If a country is governed wisely
its inhabitants will be content
They enjoy the labor of their hands
and don't waste time inventing
labor-saving machines
Since they dearly love their homes
they aren't interested in travel
There may be a few wagons and boats
but these don't go anywhere
There may be an arsenal of weapons
but nobody ever uses them
People enjoy their food
take pleasure in being with their families
spend weekends working in their gardens
delight in the doings of the neighborhood
And even though the next country is so close
that people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking
they are content to die of old age
without ever having gone to see it