30𝌣儉武

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 30: A Caveat Against War

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	儉武	A Caveat Against War	Be Chary of War	Be Stingy of War
1	以道佐人主者，不以兵強天下。	He who would assist a lord of men in harmony with the Dao will not assert his mastery in the kingdom by force of arms. Such a course is sure to meet with its proper return.	He who with Reason assists the master of mankind will not with arms strengthen the empire. His methods invite requital.	When the magistrate follows Dao, he has no need to resort to force of arms to strengthen the Empire, because his business methods alone will show good returns.
2	其事好還。師之所處，荊棘生焉。大軍之后，必有凶年。	Wherever a host is stationed, briars and thorns spring up. In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years.	Where armies are quartered briars and thorns grow. Great wars unfailingly are followed by famines. A good man acts resolutely and then stops. He ventures not to take by force.	Briars and thorns grow rank where an army camps. Bad harvests are the sequence of a great war. The good ruler will be resolute and then stop, he dare not take by force.
3	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，	A skilful (commander) strikes a decisive blow, and stops. He does not dare (by continuing his operations) to assert and complete his mastery. He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it. He strikes it as a matter of necessity; he strikes it, but not from a wish for mastery.	Be resolute but not boastful; resolute but not haughty; resolute but not arrogant; resolute because you cannot avoid it; resolute but not violent.	One should be resolute but not boastful; resolute but not haughty; resolute but not arrogant; resolute but yielding when it cannot be avoided; resolute but he must not resort to violence.
4	果而勿強。物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。	When things have attained their strong maturity they become old. This may be said to be not in accordance with the Dao: and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.	Things thrive and then grow old. This is called un-Reason. Un-Reason soon ceases.	By a resort to force, things flourish for a time but then decay. This is not like the Dao and that which is not Dao-like will soon cease.

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

儉武

A Caveat Against War

Be Chary of War

Be Stingy of War

以道佐人主者，不以兵強天下。

He who would assist a lord of men in harmony with the Dao will not assert his mastery in the kingdom by force of arms. Such a course is sure to meet with its proper return.

He who with Reason assists the master of mankind will not with arms strengthen the empire. His methods invite requital.

When the magistrate follows Dao, he has no need to resort to force of arms to strengthen the Empire, because his business methods alone will show good returns.

其事好還。師之所處，荊棘生焉。大軍之后，必有凶年。

Wherever a host is stationed, briars and thorns spring up. In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years.

Where armies are quartered briars and thorns grow. Great wars unfailingly are followed by famines. A good man acts resolutely and then stops. He ventures not to take by force.

Briars and thorns grow rank where an army camps. Bad harvests are the sequence of a great war. The good ruler will be resolute and then stop, he dare not take by force.

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，

A skilful (commander) strikes a decisive blow, and stops. He does not dare (by continuing his operations) to assert and complete his mastery. He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it. He strikes it as a matter of necessity; he strikes it, but not from a wish for mastery.

Be resolute but not boastful; resolute but not haughty; resolute but not arrogant; resolute because you cannot avoid it; resolute but not violent.

One should be resolute but not boastful; resolute but not haughty; resolute but not arrogant; resolute but yielding when it cannot be avoided; resolute but he must not resort to violence.

果而勿強。物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。

When things have attained their strong maturity they become old. This may be said to be not in accordance with the Dao: and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.

Things thrive and then grow old. This is called un-Reason. Un-Reason soon ceases.

By a resort to force, things flourish for a time but then decay. This is not like the Dao and that which is not Dao-like will soon cease.