Dao De Jing

31. Armies

Armies are tools of violence;

They cause men to hate and fear.

The sage will not join them.

His purpose is creation;

Their purpose is destruction.

Weapons are tools of violence,

Not of the sage;

He uses them only when there is no choice,

And then calmly, and with tact,

For he finds no beauty in them.

Whoever finds beauty in weapons

Delights in the slaughter of men;

And who delights in slaughter

Cannot content himself with peace.

So slaughters must be mourned

And conquest celebrated with a funeral.