Section 234
Original German
234 Die Beziehungen des äußerlichen Daseyns fallen in die Verstandes-Unendlichkeit; es ist daher keine Grenze an sich vorhanden, was schädlich oder nicht schädlich, auch in Rücksicht auf Verbrechen, was verdächtig oder unverdächtig sey, was zu verbieten oder zu beaufsichtigen, oder mit Verboten, Beaufsichtigung und Verdacht, Nachfrage und Rechenschaftgebung verschont zu lassen sey. Es sind die Sitten, der Geist der übrigen Verfassung, der jedesmalige Zustand, die Gefahr des Augenblicks u. s. f., welche die näheren Bestimmungen geben.
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.
234 The relations of external existence fall within the infinity of the understanding; there is therefore no limit in itself as to what is harmful or not harmful, also with regard to crimes, what is suspicious or not suspicious, what is to be forbidden or supervised, or to be spared prohibitions, supervision and suspicion, inquiry and the rendering of accounts. It is the customs, the spirit of the rest of the constitution, the condition of the time, the danger of the moment, and so on, that provide the closer determinations.
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.
234 The relations of external existence fall under the understanding's infinity. So there is no limit in itself to what is harmful or not harmful. The same holds, in matters of crime, for what is suspicious or unsuspicious, and for what is to be forbidden or watched, or to be spared prohibitions, watching, suspicion, inquiry and accounting. Customs, the spirit of the rest of the constitution, the current condition, the danger of the moment and so on supply the closer determinations.
About this section
Section 234 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 236 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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