Laozi: Dao De Jing: Chapter 31

夫唯兵者
不祥之器
不得已而用之。
故胜而不美。

若美必乐之
乐之者是了沙人也。
夫乐人者
则不可以得
志于天下矣。

杀人之众
则以悲哀泣之；
战胜者
则以丧礼处之。

Fu wei bing zhe
Bu xiang zhi qi
Bu de yi er yong zhi.
Gu sheng er bu mei.

Ruo mei bi li zhi.
Li zhi zhe
Shi le sha ren ye.

Fu le ren zhe
Ze bu ke yi de
Zhi yu tian xia yi.

Sha ren zhi zhong
Ze yi bei ai qi zhi;
Zhan sheng zhe
Ze yi sang li chu zhi.

Chapter 31

Man alone is a maker of weapons and military arms
These instruments of war are not auspicious
Stopping the use of these killing instruments is needed
Successful death and destruction is not pretty or praiseworthy
What kind of joy can be found with such things.

This kind of happiness for violence also weakens humanity
Man’s true joy comes from being humane
Not being able to meet this standard
Drives Heaven’s ambition and ideal for peace down on earth

The many ways we have devised to kill others
Leads to sadness and sorrow-filled tears
Successful battles and warfare by force
Is to dwell within a place without honor.

Notes:

Other possible translations:
For lines #1 and 2: Weapons are nothing but instruments of evil.
For line #6: He who delights in the victory delights in the slaughter of men

The Classic of the Dao: A New Investigation
By Wang Keping
Foreign Languages Press, Beijing 1998