Again，menhavenopleasurebutonthecontraryagreatdealofgriefinkeepingcompanywherethereisnopowerabletooverawethemall。Foreverymanlookeththathiscompanionshouldvaluehimatthesameratehesetsuponhimself，anduponallsignsofcontemptorundervaluingnaturallyendeavours，asfarashedareswhichamongstthemthathavenocommonpowertokeeptheminquietisfarenoughtomakethemdestroyeachother，toextortagreatervaluefromhiscontemners，bydamage；andfromothers，bytheexample。
Sothatinthenatureofman，wefindthreeprincipalcausesofquarrel。First，competition；secondly，diffidence；thirdly，glory。
Thefirstmakethmeninvadeforgain；thesecond，forsafety；andthethird，forreputation。Thefirstuseviolence，tomakethemselvesmastersofothermen’spersons，wives，children，andcattle；thesecond，todefendthem；thethird，fortrifles，asaword，asmile，adifferentopinion，andanyothersignofundervalue，eitherdirectintheirpersonsorbyreflectionintheirkindred，theirfriends，theirnation，theirprofession，ortheirname。
Herebyitismanifestthatduringthetimemenlivewithoutacommonpowertokeepthemallinawe，theyareinthatconditionwhichiscalledwar；andsuchawarasisofeverymanagainsteveryman。Forwarconsistethnotinbattleonly，ortheactoffighting，butinatractoftime，whereinthewilltocontendbybattleissufficientlyknown：andthereforethenotionoftimeistobeconsideredinthenatureofwar，asitisinthenatureofweather。Forasthenatureoffoulweatherliethnotinashowerortwoofrain，butinaninclinationtheretoofmanydaystogether：sothenatureofwarconsistethnotinactualfighting，butintheknowndispositiontheretoduringallthetimethereisnoassurancetothecontrary。Allothertimeispeace。
Whatsoeverthereforeisconsequenttoatimeofwar，whereeverymanisenemytoeveryman，thesameconsequenttothetimewhereinmenlivewithoutothersecuritythanwhattheirownstrengthandtheirowninventionshallfurnishthemwithal。Insuchconditionthereisnoplaceforindustry，becausethefruitthereofisuncertain：andconsequentlynocultureoftheearth；nonavigation，noruseofthecommoditiesthatmaybeimportedbysea；nocommodiousbuilding；noinstrumentsofmovingandremovingsuchthingsasrequiremuchforce；noknowledgeofthefaceoftheearth；noaccountoftime；noarts；noletters；nosociety；andwhichisworstofall，continualfear，anddangerofviolentdeath；andthelifeofman，solitary，poor，nasty，brutish，andshort。
ItmayseemstrangetosomemanthathasnotwellweighedthesethingsthatNatureshouldthusdissociateandrendermenapttoinvadeanddestroyoneanother：andhemaytherefore，nottrustingtothisinference，madefromthepassions，desireperhapstohavethesameconfirmedbyexperience。Lethimthereforeconsiderwithhimself：whentakingajourney，hearmshimselfandseekstogowellaccompanied；
whengoingtosleep，helockshisdoors；wheneveninhishousehelockshischests；andthiswhenheknowstherebelawsandpublicofficers，armed，torevengeallinjuriesshallbedonehim；whatopinionhehasofhisfellowsubjects，whenheridesarmed；ofhisfellowcitizens，whenhelockshisdoors；andofhischildren，andservants，whenhelockshischests。DoeshenotthereasmuchaccusemankindbyhisactionsasIdobymywords？Butneitherofusaccuseman’snatureinit。Thedesires，andotherpassionsofman，areinthemselvesnosin。Nomorearetheactionsthatproceedfromthosepassionstilltheyknowalawthatforbidsthem；whichtilllawsbemadetheycannotknow，norcananylawbemadetilltheyhaveagreeduponthepersonthatshallmakeit。
Itmayperadventurebethoughttherewasneversuchatimenorconditionofwarasthis；andIbelieveitwasnevergenerallyso，overalltheworld：buttherearemanyplaceswheretheylivesonow。ForthesavagepeopleinmanyplacesofAmerica，exceptthegovernmentofsmallfamilies，theconcordwhereofdependethonnaturallust，havenogovernmentatall，andliveatthisdayinthatbrutishmanner，asIsaidbefore。Howsoever，itmaybeperceivedwhatmanneroflifetherewouldbe，wheretherewerenocommonpowertofear，bythemanneroflifewhichmenthathaveformerlylivedunderapeacefulgovernmentusetodegenerateintoacivilwar。
Butthoughtherehadneverbeenanytimewhereinparticularmenwereinaconditionofwaroneagainstanother，yetinalltimeskingsandpersonsofsovereignauthority，becauseoftheirindependency，areincontinualjealousies，andinthestateandpostureofgladiators，havingtheirweaponspointing，andtheireyesfixedononeanother；
thatis，theirforts，garrisons，andgunsuponthefrontiersoftheirkingdoms，andcontinualspiesupontheirneighbours，whichisapostureofwar。Butbecausetheyupholdtherebytheindustryoftheirsubjects，theredoesnotfollowfromitthatmiserywhichaccompaniesthelibertyofparticularmen。
Tothiswarofeverymanagainsteveryman，thisalsoisconsequent；
thatnothingcanbeunjust。Thenotionsofrightandwrong，justiceandinjustice，havetherenoplace。Wherethereisnocommonpower，thereisnolaw；wherenolaw，noinjustice。Forceandfraudareinwarthetwocardinalvirtues。Justiceandinjusticearenoneofthefacultiesneitherofthebodynormind。Iftheywere，theymightbeinamanthatwerealoneintheworld，aswellashissensesandpassions。Theyarequalitiesthatrelatetomeninsociety，notinsolitude。Itisconsequentalsotothesameconditionthattherebenopropriety，nodominion，nomineandthinedistinct；butonlythattobeeveryman’sthathecanget，andforsolongashecankeepit。Andthusmuchfortheillconditionwhichmanbymerenatureisactuallyplacedin；thoughwithapossibilitytocomeoutofit，consistingpartlyinthepassions，partlyinhisreason。
Thepassionsthatinclinementopeaceare：fearofdeath；desireofsuchthingsasarenecessarytocommodiousliving；andahopebytheirindustrytoobtainthem。Andreasonsuggestethconvenientarticlesofpeaceuponwhichmenmaybedrawntoagreement。Thesearticlesaretheywhichotherwisearecalledthelawsofnature，whereofI
shallspeakmoreparticularlyinthetwofollowingchapters。
OFTHEFIRSTANDSECONDNATURALLAWS，ANDOFCONTRACTS
THErightofnature，whichwriterscommonlycalljusnaturale，isthelibertyeachmanhathtousehisownpowerashewillhimselfforthepreservationofhisownnature；thatistosay，ofhisownlife；andconsequently，ofdoinganythingwhich，inhisownjudgementandreason，heshallconceivetobetheaptestmeansthereunto。
Bylibertyisunderstood，accordingtothepropersignificationoftheword，theabsenceofexternalimpediments；whichimpedimentsmayofttakeawaypartofaman’spowertodowhathewould，butcannothinderhimfromusingthepowerlefthimaccordingashisjudgementandreasonshalldictatetohim。
Alawofnature，lexnaturalis，isaprecept，orgeneralrule，foundoutbyreason，bywhichamanisforbiddentodothatwhichisdestructiveofhislife，ortakethawaythemeansofpreservingthesame，andtoomitthatbywhichhethinkethitmaybebestpreserved。Forthoughtheythatspeakofthissubjectusetoconfoundjusandlex，rightandlaw，yettheyoughttobedistinguished，becauserightconsistethinlibertytodo，ortoforbear；whereaslawdeterminethandbindethtooneofthem：sothatlawandrightdifferasmuchasobligationandliberty，whichinoneandthesamematterareinconsistent。
Andbecausetheconditionofmanashathbeendeclaredintheprecedentchapterisaconditionofwarofeveryoneagainsteveryone，inwhichcaseeveryoneisgovernedbyhisownreason，andthereisnothinghecanmakeuseofthatmaynotbeahelpuntohiminpreservinghislifeagainsthisenemies；itfolloweththatinsuchaconditioneverymanhasarighttoeverything，eventooneanother’sbody。Andtherefore，aslongasthisnaturalrightofeverymantoeverythingendureth，therecanbenosecuritytoanyman，howstrongorwisesoeverhebe，oflivingoutthetimewhichnatureordinarilyallowethmentolive。Andconsequentlyitisaprecept，orgeneralruleofreason：thateverymanoughttoendeavourpeace，asfarashehashopeofobtainingit；andwhenhecannotobtainit，thathemayseekanduseallhelpsandadvantagesofwar。Thefirstbranchofwhichrulecontaineththefirstandfundamentallawofnature，whichis：toseekpeaceandfollowit。
Thesecond，thesumoftherightofnature，whichis：byallmeanswecantodefendourselves。
Fromthisfundamentallawofnature，bywhichmenarecommandedtoendeavourpeace，isderivedthissecondlaw：thatamanbewilling，whenothersaresotoo，asfarforthasforpeaceanddefenceofhimselfheshallthinkitnecessary，tolaydownthisrighttoallthings；andbecontentedwithsomuchlibertyagainstothermenashewouldallowothermenagainsthimself。Foraslongaseverymanholdeththisright，ofdoinganythingheliketh；solongareallmenintheconditionofwar。Butifothermenwillnotlaydowntheirright，aswellashe，thenthereisnoreasonforanyonetodivesthimselfofhis：forthatweretoexposehimselftoprey，whichnomanisboundto，ratherthantodisposehimselftopeace。Thisisthatlawofthegospel：Whatsoeveryourequirethatothersshoulddotoyou，thatdoyetothem。Andthatlawofallmen，quodtibifierinonvis，alterinefeceris。
Tolaydownaman’srighttoanythingistodivesthimselfofthelibertyofhinderinganotherofthebenefitofhisownrighttothesame。Forhethatrenouncethorpassethawayhisrightgivethnottoanyothermanarightwhichhehadnotbefore，becausethereisnothingtowhicheverymanhadnotrightbynature，butonlystandethoutofhiswaythathemayenjoyhisownoriginalrightwithouthindrancefromhim，notwithouthindrancefromanother。Sothattheeffectwhichredoundethtoonemanbyanotherman’sdefectofrightisbutsomuchdiminutionofimpedimentstotheuseofhisownrightoriginal。
Rightislaidaside，eitherbysimplyrenouncingit，orbytransferringittoanother。Bysimplyrenouncing，whenhecaresnottowhomthebenefitthereofredoundeth。Bytransferring，whenheintendeththebenefitthereoftosomecertainpersonorpersons。Andwhenamanhathineithermannerabandonedorgrantedawayhisright，thenishesaidtobeobliged，orbound，nottohinderthosetowhomsuchrightisgranted，orabandoned，fromthebenefitofit：
andthatheought，anditisduty，nottomakevoidthatvoluntaryactofhisown：andthatsuchhindranceisinjustice，andinjury，asbeingsinejure；therightbeingbeforerenouncedortransferred。Sothatinjuryorinjustice，inthecontroversiesoftheworld，issomewhatliketothatwhichinthedisputationsofscholarsiscalledabsurdity。Forasitistherecalledanabsurditytocontradictwhatonemaintainedinthebeginning；sointheworlditiscalledinjustice，andinjuryvoluntarilytoundothatwhichfromthebeginninghehadvoluntarilydone。Thewaybywhichamaneithersimplyrenouncethortransferrethhisrightisadeclaration，orsignification，bysomevoluntaryandsufficientsign，orsigns，thathedothsorenounceortransfer，orhathsorenouncedortransferredthesame，tohimthatacceptethit。Andthesesignsareeitherwordsonly，oractionsonly；or，asithappenethmostoften，bothwordsandactions。Andthesamearethebonds，bywhichmenareboundandobliged：bondsthathavetheirstrength，notfromtheirownnaturefornothingismoreeasilybrokenthanaman’sword，butfromfearofsomeevilconsequenceupontherupture。
Whensoeveramantransferrethhisright，orrenouncethit，itiseitherinconsiderationofsomerightreciprocallytransferredtohimself，orforsomeothergoodhehopethforthereby。Foritisavoluntaryact：andofthevoluntaryactsofeveryman，theobjectissomegoodtohimself。Andthereforetherebesomerightswhichnomancanbeunderstoodbyanywords，orothersigns，tohaveabandonedortransferred。Asfirstamancannotlaydowntherightofresistingthemthatassaulthimbyforcetotakeawayhislife，becausehecannotbeunderstoodtoaimtherebyatanygoodtohimself。