Tao te Ching, Chapter 31
translated by Stephen Mitchell
Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.
Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?
He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral.
an alternate translation, by Brian Walker
Weapons are tools of evil, shunned and
avoided by everything in nature.
Because people of Tao follow nature,
they want nothing to do with weapons.
Unevolved people are eager to act out of strength,
but a person of Tao values peace and quiet.
He knows that every being is born of the womb of Tao.
This means that his enemies are his enemies
second, his own brothers and sisters first.
Thus he resorts to weapons only in the direst necessity,
and then uses them with utmost restraint.
He takes no pleasure in victory, because
to rejoice in victory is to delight in killing.
Whoever delights in killing will not find
success in this world.
Observe victories as you observe a
death in the family: with sorrow and mourning.
Every victory is a funeral for kin.
translated by Stephen Mitchell
Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.
Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?
He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral.
an alternate translation, by Brian Walker
Weapons are tools of evil, shunned and
avoided by everything in nature.
Because people of Tao follow nature,
they want nothing to do with weapons.
Unevolved people are eager to act out of strength,
but a person of Tao values peace and quiet.
He knows that every being is born of the womb of Tao.
This means that his enemies are his enemies
second, his own brothers and sisters first.
Thus he resorts to weapons only in the direst necessity,
and then uses them with utmost restraint.
He takes no pleasure in victory, because
to rejoice in victory is to delight in killing.
Whoever delights in killing will not find
success in this world.
Observe victories as you observe a
death in the family: with sorrow and mourning.
Every victory is a funeral for kin.
