Dharma & Dao

Tao Te Ching · Chapter 30 of 81

Chapter 30

modern paraphrase of James Legge's 1891 translation

Modern paraphrase. This is an AI-generated retelling in contemporary English (model: claude-opus-4-7). It is not the James Legge translation. The original is one click away.

  1. Anyone who helps a ruler in keeping with the Tao will not use military force to dominate the world. Such actions tend to rebound on the doer.

  2. Wherever armies camp, thorns and brambles grow. After great wars, lean years are sure to follow.

  3. A skilled commander strikes the decisive blow and then stops. He does not press on to assert dominance. He strikes, but guards against pride, boasting, or arrogance afterward. He strikes because he must, not out of a desire for mastery.

  4. When things reach their peak of strength, they begin to age. This is called going against the Tao, and whatever goes against the Tao soon comes to an end.

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