第三十章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 30

One who serves by the Way does not use force; force rebounds, and what grows strong soon declines.

以yǐ道dào佐zuǒ人rén主zhǔ者zhě，

Using the Way to assist the ruler,
不bù以yǐ兵bīng强qiáng天tiān下xià，

Is not a means to dominate people by military force.
其qí事shì好hào还huán。

This undertaking backfires.
师shī之zhī所suǒ处chù，荆jīng棘jí生shēng焉yān。

Where troops have camped, thorns and brambles grow.
大dà军jūn之zhī后hòu，必bì有yǒu凶xiōng年nián。

A great war's aftermath, necessarily involves famine.
善shàn者zhě果guǒ而ér已yǐ，不bù敢gǎn以yǐ取qǔ强qiáng。

Great virtue brings results, nothing else. Do not dare to use violence.
果guǒ而ér勿wù矜jīn，果guǒ而ér勿wù伐fá，

Accomplish but don't boast, accomplish but don't vaunt,
果guǒ而ér勿wù骄jiāo，果guǒ而ér不bù得dé已yǐ，

Accomplish but don't be proud, accomplish and that is all,
果guǒ而ér勿wù强qiáng。

Accomplish but don't use violence.
物wù壮zhuàng则zé老lǎo，

Things with strength ultimately wither,
是shì谓wèi不bù道dào，不bù道dào早zǎo已yǐ。

This isn't called the Way, and has never been.

Words in this chapter

Words in chapter 30, with pinyin and meaning
Word	Pinyin	Meaning
以	yǐ	by means of, with
道	dào	the Way
佐	zuǒ	to assist
人	rén	people, others
主	zhǔ	ruler, lord
者	zhě	one who, that which
不	bù	not
兵	bīng	arms, troops
强	qiáng	to force, to dominate
天下	tiān xià	all under heaven, the world
其	qí	its, his, their
事	shì	affairs, work
好	hào	to tend to
还	huán	to rebound
师	shī	troops, an army
之	zhī	that (clause particle)
所	suǒ	that which, what
处	chù	place where
荆棘	jīng jí	thorns and brambles
生	shēng	to produce, give life, arise
焉	yān	in it, from it
大军	dà jūn	a great army
之	zhī	of, 's (linking particle)
后	hòu	back, after
必	bì	surely, inevitably
有	yǒu	to have, to possess
凶年	xiōng nián	years of famine
善	shàn	to be good at
果	guǒ	to achieve the result
而已	ér yǐ	and that is all
敢	gǎn	to dare
取	qǔ	to take, to seize
而	ér	and yet, but
勿	wù	do not
矜	jīn	to pride oneself
伐	fá	to boast
骄	jiāo	arrogant
不得已	bù dé yǐ	having no other choice
物	wù	thing, beings
壮	zhuàng	vigorous, at the peak
则	zé	then
老	lǎo	to age, to wither
是	shì	this
谓	wèi	to call, to be called
早	zǎo	soon, early
已	yǐ	to stop

Compare: James Legge (1891)

He who would assist a lord of men in harmony with the Tao will not assert his mastery in the kingdom by force of arms. Such a course is sure to meet with its proper return.

Wherever a host is stationed, briars and thorns spring up. In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years.

A skilful (commander) strikes a decisive blow, and stops. He does not dare (by continuing his operations) to assert and complete his mastery. He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it. He strikes it as a matter of necessity; he strikes it, but not from a wish for mastery.

When things have attained their strong maturity they become old. This may be said to be not in accordance with the Tao: and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.

Public domain. Source: Wikisource.

Meaning of chapter 30

Chapter 30 is advice to those who serve a ruler: do not use armies to dominate the world, because force comes back on the one who uses it (其事好还).

The images are concrete. Where troops have camped, thorns and brambles grow; after a great war come years of hardship. Against this the chapter sets 果, achieving the result: the capable person does what must be done and stops there. Wang Bi glosses 果 as getting through a difficulty: one who leads troops well ends the danger and goes no further. Five short lines repeat the word: achieve, but do not boast, do not vaunt, do not be proud; achieve only because there was no choice; achieve, but do not dominate.

The last lines widen the point. Things that grow strong grow old, and this is called going against the Way (不道); what goes against the Way soon comes to an end. The same lines close chapter 55. Chapter 31 continues with weapons and war, and chapter 69 returns to the use of troops.

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Meaning of chapter 30