The Original Spirit of the Dao De Jing:
A deeper look into the coded message of the Guodian LaoZi.

Translation and commentary by Sebastian Leo Raterman
CC BY NC ND (opens in a new tab) Mysterious Center / Sebastian Leo Raterman 2025

This is the oldest known copy of this material, and was found in the grave of an unknown scholar in the Guodian excavation.

Over the centuries its chapters were rearranged and added to, with many characters deliberately changed, to create the text we received in various ways in various times. This older material appears to follow a subtle code, likely intended for kings to understand in their work to be worthy rulers. This simple code could easily have mislead those who sought to unlock its true meaning, thus leading to the modifications we see today.

When fit together in the Guodian chapter sequence, remaining as true to the original characters as possible, the chapters form a cohesive theme with a clear message.

This is a work in progress, published and edited as I go. Everything here is subject to change.

A: 元足

Guodian A1 (19)

绝智弃下又，民利百倍。
Pushing beyond thought abandons continuously sinking down,
and people benefit a hundred times over.

绝巧弃利，盗贼亡又。
Pushing beyond skilled work abandons taking advantages,
and thieving outlawry resolves the creation.

绝伪弃虑，民复季子。
Pushing beyond falsification and embellishment abandons contemplation of what may be,
and people return to the seasonal harvest.

三言以为史元足，或命之，或有所属。
Three phrases considering the provenance of Original sufficiency,
a case is made for returning to destiny,
a case is made for what to put down.

视索保朴，少厶颁欲。
Watching out for expectations conserves simplicity,
limiting by some amount the spread of desire.

Guodian A2 (66)

江海所以为百浴王，以其能为百浴下，是以能为百浴王。
The rivers and seas means for assuming the role of ruler of the hundred valley streams,
is by means of their being able to become lower than the hundred valley streams,
this is basis for being able to become ruler of the hundred valley streams.

聖人之才民前也，以身後之；
A masterful person's heavenly-talent to be ahead of people has to do with,
taking up what is personal after them;

其才民上也，以言下之。
Their heavenly-talent to be above people has to do with,
taking up words that fall below them.

其才民上也，民弗厚也。
Their heavenly-talent to be above people has to do with,
people continuously not being authentic, sincere, and whole.

其才民前也，民弗害也。
Their heavenly-talent to be ahead of people has to do with,
people continuously not being interfered with, threatened, harmed, and mistreated.

天下樂進，而弗詀。
Fallen below heaven and merrily advancing further,
yet not excitedly expressing about it.

以其不爭也，故天下莫能與之。
Due to taking up their non-contending,
assuredly fallen below heaven there is nothing capable of uniting them with it.

Guodian A3 (46)

辠莫重乎甚欲，咎莫僣乎谷得，化莫大乎元智足。
Wrongful conduct presuming to be honorable, esteemed, relates to excessive desire,
misfortune presumed to be an unfair overstepping relates to what the valley is obtaining,
the utmost transformation relates to sufficient Original cognition.

智足之为足，此恒足矣。
Sufficent cognition has sufficient doing,
this extends sufficiently and then it is done.

Guodian A4 (30)

以術來人主者，元谷以兵强於天下。
Using this method one comes to preside over others,
the Original valley is used for armament to be more strongly capable of mastery amidst the fallen below heaven.

善者果而已，元以取强。
One who is excellent and good brings an action to completion and then is finished,
the Original is used for acquiring strength capable of mastery.

果而弗發，果而弗喬，果而弗矜，是胃果而元强，其事好。
Bringing an action to completion and then not expressing or proposing about it,
bringing an action to completion and then not being arrogant or proud about it,
bringing an action to completion and then not having empathy, regard, caution, or aloofness about it,
this means having brought an action to completion, then the Original strengthens,
one's hole in a jade bi engaged, occupied.

Guodian A5 (15)

長古之善为士者，必非溺玄达深，不可志。
Long lasting ancientness' excellence utilizes adeptness in all aspects,
Inevitably indulgences are denied and the mysterious passage of light penetrates through all the way into the depths,
not permitting the goals and aspirations of the heart-mind's will.

是以为之颂：
Therefore in paying proper triute to this:

宵乎奴，冬涉川。
In relation to the enslavement of nighttime,
winter fording of a river.

猷乎其奴，畏四邻。
In relation to one's enslavement by plans and schemes,
shying away from nearby neighbors.

敢其奴，客。
One's enslavement by bold presumption of capability,
deferring as to a guest or submitting to another's authority.

涣乎其奴，怿。
In relation to one's enslavement by dissolution,
contentment.

屯乎其奴，朴。
In relation to one's enslavement by difficult beginnings,
natural simplicity.

沌乎其奴，浊。
In relation to one's enslavement by amorphous unknowning,
gathering of capacity - the murky unclarity that differentiates yin-ness from yang-ness.

竺能浊，以朿者，将肯清。
Dedicated to capable gathering of capacity,
one is the utilizer of a sharp point,
able to take hold of clarity - the clear and unclouded that differentiates yang-ness from yin-ness.

竺能度，以往者，将肯生。
Dedicated to capably spending time,
one is the utilizer of time's unfolding forward,
able to take hold of the cause of existance.

保此道者，元谷堂里。
When guarding and nourishing this way,
the Original valley is the central hall of the residential compound.

Guodian A6 (64b)

取之者败之，执之者失之
One who seizes this overthrows this,
one who attaches to this loses this.

昰以聖人亡取古，亡败；亡执古，亡失。
Truly utilizing it a masterful person resolves prior seizing,
resolving the overthrowing;
resolves prior attaching to,
resolving the loss.

臨事之紀，慎亨女始，此亡败事矣聖人谷元。
The main point of overseeing this undertaking,
is cautiously gathering the feminine into maturity at the start,
this resolves overthrowing undertaking and now has the Original of the masterful person's valley.

谷元贵难得之货；孝元孝复众之所过。
The Original of the valley is precious and it is difficult to obtain its resource;
obediently following the Original is obediently following the returning multidude's place of passing through.

是古聖人能軋万物之自然，而假能为。
All ancient masterful people capably crush together the ten thousand things' spontaneous naturalness,
and then temporarily borrow the capacity for being and doing.

Guodian A7 (37)

道恒亡为也，侯王能守之，而万物将自为，而欲作。
Due to the way constantly resolving doing,
administrators and rulers are capable of safeguarding this,
but the ten thousand things take hold of spontaneous doing,
and then desire arises.

将貞之以亡，名之朴。
Taking hold of alignment toward completion's usefulness in resolving,
call this natural simplicity.

夫亦将智足，以朿，万物将，将自定。
In any case of our taking hold of sufficient cognition,
utilizing a sharp point,
the ten thousand things take hold,
take hold of self regulation.

Guodian A8 (63)

为亡为，事亡事，未亡未大少之多，惕必多难。
Doing resolves doing,
work resolves work,
not having to resolve is not having large and small's multiplication,
being on guard against the inevitable multiplication of troubles and difficulties.

是以聖人猷难之，故终亡难。
Therefore the masterful person plans for troubles and difficulties,
assuredly in the end resolving troubles and difficulties.

Guodian A9 (2)

天下皆智美之为美也，亚已；
Fallen below heaven, all understand the excellence of things for the sake of their excellence,
and so the next step down is established;

皆智善，此其不善已。
All understand goodness,
here is one's not-goodness established.

又亡之相生也，难惕之相成也，长短之相型也，高下之相盈也，音圣之相和也，先后之相堕也。
Creating and resolving they exist because of each other,
troubles and worries they fulfill each other,
long and short they are cast from each other,
High and low they complete each other,
reputation and mastery they balance each other,
before and after they fall into each other.

是以聖人居亡为之事，行不言之教。
Because of this the masterful person rests in resolving and carrying out the serving of that interest,
modeling not speaking this teaching.

万勿作而弗始也，为而弗志也，成而弗居。
The 10,000 do not stand up and then not commence or,
do and then not attend to or,
accomplish and then not rest.

夫唯弗居也，是以弗去也。
So indeed in all cases of not resting it,
this is the means of not storing it up.

Guodian A10 (32)

道恒亡名，仆唯妻。
The way is constantly resolving notable acclaim,
a low level servant stammering a self-deprecating response to the wife.

天地弗敢臣，侯王女能守之，万物将自宾。
Heaven and earth do not dare to treat it as a servant,
administrators and rulers feminine capability safeguards this,
and the 10,000 things take hold of naturalness as a guest.

天地相會也，以逾甘露民莫之命，而自均安。
Due to heaven and earth mutually assembling together,
utilizing surplus sweet dew people determine their destiny,
and then naturally equalize and settle into place.

始制又名，名亦既，又夫亦将智止，智止所以元始。
Initiating tailoring creates designation,
designating only just now,
created in any way in that case taking hold of stopping thought,
stopping thought is what is used to initiate the Original.

卑道之才天下也，猷少浴之與江海。
Due to a lowly way this innate capacity falls from heaven,
planning little and bathing in this allows the river to join the ocean.

Guodian A11 (25)

又物昆成，先天地生，寂寥。
Created phenomena gathers together into murky completed wholeness,
prior to heaven and earth existing,
still, silent, undisturbed emptiness.

早立元亥，可以为天下母。
Preparing to establish the Original in the hai hour,
enables the possibility of comporting with the source of the fallen below heaven.

未智其名，字之曰道。
Not having thought about one's notability,
the given name of this is "the way."

吾强为之名曰大。
Our firm determination in carrying out this designation is "great."

大曰筮，筮曰遠，遠曰反。
Great is "divining with the yarrow stalks,"
divining with the yarrow stalks is "reaching far and deep in influence and effect,"
reaching far and deep in influence and effect is "inverting the course to return."

天大，地大，道大，王亦大。
Heaven is great,
earth is great,
the way is great,
the rulership - the balancing that unites heaven and earth in the middle - is also great.

囿中又四大安，王居一安。
An enclosed space creates four great arrangements,
rulership - the balancing that unites heaven, earth, and humanity - is positioned to arrange unification.

人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。
People take their law from earth,
earth takes its law from heaven,
heaven takes its law from the way,
the way takes its law from what is naturally self-so.

Guodian A12 (5)

天地之間，其猷回，管與。
The space in between of heaven and earth,
its design turns around to reverse and revolve,
uniting and according with the hollow tube.

虛而元，屈動而愈出。
Formless and then Original,
moving into coiled up contraction and then ever more emerges.

Guodian A13 (16)

至虛恆也，獸中䈞也。
Getting all the way to formlessness has to do with constancy,
hunting for this central target has to do with a dedicated gathering together.

万物方作，居以寡復也。
The 10,000 things just at the moment of standing up sit down,
this has to do with utilizing lessening and returning to an earlier state.

天道員，員各復其堇。
Heaven and the way function as members of a group,
functioning together in all cases to return to the balanced earthy central insignificance.

Guodian A14 (64a)

其安也，易困也。
Their having firmly settled into place,
has to do with change being firmly bound up and constricted.

其未兆也，易忄母也。
Their having not yet originated,
has to do with change rooting in the heart-mind's source.

其脆也，易判也。
Their gentle frailty,
has to do with the divisions of change.

其幾也，易踐也。
That they are imperceptible,
has to do with following and abiding by change.

為之於其亡又也，治之於其未亂。
Carrying them out in their resolving and creating,
bringing them to order in their not yet being ordered.

合〈保之木，生於毫末〉。
Uniting and〈sustaining their growing, engendering their smallest tips.〉

九成之臺，甲〈於累土。
Numerous completions their platform,
starting out〈from gathered up in soil.

百仞之高，始於〉足下。
A hundred fathoms their height,
initiated from〉sufficient lowering down.

Guodian A15 (56)

智之者弗言，言之者弗智。
One who is mindful of this, is not talkative about it,
one who is talkative about this, is not mindful of it.

閟其門，塞其兌，咊其光，同其通，通劉其萦，解其纷，是谓玄同。
Closing up one's gates,
sealing in one's pathways to sensing,
coming into harmony with one's light,
merging with its passing through,
passing through to cut to pieces one's entanglements,
releasing one's confusion,
this is called: merged with the mysterious passage of subtle light.

故元可得天新，亦元可得天足；
Therefore the Original makes possible obtaining heavenly renewal,
only the Original permits obtaining heavenly sufficiency;

元可得天利，亦元可得天害；
The Original makes possible obtaining heavenly advantage,
only the Original permits obtaining heaven's destructive interference;

元可得天贵，亦可元可得天戔。
The Original makes possible obtaining heavenly esteem and honor,
feasible only with the Original making possible obtaining heavenly manifold.

故為天下贵。
Therefore becoming esteemed and honored below heaven.

Guodian A16 (57)

以正之邦，以奇甬兵，以亡事：取天下。
By means of Zheng's territory,
by means of uniquely guided armament,
and by means of resolving matters, affairs:
taking back the fallen below heaven.

吾可以智其然也。
Implying we make this possible by utilizing mindfulness of their way of being.

夫天多期，韦而民窗畔。
It is a fact that heaven makes much of appointed timing,
deviate away from this and then the people open a window to desertion, betrayal, or rebellion.

民多利，器而邦兹昏。
The people make much of gaining advantages,
implement this and then the territory increasingly twilights.

人多智，而奇勿兹起。
Humanity makes much of thinking,
but then uniqueness does not increasingly stand up.

法勿兹章，覜惻多又。
Rules, methods, doctrines, do not increasingly manifest them,
royal audiences' sorrow and suffering multiplies creation.

是以聖人之言曰：
Hence, the masterful person's talking says:

我無事，而民自富；
I have nothing to engage in,
and then the people are rich in themselves.

我亡為，而民自為；
I resolve doing,
and then the people transform their own doing;

我好静，而民自正；
My hole in the jade bi is quiet, still,
and then the people are Zheng on their own;

我谷元谷，而民自朴。
My valley is the Original valley,
and the people are simple of themselves.

Guodian A17 (55)

飲惪之石丰者，比於赤子。
One who imbibes virtue-power's weighty flourishing,
compares similarly to a new born child.

虺蠆虫它弗螫，攫鳥猛獸弗扣，骨溺筋柔天捉固。
A snake, a scorpion, or an insect, it will not sting them,
taloned birds and predatory beasts will not strike them,
bones fully immersed and sinews lithe, heaven grasped securely.

未智，牝戊之合士易恕，精之至也。
Not yet mindful,
the deep feminine Wu (earthy center)'s
conjoining with the masculine principle of change as though it is the same as itself,
has to do with Jing (vitality)'s arrival.

终日呼天元惪，和之至也。
All day long howling out heavenly Original virtue,
has to do with balancing and according with this arrival.

和曰常，知和曰明，益生曰羕，心貞又氣曰强。
Balancing and according with means "persisting, enduring with constancy,"
mindfully balancing and according with means "creating brightness,"
augmenting the creation of life means "brimming",
the heart-mind determining the creation of Qi means "strengthening capability of mastery."

勿藏則老，是谓元道。
If not storing it up then waning, declining, aging,
this speaks about the Original and the way.

Guodian A18 (44)

名與身䈞新，身與貨䈞多，之貝與亡貝䈞病。
A name joining with a body gathers up devotion to a new syllable,
a body joining with material resources gathers up devotion to multiplication,
and possession of resources joining with expenditure of resources gathers up devotion to being troubled.

甚愛必大費，厚贓必多亡貝。
Excessive partiality, attachment, fondness for, is sure to greatly use up one's resources,
hoarding of wealth is sure to significantly multiply expenditure of resources.

是智足元辱，智止元怠，可以長舊。
Therefore mindfullness of enough disregard to the Original,
and mindfulness of stopping Original negligence,
make possible developing a longstanding existence.

Guodian A19 (40)

返也者，道僮也。
Generally in regards to going back to return,
this is the way of a serving lad.

溺也者，道之甬也。
Generally in regards to immersion,
this is the way's guiding support framework.

天下之物，生於又，生於亡。
The heavenly descended's phenomena,
emerges from creation,
emerging from resolution.

Guodian A20 (9)

困而涅之元，元若已。
Constricting, and then blocking this Original,
the Original complies with ceasing.

湍而羣之元，可長保也。
Running up against, and then banding together with this Original,
has to do with making possible nurturing the sustaining and protecting of it.

金玉涅室，莫能獸也。
Gold and jade blocking up the inner chamber,
has to do with there being no capacity to hunt it.

貴福喬，自遺咎也。
Precious good fortune heightening,
has to do with leaving misfortune behind oneself.

攻述，身退天之道也。
Railing against staying the course,
has to do with withdrawing the bodily vessel from heaven's way.

B: 嗇元修惪

Guodian B1 (59)

治人事天，莫若嗇。
In developing people to be of service to heaven,
nothing compares with conserving and storing up.

夫唯啬是以早，是以早備。
However we look at it, only conserving and storing up truly uses anticipation,
truly using anticipation to prepare and make ready.

是谓〈重積德。
This is to say: "〈emphasizing the accumulation of virtue-power."

重積德則亡〉不克。
When emphasizing the accumulation of virtue-power,
it is so that resolving〉is not overcome.

〈亡〉不克則莫智其恒。
When〈resolving〉is not overcome,
it is so that nothing is thought of one's expansion.

莫智其恒，可以又國。
In no case thinking of one's expansion,
enables means for creating in a contained area.

又國之母，可以長〈久。
The source of what is created in a contained area,
enables means for developing for 〈a long time.

是谓深根固柢〉，長生久視之道也。
This is to say: "deep roots, consolidated taproots."〉 implying the way of "living long and never growing old."

Guodian B2 (48)

为学日益; 为道者日损。
Doing, making, contriving, and carrying out are modeled on daily increase;
those who carry out the way every day reduce.

损之或损以至亡为也。
Implying reducing that is sometimes reduction
to the extent where resolving is done.

亡为而亡不为。
Resolving is done and then resolving is not done.

Guodian B3 (20a)

絕學亡憂，唯與，可相去，幾可？
Pushing beyond learning resolves continuous worry,
be it united with,
how could it be separated from,
in what way is it possible?

美与亞，相去可叒。
The best together with the second-rate,
they come to differ from permitting their comparison.

人之所畏，亦不可以不畏。
People who fear,
in their case do not permit use of not fearing.

Guodian B4 (13)

人寵辱叒纓，貴大患叒身。
People giving favor and taking favor away compare to a binding-cord,
value great cares and troubles as if personal, taken into the self.

何谓寵辱？
What is meant by giving favor and taking favor away?

寵為下也，得之叒纓，失之叒纓。
This has to do with favoring carrying out a lowering down to,
the acquiring of some kind of binding-cord,
or the loss of some kind of binding-cord.

是谓寵辱纓。
This speaks to the binding-cord of giving favor and taking favor away.

〈何谓貴大患〉叒身？
〈What is meant by valuing great cares and troubles〉as if personal, taken into the self?

吾所以又大患者，為吾又身。
Our reason for continuing to have great cares and troubles personally,
is because of our adding more to the person, taking more into the self-vessel.

及吾亡身，或何〈患？
Attaining our resolution of the self, emptying the self-vessel,
in this case how could there be〈cares and troubles?

故贵為身於〉為天下，叒可以庀天下矣。
Therefore valuing service to the self-vessel〉over service to the fallen below heaven,
such has allowed means to put in order the fallen below heaven.

爱以身為天下，叒可以去天下矣。
And cherishing using the self-vessel in service to the fallen below heaven,
such has allowed means to separate from or reject the fallen below heaven.

Guodian B5 (41)

上士昏道，堇能行於其中。
Highly developed and dim about the way,
scarcely able to move in regards to its center.

中士昏道，叒昏叒亡。
Centrally developed and dim about the way,
concerning the dimness, it is like the dimness resolves, vanishing.

下士昏道，大笑之。
Lowly developed and dim about the way,
laughing heartily about it.

弗大笑，元足以爲道矣。
Not laughing heartily about it,
Original sufficiency uses serving the way, that's it.

是以建言又之：
Affirming this uses constructing a statement in addition to this:

明道如孛，遲道如類〈进〉道叒退。
The way of light follows from bursting forth,
The way of slowly drawing out time follows from
arranging〈advancing〉the way as if going backwards.

上德如浴，大白如辱，廣德如元足。
The highest virtue-power follows from purity,
great whiteness follows from not having favor, humility,
extensive virtue-power follows from Original sufficiency.

建德如〈揄質〉，貞如愉。
Constructing virtue-power follows from〈drawing out the unadorned substance〉,
divining it - aligning toward its source - follows from being content.

大方亡禺，大器曼成，大音祇聖。
Great measurements undo plots of land,
great vessels extend wholeness,
great sound is just incomparable.

天象亡形，道〈隱亡名〉。
Heavenly appearance is devoid of form,
the way〈conceals, resolving designations〉.

Guodian B6 (52b)

閉其門，塞其辶兌，終身元務。
Closing up one's gates,
sealing in one's pathways to sensing,
applied to the Original with all of one's being.

啟其辶兌，塞其事，終身元來。
Opening up one's pathways to sensing,
sealing in one's devoted-engagement,
the Original comes to all of one's being.

Guodian B7 (45)

大成叒缺，其甬不敝。
Great wholeness seems to be lacking,
its guiding support framework has not been used up.

大盈叒中，其甬不窮。
Great fullness seems to be half way there,
its guiding support framework has not reached exhaustion.

大巧叒拙，大成叒詘，大植叒屈。
Great mastery seems to be inept,
great shaping seems to bend backward, become humble before,
great planting and embedding seems to submit and yield to.

燥勝蒼，青勝然，青清為天下定。
Heat and agitation defeat what is grizzled and gray,
settling defeats burning,
settling into clarity serves to put a stop to disturbances and uncertainty among the fallen bellow heaven.

Guodian B8 (54)

善建者不拔，善保者不兌。
One who sets forth from goodness cannot be corrupted, made to turn around,
One who protects one's goodness has no openings.

子孫以其祭祀不屯。
Children and grandchildren taking up their sacred ritual of ancestral honoring, not struggling.

修之身，其惪乃貞。
Refining, disciplining and putting into the best condition this self-vessel,
one's virtue-power thereupon aligns toward one's root.

修之家，其惪又舍。
Refining, disciplining, and putting into the best condition this family and household,
one's virtue-power creates a place to rest.

修之向，其惪乃長。
Refining, disciplining, and putting into the best condition this heading, direction, tendency,
one's virtue-power thereupon grows and develops.

修之邦，其惪乃奉。
Refining, disciplining, and putting into the best condition this territory,
one's virtue-power thereupon is entrusted with responsibility.

修之天下，〈其惪乃普。
Refining, disciplining, and putting into the best condition this fallen below heaven,
〈one's virtue-power thereupon becomes widespread, universal, impartial, whole.

以家觀〉家，以向觀向，以邦觀邦，以天下觀天下。
By means of the family and household, contemplating and meditating on〉 the family and household,
by means of heading, direction, tendency, contemplating and meditating on heading, direction, tendency,
by means of the territory, contemplating and meditating on the territory,
by means of the fallen below heaven, contemplating and meditating on the falling from heaven.

吾可以智天〈下之然？
How can we gain insight into the heavenly 〈descending's nature?

以此。〉
By means of this.

C

Guodian C1 (17)

大上下智，又之其即，新譽之其既畏，之其卽。
Cognizant of the great rising up and falling down,
next this is one's taking it over,
renewing the paying of respects to this is one's having just held it in awe,
this is one's taking it over.

矛之信元足安，又元信。
Spearing this guarantees Original sufficiency is taken care of,
continuing into Original guarantee.

成事述功，而百眚曰我自然也。
Having accomplished this undertaking to adhere and stick to the work,
then to a hundred afflictions say "I am free from all that expects me to be."

Guodian C2 (18)

故大道發安，又仁義。
Therefore the great way's issuing forth is taken care of,
created next are kindness and moral judgment.

六新元和安，又孝慈。
On the sixth renewal Original harmony is taken care of,
created next are filial piety and parental affection.

邦家昏乱安，又正臣。
The nation's dimness and confusion taken care of created next is upright servitude.

Guodian C3 (35)

執大象，天下往。
Taking charge of great appearance,
going toward the falling down of heaven.

往天元害安。
Going toward Heaven the Original harm is taken care of.

坪大樂與餌，化客止。 On leveled ground the great music meets enjoyable consumption, transforming in respectful submission, transfixed in place.

故道〈之出口〉：談可，其無味也？
What is happening in the way〈's emerging mouth〉:
how can it be discussed,
on account of its not having flavor?

视之元足，見聖之元足聞，天元可既也。
Taking this to be Original sufficiency,
with peerless, masterful perception this Original sufficiency makes itself known,
Because of heaven the Original can come to completion.

Guodian C4 (31)

君子居則貴左，甬兵則貴右。
A noble person's position for obtaining generally values the left,
the guidance and support of the army generally values the right.

故曰：兵者〈不祥，之器也。不〉得已而甬之，銛袭为上。
Therefore it is said: "taking up weapons of war is〈not a favorable omen,"
this is on account of how it is implemented,
if unable to〉obtain control to stop, then the supporting guidance is this:
the sharp tool is like a second layer conforming its shape in service to what is above.

弗美也，美之，是樂殺人。
Because of this it is not ornamented, beautified, romanticized, glorified.
ornamenting, beautifying, romanticizing, glorifying this,
that is playing music for the killing of people.

夫樂〈殺人，不〉以得志於天下。
In any case of playing music for〈the killing of people〉,
taking this up〈does not〉achieve the goals concerning the descending of heaven.

故吉事上左，丧事上右。
For this reason auspicious undertakings mount the left,
and undertakings of death and destruction mount the right.

是以下又將軍居左，上將軍居右。
Therefore continuously lowering down (de-escalating) brings the army into position to obtain the left,
and passing things up higher and higher (escalating) brings the army into position to obtain the right.

言以喪禮居〈之也，故殺人眾〉則以哀悲位之，戰勝則以喪禮居之。
〈Because〉talk that takes up rites of death and destruction is placed to obtain〈that,
〈killing groups of people〉as a rule is positioned for this suffering the loss of loved ones and grieving,
and trial by combat, winning by violence, as a rule positions itself for this taking up rites of death and destruction.

CC BY NC ND (opens in a new tab) Mysterious Center / Sebastian Leo Raterman 2025 Originally published chapter by chapter from February 2025 to present.