Tao Te Ching Chapter 69
第69章
用兵有言﹕「吾不敢為主而為客，不敢進寸而退尺。」是謂行無行，攘無臂，扔無敵，執無兵。
禍莫大於輕敵，輕敵幾喪吾寶。故抗兵相加，哀者勝矣。
A master of the art of war has said, 'I do not dare to be the host (to commence the war); I prefer to be the guest (to act on the defensive). I do not dare to advance an inch; I prefer to retire a foot.' This is called marshalling the ranks where there are no ranks; baring the arms (to fight) where there are no arms to bare; grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp; advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy.
There is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war. To do that is near losing (the gentleness) which is so precious. Thus it is that when opposing weapons are (actually) crossed, he who deplores (the situation) conquers.
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
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 敢gǎnbold, brave; to dare, to venture
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 主zhǔto own; to host; master; host; lord
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 客kèguest, traveller; customer
- 進jìnto advance, to make progress; to come in
- 寸cùninch; small, tiny
- 退tuìto retreat, to step back, to withdraw
- 尺chǐruler, tape-measure; unit of length, abo
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 攘rǎngto usurp, to seize; to repel
- 臂bìarm
- 扔rēngto throw, to hurl, to cast away
- 敵díenemy, foe, rival; to match; to resist
- 執zhíto execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep;
- 禍huòmisfortune, disaster, calamity
- 莫mòcannot; do not; is not; negative
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 輕qīnglight, gentle; simple, easy
- 幾jǐsmall table; how many; a few, some
- 喪sàngmourning; mourn; funeral
- 寶bǎotreasure, jewel; rare, precious
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 抗kàngto defy, to fight, to resist
- 相xiāngmutual, reciprocal; equal; each other
- 加jiāto add to, to increase, to augment
- 哀āisad, mournful, pitiful; to pity; to grie
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 勝shèngvictory; to excel, to truimph
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
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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.