Chapter 31

夫佳兵者

Chapter Translation

夫fū佳jiā兵bīng者zhě，

不bù祥xiáng之zhī器qì，

物wù或huò恶è之zhī，

故gù有yǒu道dào者zhě不bù处chǔ。

君jūn子zǐ居jū则zé贵guì左zuǒ，

用yòng兵bīng则zé贵guì右yòu。

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wèi上shàng。

胜shèng而ér不bù美měi，

而ér美měi之zhī者zhě，

是shì乐lè杀shā人rén。

夫fū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。

吉jí事shì尚shàng左zuǒ，

凶xiōng事shì尚shàng右yòu。

偏piān将jiāng军jūn居jū左zuǒ，

上shàng将jiāng军jūn居jū右yòu，

言yán以yǐ丧sāng礼lǐ处chǔ之zhī。

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。

Weapons are ill fortuned tools. Things may detest them, hence the man of the Dao does not rely on them.

When a junzi is at leisure he honors what is at his left; use of weapons honors the right. Thus weapons are not tools of a junzi.

Weapons are ill fortuned tools; they must be used only from necessity. It is best to use them without gusto, to prevail without relish. To relish victory is to take joy in killing men. The man who takes joy in killing men will never attain his ambition in the world.

Affairs of good fortune honor the left; affairs of ill fortune honor the right. The lieutenant’s place is to the left, the commander’s place is to the right. This means that mourning rites are the model. When the masses of another lord are killed, one should mourn them with wailing – for victory in battle, mourning rites are the model.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.