Laozi
夫佳兵者，不祥之器， 物或惡之，故有道者不處。 君子居則貴左，用兵則貴右。 兵者不祥之器，非君子之器， 不得已而用之，恬淡為上。 勝而不美，而美之者，是樂殺人。 夫樂殺人者，則不可以得志於天下矣。 吉事尚左，凶事尚右。偏將軍居左， 上將軍居右，言以喪禮處之。 殺人之衆，以哀悲泣之，戰勝以喪禮處之。
James Legge
Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen, hateful, it may be said, to all creatures. Therefore they who have the Tao do not like to employ them.
The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most honourable place, but in time of war the right hand. Those sharp weapons are instruments of evil omen, and not the instruments of the superior man;—he uses them only on the compulsion of necessity. Calm and repose are what he prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him undesirable. To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.
On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand. The second in command of the army has his place on the left; the general commanding in chief has his on the right;—his place, that is, is assigned to him as in the rites of mourning. He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief; and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.
Victor H. Mair
Now, Weapons are instruments of evil omen; Creation abhors them. Therefore, One who aspires to the Way does not abide in them. The superior man at home honors the left, on the battlefield honors the right. Therefore, Weapons are not instruments of the superior man; Weapons are instruments of evil omen, to be used only when there is no other choice. He places placidity above all and refuses to prettify weapons; If one prettifies weapons, this is to delight in the killing of others. Now, One who delights in the killing of others Cannot exercise his will over all under heaven. For this reason, On occasions for celebration, the left is given priority; On occasions for mourning, the right is given priority. Therefore, A deputy general stands on the left, The general-in-chief stands on the right. In other words, They stand in accordance with mourning ritual. The killing of masses of human beings, we bewail with sorrow and grief; Victory in battle, we commemorate with mourning ritual.
C. Spurgeon Medhurst
The magnificence of the army cannot make it an auspicious weapon. It is possible that even inanimate Nature detests it. Hence, one who possesses Tao has nothing to do with it.
The Master Thinker (the Sage) when at home honors the left. When leading troops he honors the right. Soldiers are instruments of ill omen. They are not agents for a Master Thinker. Only when it is inevitable will he employ them. What he most prizes is quiet and peace. He will not praise a victory. To do so would show delight in the slaughter of men. As for those who delight in the slaughter of men, the world is too small for the gratification of their desires.
When affairs are felicitous the left is honored, but when they are inauspicious the right is honored. The Second Officer is placed on the left, but the Commander-in-Chief is placed on the right. That is to say, his position is as if he were attending a funeral. The slayer of multitudes should bitterly weep and lament. Having fought and won it is as if he were presiding at a funeral.
NOTE.—This chapter was doubtless originally a commentary on the preceding section, but subsequently incorporated in the text through the carelessness of a copyist. The language is unlike Lao Tzu’s style, and contains one or more anachronisms.
The references to the right and the left will be understood when it is remembered that in China the left is the seat of honor, the right the lower and inferior seat.
Legge remarks that “the concluding sentence will suggest to some readers the words of the Duke of Wellington after Waterloo that to gain a battle was the saddest thing next to losing it.”
Ursula K. Le Guin
Even the best weapon is an unhappy tool, hateful to living things. So the follower of the Way stays away from it.
Weapons are unhappy tools, not chosen by thoughtful people, to be used only when there is no choice, and with a calm, still mind, without enjoyment. To enjoy using weapons is to enjoy killing people, and to enjoy killing people is to lose your share in the common good.
It is right that the murder of many people be mourned and lamented. It is right that a victor in war be received with funeral ceremonies.