Tao Te Ching Chapter 30
第30章
以道佐人主者，不以兵強天下。其事好還。師之所處，荊棘生焉。大軍之後，必有凶年。善有果而已，不敢以取強。果而勿矜，果而勿伐，果而勿驕。果而不得已，果而勿強。物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。
He who would assist a lord of men in harmony with the Tao will not assert his mastery in the kingdom by force of arms. Such a course is sure to meet with its proper return.
Wherever a host is stationed, briars and thorns spring up. In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years.
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.
When things have attained their strong maturity they become old. This may be said to be not in accordance with the Tao: and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.
English: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 39 (1891) — public domain. Chinese: Wang Bi recension (王弼本), commentary removed.
Character glossary
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 佐zuǒto assist, to aid; subordinate, second
- 人rénman, person; people
- 主zhǔto own; to host; master; host; lord
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 強qiángstrong, powerful, energetic
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 還háialso, besides; still, yet; to return
- 師shīteacher, professional, master
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 荊jīngthorns, brambles; surname
- 棘jíjujube tree; thorns, brambles
- 生shēnglife, lifetime; birth; growth
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 軍jūnarmy, military; soldiers, troops
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 凶xiōngculprit; murder; bad, sad
- 年niányear; anniversary; a person's age
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 果guǒfruit, nut; result
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 敢gǎnbold, brave; to dare, to venture
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 矜jīnto pity, to sympathize, to feel sorry fo
- 伐fácut down, subjugate, attack
- 驕jiāohaughty, spirited; a wild stallion
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 物wùthing, substance, matter; creature
- 壯zhuàngbig, large; robust, strong; the name of
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 老lǎoold, aged; experienced
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 早zǎoearly; soon; morning
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.