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All this while, the soil and pasture of the earth remained still in common as before, and open to every occupant;
一直以來，地球上的土地和牧草同以前一樣屬于共有，向每個占有者敞開胸懷。
except, perhaps, in the neighborhood of towns, where the necessity of a sale and exclusive property in lands, (for the sake of agriculture,) was earlier felt, and therefore more readily complied with.
除了相鄰的城鎮，在那里生活必需品和土地專有財產的買賣，（多虧了農業），是較早出現的，因此更容易遵從。
Otherwise, when the multitude of men and cattle had consumed everyconvenience on one spot of ground,
換言之，當大量人口和牲畜在一地消耗掉所有便利品時，
it was deemed a natural right to seize upon and occupy such other lands as would more easily supply their necessities.
攫取和占有其他人的土地被視為當然的權力，這樣才能更容易供應自己的生活必需品。
We have a striking example of this in the history of Abraham and his nephew Lot.
從亞伯和他侄子洛特的經歷中，我們可以找到這方面生動的例子。
When their joint substance became so great that pasture and other conveniences grew scarce,
當他們共同的物質需求變得很大，以至于牧草和其他便利品愈發稀缺時，
the natural consequence was that a strife arose between their servants; so that it was no longer practicable to dwell together.
后果當然是他們的奴仆之間發生爭執，于是，他們不再住在一起。
This contention, Abraham thus endeavored to compose: "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee.
亞伯因此要努力平息這場紛爭：“我求求大家了，我們之間不要再吵了。
Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me.
在你們面前，難道土地不是完整的嗎？我求你們了，快走吧。
If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."
如果你們舉起左手，我就走右邊。如果你們去右邊，我就去左邊?！?/p>
This plainly implies an acknowledged right in either to occupy whatever ground he pleased that was not preoccupied by other tribes.
這段話清楚直率地暗示出他擁有自己心儀土地的權利，不允許其他部落占有。
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, even as the garden of the Lord.
“洛特舉目凝視著約旦的全部平原地區，那里灌溉得很好，甚至像伊甸園一樣。
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan, and journeyed east; and Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan."
然后，洛特為自己挑選了約旦全部平原地區，向東遷徙。亞伯則在迦南定居?！?/div>
As the world by degrees grew more populous, it daily became more difficult to find out new spots to inhabit, without encroaching upon former occupants;
隨著世界人口越來越多，如果不侵犯以前的占有者的利益的話，愈發難發現可以定居新地方，
and, by constantly occupying the same individual spot, the fruits of the earth were consumed, and its spontaneous products destroyed, without any provision for future supply or succession.
不斷占有同一個體的地方，土地上的出產被消耗殆盡在沒有為將來的供應或者接下來的季節儲備的情況下，土地的自然出產被毀掉了。
It, therefore, became necessary to pursue some regular method of providing a constant subsistence;
因此，致力于某些有規律的方法來提供穩定的基本生活資料成為必然；
and this necessity produced, or at least promoted and encouraged the art of agriculture.
這種生活必需品的生產，至少能促進和鼓勵農藝。
And the art of agriculture, by a regular connection and consequence,
而農藝作為正常的連接紐帶和結果，
introduced and established the idea of a more permanent property in the soil than had hitherto been received and adopted.
要比到目前為止已經接受和采用的方法，更有利于引進和建立土地是更長久的財產這一觀念。
