Tao Te Ching Ch.31: Weapons Are Ill-Omened — Chinese, Pinyin and English

夫fú兵bīng者zhě，不bù祥xiáng之zhī器qì，物wù或huò恶wù之zhī，故gù有yǒu道dào者zhě不bù处chǔ。

1Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen, hateful, it may be said, to all creatures.

君jūn子zǐ居jū则zé贵guì左zuǒ，用yòng兵bīng则zé贵guì右yòu。

2Therefore they who have the Tao do not like to employ them.

兵bīng者zhě不bù祥xiáng之zhī器qì，非fēi君jūn子zǐ之zhī器qì，不bù得dé已yǐ而ér用yòng之zhī，恬tián淡dàn为wéi上shàng。

3The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most honourable place, but in time of war the right hand.

胜shèng而ér不bù美měi，而ér美měi之zhī者zhě，是shì乐lè杀shā人rén。

4Those sharp weapons are instruments of evil omen, and not the instruments of the superior man;--he uses them only on the compulsion of necessity.

夫fú乐lè杀shā人rén者zhě，则zé不bù可kě得dé志zhì于yú天tiān下xià矣yǐ。

5Calm and repose are what he prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him undesirable.

吉jí事shì尚shàng左zuǒ，凶xiōng事shì尚shàng右yòu。

6To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.

偏piān将jiāng军jūn居jū左zuǒ，上shàng将jiàng军jūn居jū右yòu。

7On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand.

言yán以yǐ丧sāng礼lǐ处chǔ之zhī。

8The 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.

杀shā人rén之zhī众zhòng，以yǐ悲bēi哀āi泣qì之zhī，战zhàn胜shèng以yǐ丧sāng礼lǐ处chǔ之zhī。

9He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief; and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.