a higher rate; and let it be with the cautions following.
這個辦法可使借貸之舉免于停止或枯竭，也可以便利國內(nèi)無數(shù)的借款人。并且，這個辦法，在大體上，將提高田地底價值，因為以十六年交清買款為期買來的地一年之中可以產(chǎn)生百分之六或稍高的利息，而這種放債底利率則只能產(chǎn)生百分之五的利息也。以同樣的理由，這種辦法也將鼓勵并激刺工業(yè)和有益的改良，因為許多人將寧愿投資于這些事業(yè)而不愿收百分之五的利益，尤其是收慣了較高的利息的人更要如此。第二，應(yīng)該讓一部分人得到允許，可以用較高的利率放債給知名的商人；這種事并且還得有如下的預(yù)防。

Let the rate be, even with the merchant himself, somewhat more easy, than that he used formerly to pay: for, by that means, all borrowers shall have some ease by this reformation, be he merchant, or whosoever. Let it be no rank or common stock, but every man be master of his own money: not that I altogether mislike banks, but they will hardly be brooked, in regard of certain suspicions. Let me state be answered, some small matter, for the licence, and the rest left to the lender: for if the abatement be but small, it will no whit discourage the lender. For he, for example, that took before ten or nine in the hundred, will sooner descend to eight in the hundred, than give over his trade of usury, and go from certain gains, to gains of hazard.
這種利率，即在那些商人底方面，也應(yīng)該比他從前慣付的利率較為輕一點；因為由這種方法，所有的借款人都可以得到一點便利，無論他是商人或是任何人。放債的人不可是銀行或公司，而每個人都應(yīng)當(dāng)是他自己底錢底主人。這并不是我完全憎惡銀行，而是因為他們?yōu)榱四撤N嫌疑的原故是很難受一般人底信任的。國家為了所發(fā)的允許證應(yīng)當(dāng)使放債人負(fù)責(zé)繳納一筆小捐稅，其余的利益則應(yīng)當(dāng)歸之于放債的人；因為假如這種捐稅底數(shù)目很小的話，它是決不會使放債的人灰心的。舉例來說，那原先收百分之十或百分之九的利息的人是寧可降到百分之八而不肯放棄他底放債事業(yè)，撇下拿得穩(wěn)的利益跑去求冒險的利益的。

Let these licenced lenders be in number indefinite, but restrained to certain principal cities and towns of merchandising: for then they will be hardly able to colour other men's monies in the country: so as the licence of nine will not suck away the current rate of five: for no man will send his monies far off, nor put them into unknown hands.
這些持有允許證的放債者其數(shù)目可以不必限定，不過他們營業(yè)的地點卻應(yīng)當(dāng)限于某幾個商業(yè)的城市；因為這樣他們就不能掩飾國中他人底錢財：持有特許證可以放百分之九的利率的債的人就不會把那一般流行的百分之五的利率的錢吸收盡了；因為沒有人肯把錢放到遠(yuǎn)處，或放在不相識的人底手里的。

If it be objected that this doth, in a sort, authorise usury, which before was, in some places, but permissive: the answer is; mat it is better to mitigate usury by declaration, than to suffer it to rage by connivance.
如果有人反對說，以前放債的事業(yè)不過是在某種地方受容忍，而我底辦法差不多要使它成為合法的營業(yè)了；我的答語是用公開承認(rèn)的辦法補(bǔ)救放債底害處比默認(rèn)其存在而使它橫行的好一點。

更多 英語短文 英語美文摘抄 相關(guān)文章和資料，請繼續(xù)關(guān)注 英語作文大全