1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

夫兵者，不祥之器，物或恶之，故有道者不处。

君子居则贵左，用兵则贵右。

兵者不祥之器，非君子之器，不得已而用之，恬淡为上。

胜而不美，而美之者，是乐杀人。

夫乐杀人者，则不可得志于天下矣。

吉事尚左，凶事尚右；偏将军居左，上将军居右。

言以丧礼处之。

杀人之众，以悲哀莅之；战胜，以丧礼处之。

【译文】

尖兵利器呵，是不祥和的东西，人们通常都嫌弃它，所以，有道的人不靠向它。君子居处以左边为贵，用兵打战以右边为贵──它们背道而驰。尖兵利器这些不祥和的东西，不是君子所常使用的东西。万不得已而使用它，以恬淡为最佳。即使因此而取胜，也不要自鸣得意。因此而自鸣得意的人是以杀人为乐的人。以杀人为乐的人是不可以得志于天下的。吉庆之事以左边为上，凶丧之事以右边为上；偏将军居于左边，上将军居于右边──这说明军列的秩序仪轨等同于凶丧之事的行事仪轨。所以，准备征战杀人的人群，要怀着哀痛的心情参加；既使战胜了，也要按照凶丧的礼仪来处理。