Chapter 2 On the laws of naturePrior to all these laws are the laws of nature, so namedbecause they derive their force uniquely from the constitution ofour being. To know them well, one must consider a man before theestablishment of societies. The laws he would receive in such astate will be the laws of nature.
The law that impresses on us the idea of a creator andthereby leads us toward him is the first of the natural laws inimportance, though not first in the order of these laws. A man inthe state of nature would have the faculty of knowing rather thanknowledge. It is clear that his first ideas would not bespeculative ones; he would think of the preservation of his beingbefore seeking the original of his being. Such a man would atfirst feel only his weak-ness ; his timidity would be extreme, andas for evidence, if it is needed on this point, sava-ges have beenfound in forests; everything makes them tremble, everything makesthem flee.
In this state, each feels himself inferior; he scarcely feelshimself an equal. Such men would not seek to attack one another,and peace would be the first natural law.
Hobbes gives men first the desire to subjugate one another,but this is not reasonable. The idea of empire and domination isso complex, and depends on so many other ideas, that it would notbe the one they would first have.
Hobbes asks, if men are not naturally in a state of war, whydo they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock theirdoors？ But one feels that what can happen to men only after theestablishment of societies, which induced them to find motives forattacking others and for defending themselves, is attributed tothem before that establishment.
Man would add the feeling of his needs to the feeling of hisweakness. Thus another natural law would be the one inspiring himto seek nourishment.
第二节 自然之法在上述规律产生之前就存在着的，是自然法。之所以称其为自然法是因为其法的力量完全来源于我们生命的本质。为了更深入地认识自然法，我们必须考察社会建立之前的人类。人类在这样一种状态下所接受的法则就是自然法。自然法把“造物主”这一概念植入我们的大脑里，引导我们归向他。这是自然法最重要的一条，尽管不是第一条。在自然状态下，人应该先有获得知识的能力，才可能真正获得知识。
显然，人类最初的思想是无思辨性可言的：他应当是先想着如何保护自己的生命，然后才有可能去探究生命的起源。这样的一个人首先感到的是自己的软弱和无助。他应该是极端地恐惧和怯懦。(如果这一点还需要证实的话，)可以看看在森林中发现的野蛮人类：任何响动都会使他们浑身发抖，四散奔逃。在这种状态下，人会觉得卑微，不会在意什么平等，更不会相互攻击。所以，自然法的第一条就是和平。霍布斯认为，人类最初的欲望是相互征服，这不可能符合事实。权力和统治的思想都是极其复杂的，而且依赖于许多其他的观念，所以不可能是人类最初的思想。霍布斯问：“人类最初要不是处于战争状态的话，为什么要时刻随身带着武器呢？为什么还要锁门拿钥匙呢？”这还不明显吗？霍布斯把只有社会建立以后才能发生的事情强加在社会建立以前的人类身上了。只有社会建立以后，人类才有了攻击和自卫的动机。人类在感到软弱的同时，也认识到自己的需求。所以自然法则第二条就是激发人类去觅食。P25
I have said that fear would lead men to flee one another, butthe marks of mutual fear would soon persuade them to approach oneanother. They would also be so inclined by the pleasure one animalfeels at the approach of another animal of its kind. In addition,the charm that the two sexes inspire in each other by theirdifference would increase this pleas-ure, and the natural entreatythey always make to one another would be a third law.Beside feelings, which belongs to men from the outset, theyalso succeed in gaining knowledge; thus they have a second bond,which other animals do not have. Therefore,they have anothermotive for uniting, and the desire to live in society is a fourthnatural law. P26
我发现，畏惧使人相互逃避，但是相互的畏惧也使人相互亲近。而且，一个动物当同类的另一动物走近时所感受到的那种愉悦，也促使他们相互亲近。另外，两性由于彼此之间的差异相互吸引。这种自然的相互亲近就构成了自然法则的第三条。人类除了动物的本能之外，还能获得知识。这样，人与人之间便产生了第二种联系，这是其他动物所不具备的。因此，他们又有了一个结合的动机；愿意过社会生活，这就是自然法则的第四条。P27
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