Section 127
Original German
127 Die Besonderheit der Interessen des natürlichen Willens in ihre einfache Totalität zusammengefaßt, ist das persönliche Daseyn als Leben. Dieses in der letzten Gefahr und in der Collision mit dem rechtlichen Eigenthum eines andern hat ein Nothrecht (nicht als Billigkeit, sondern als Recht) anzusprechen, indem auf der einen Seite die unendliche Verletzung des Daseyns und darin die totale Rechtlosigkeit, auf der andern Seite nur die Verletzung eines einzelnen beschränkten Daseyns der Freiheit steht, wobey zugleich das Recht als solches und die Rechtsfähigkeit des nur in diesem Eigenthum Verletzten anerkannt wird.
Aus dem Nothrecht fließt die Wohlthat der Competenz, daß einem Schuldner Handwerkszeuge, Ackergeräthe, Kleider, überhaupt von seinem Vermögen, d. i. vom Eigenthum der Gläubiger so viel gelassen wird, als zur Möglichkeit seiner — sogar standesmäßigen Ernährung dienend, angesehen wird.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from Hegel's German in the Berlin Nicolai first edition, dated 1821. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360, including the author's remarks and notes; no later Gans additions.
127 The particularity of the interests of the natural will, gathered together into their simple totality, is personal being-there as life. This, in the last danger and in collision with the rightful property of another, has a right of necessity to claim (not as equity, but as right), since on the one side stands the infinite injury to being-there and therein total lack of right, on the other side only the injury of a single limited being-there of freedom, in which at the same time right as such and the capacity for right of the one injured only in this property are recognized.
From the right of necessity flows the benefit of competence, by which a debtor is left tools, farm implements, clothes, and in general as much of his means, that is, of the creditors' property, as is considered necessary for the possibility of his sustenance — even in keeping with his station.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation made directly from the German first-edition source, not from the Musean edition or an existing English translation. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360 with the author's remarks and notes.
127 The particularity of the interests of the natural will, gathered together in its simple totality, is personal existence as life. When life is in extreme danger and in collision with another person's lawful property, it can claim a right of necessity (not as fairness, but as right). On the one side stands the infinite injury to existence and, in it, a total lack of rights. On the other side stands only the injury to a single, limited existence of freedom, and in this the right as such, and the capacity for rights of the person injured only in this property, is at the same time recognized.
From the right of necessity flows the benefit of competence. A debtor is left his tools, farm equipment and clothes, and in general as much of his means, that is, of the creditors' property, as is judged necessary to make it possible for him to support himself, even in a manner suited to his station.
About this section
Section 127 is part of Elements of the Philosophy of Right by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 129 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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