Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars
& Seekers
Peter Gilboy, Ph.D.
第 三十 章
Line 1 以道佐人主
不以兵強於天下
Line 2 亓事好還
Line 3 師之所居楚棘生之
Line 4 善者果而已矣
毋以取強焉
Line 5 果而毋驕果而勿矜
Line 6 果而勿伐
果而毋得已居
Line 7 是胃果而不強
Line 8 物壯而老
是胃之不道
Line 9 不道蚤已
Tao
the Way
LESSON 30
On Using
Force
(Part 1)
Lao Tzu is not a pacifist. He is practical, and he is fully aware that we do not live in an ideal world. A leader may have to make a show of force, or even use force sometimes, though reluctantly. What is key, is knowing when to stop. Here once again Lao Tzu’s concern is not with what a person does, but what a person does not do.
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for Chinese-English interlinear
& commentary
When assisting a ruler
in accord with the Way,
do not use force of arms
against the empire.
To do so will
surely backfire.
Where armies are stationed
thorns and brambles grow.
A good general
fulfills the objective
and then stops!
Never does the general
use the occasion
to seize power.
He fulfills the objective
without any
arrogance or pride.
He fulfills the objective
without subduing the people,
and even then
only when there
is no other choice.
This is known as
achieving results
but without coercion.
Going too far
only leads to decay
This is not in accord
with the Way.
What does not follow
the Way
soon comes to an end.
. . . . . . .