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以道佐人主者，不以兵强天下，其事好還。師之所處，荊棘生焉；大軍之後，必有凶年。善有果而已，不敢以取强。果而勿矜，果而勿伐，果而勿驕，果而不得已，果而勿强。物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。One who assists a ruler with the Way does not use arms to force his will on the world; such deeds tend to rebound. Where armies have camped, thorns and brambles grow; after great wars, bad years are sure to follow. The good general achieves his aim and stops; he does not dare to use it to seize power. He achieves his aim but does not brag, achieves it but does not boast, achieves it but is not arrogant, achieves it because he had no choice, achieves it but does not force. Things in their prime grow old; this is called not following the Way, and what does not follow the Way soon ends.
白Plain Chinese
用道辅佐君主的人，不靠兵力逞强于天下，用兵这种事很快会遭到报应。军队驻扎过的地方，长满荆棘；大战过后，必有荒年。善于用兵的，只求达成目的就停止，不敢借此逞强。达到目的而不自负，达到目的而不夸耀，达到目的而不骄傲，达到目的是出于不得已，达到目的而不逞强。事物强盛到极点就会衰老，这叫作不合乎道，不合乎道就会很快完结。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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