道德經
Stilling War
《道德經》第三十一章
夫佳兵者不祥之器.
物或惡之, 故有道者不處.
君子居則貴左.
用兵則貴右.
兵者不祥之器.
非君子之器.
不得已而用之.
恬淡為上.
勝而不美.
而美之者, 是樂殺人.
夫樂殺人者, 則不可以得志於天下矣.
吉事尚左.
凶事尚右.
偏將軍居左.
上將軍居右.
言以喪禮處之.
殺人之衆, 以哀悲泣之.
戰勝以喪禮處之.
道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-one — Ronald Hogan
31.
Weapons are terrible things.
If you want to get right with 道,
reject weapons.
The Master,
knowing all things came from 道,
recognizes what he has in common
with his enemies
and always tries to avoid conflict.
But when there is no other choice,
he uses force reluctantly.
He does so with great restraint,
and never celebrates a victory;
to do so would be to rejoice in killing.
A person who would rejoice in killing
has completely lost touch with 道.
When you win a war,
you preside over a funeral.
Pay your respects to the dead.
Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-one — translated by James Legge, 1891
Chapter 31 (Stilling war)
"Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen, hateful, it may be said, to all creatures.
Therefore they who have the 道 do not like to employ them.
The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most honourable place, but in time of war the right hand.
Those sharp weapons are instruments of evil omen and not the instruments of the superior man.
He uses them only on the compulsion of necessity.
Calm and repose are what he prizes; victory by force of arms is to him undesirable.
To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men.
He who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.
On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, on the right hand.
The second in command of the army has his place on the left.
The general commanding in chief has his on the right; his place, that is, is assigned to him as in the rites of mourning.
He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief.
The victor in battle has his place according to those rites."
Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-one — Translated by 韓香譚 Han Hiong Tan
Chapter 31
"Sharp weapons are inauspicious instruments.
Everyone dislikes them.
Hence, those who follow the way of 道 avoid using them.
In times of peace, a person of virtue favours the left side.
Only during war does the right side become the preferred choice.
A weapon is an instrument of bad omen.
It is never the favourite object of the man of virtue.
Even as the last resort when military force has to be used,
It should be used with great restraint and equanimity.
In victory, one should not glorify the war.
He who glorifies war must be a bloodthirsty person.
No bloodthirsty person has ever won universal respect or approval.
The left side represents good auspices.
The right side augurs bad omen.
The second-in-command resides on the left side, whereas the commander-in-chief resides on the right.
In conducting the war, the mood is as dark and solemn as that of a funeral rite.
During the conflict, you should still mourn for the heavy casualties you have inflicted.
In victory, you should bury the dead with appropriate ceremony."
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