Weapons are tools of evil,
shunned and avoided by everything
in nature. Because people of tao follow
nature, they want nothing to
do with weapons.
Un-evolved people are eager
to act out of strength, but a person of tao
values peace and quiet. He knows that every being
is born of the womb of tao. This means that his
enemies are his enemies second, his own
brothers and sisters first.
Thus he resorts to weapons
only in the direst necessity, and then uses
them with utmost restraint. He takes no pleasure in victory,
because to rejoice in victory is to delight in killing.
Whoever delights in killing will not
find success in this world.
Observe victories as
you observe a death in the
family: with sorrow and mourning.
Every victory is a funeral
for kin.
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