Section 220
Original German
220 Das Recht gegen das Verbrechen in der Form der Rache (§. 102.) ist nur Recht an sich, nicht in der Form Rechtens, d. i. nicht in seiner Existenz gerecht. Statt der verletzten Parthey tritt das verletzte Allgemeine auf, das im Gerichte eigenthümliche Wirklichkeit hat, und übernimmt die Verfolgung und Ahndung des Verbrechens, welche damit die nur subjective und zufällige Wiedervergeltung durch Rache zu seyn aufhört und sich in die wahrhafte Versöhnung des Rechts mit sich selbst, in Strafe verwandelt, — in objectiver Rücksicht, als Versöhnung des durch Aufheben des Verbrechens sich selbst wiederherstellenden und damit als gültig verwirklichenden Gesetzes, und in subjectiver Rücksicht des Verbrechers, als seines von ihm gewußten und für ihn und zu seinem Schutze gültigen Gesetzes, in dessen Vollstreckung an ihm er somit selbst, die Befriedigung der Gerechtigkeit, nur die That des Seinigen, findet.
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.
220 The right against crime in the form of revenge (§ 102) is right only in itself, not in lawful form, that is, it is not just in its existence. In place of the injured party, the injured universal appears, which has its own actuality in the court of justice, and takes over the prosecution and punishment of the crime. Thereby these cease to be merely subjective and contingent retaliation through revenge and are transformed into the true reconciliation of right with itself, into punishment. In objective regard this is the reconciliation of the law, which restores itself by sublating the crime and thereby realizes itself as valid; in subjective regard, that of the criminal, it is the reconciliation of his law, known by him and valid for him and for his protection, in whose execution upon him he himself therefore finds the satisfaction of justice, only the deed of his own.
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.
220 Right against crime, in the form of revenge (§ 102), is only right in itself. It is not right in the form of what is lawful, that is, it is not just in its existence. In place of the injured party, the injured universal steps in. This has its own actuality in the court. It takes over the prosecution and punishment of the crime. Punishment then stops being merely subjective and accidental retaliation through revenge. It turns into the true reconciliation of right with itself, into punishment. From the objective side, it is the reconciliation of the law, which restores itself by cancelling the crime and so makes itself actually valid. From the subjective side of the criminal, it is the reconciliation with his own law, which he knows and which is valid for him and for his protection. When this law is carried out on him, he finds the satisfaction of justice in it, and finds only his own deed.
About this section
Section 220 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 222 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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