道德經

Tao Te Ching 30 · 30

Restraint in Arms

以道佐人主者，不以兵強天下。其事好還。師之所處，荊棘生焉。大軍之後，必有凶年。善者果而已，不敢以取強。果而勿矜，果而勿伐，果而勿驕。果而不得已，果而勿強。物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。

A ruler of men who takes the Way as his helper does not force the world with arms. Such deeds are apt to come back. Where an army has camped, thorns and brambles grow. After a great army, there will surely be years of famine. One who is good at war is decisive and stops there; he does not dare use it to seize strength. Decisive, but never vain; decisive, but never boastful; decisive, but never overbearing. Decisive, when there is no stopping it; decisive, but never forcing. Things grow strong and then grow old: this is called not following the Way. What does not follow the Way ends early.

Word by word

以yǐtakes … as道dàothe Wayas佐zuǒhis helper人主rén zhǔA ruler of men者zhěwho，不bùdoes not以yǐwith兵bīngarms強qiǎngforce天下tiān xiàthe world。其qíSuch事shìdeeds好hàoare apt to還xuáncome back。Where師shīan army之zhī(’s)所處suǒ chùhas camped，荊棘jīng jíthorns and brambles生shēnggrow焉yān(there)。大dàa great軍jūnarmy之zhī(’s)後hòuAfter，will必bìsurelybe有yǒuthere will beof凶xiōngfamine年niányears。善shànis goodat war者zhěOne who果guǒis decisive而érand已yǐstopsthere，he不bùdoes not敢gǎndare以yǐuseit取qǔto seize強qiángstrength。果guǒDecisive而érbut勿wùnever矜jīnvain，果guǒdecisive而érbut勿wùnever伐fáboastful，果guǒdecisive而érbut勿wùnever驕jiāooverbearing。果guǒDecisive而érwhen不bùno得déthere is已yǐstopping it，果guǒdecisive而érbut勿wùnever強qiǎngforcing。物wùThings壯zhuànggrow strong則zéand then老lǎogrow old，是謂shì wèithis is called不bùnot道dàofollowing the Way，What不bùdoes not道dàofollow the Way早zǎoearly已yǐends。。。，。，。；。，；，；，。，；，。：。。

The setting

Chapter 30. Heshang Gong titles it 儉武, "Restraint in Arms."

A note on this passage

A chapter against militarism. Heshang Gong reads the first line as being about the ruler himself, taking the Way as his own helper. Force of arms tends to come back on the one who starts it.

Even the one who is good at war is held to a limit: be decisive, then stop there.

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Tao Te Ching 30 — The Great Library Project interlinear edition · greatlibraryproject.com/book/tao/30/