Weapons

Instruments of war rely on fear, all life avoids them.
The tao doesn't need them.
The wise prefer to walk around,
Warriors want to blow up the rock.

Using weapons means a failure of imagination and compassion.
The wise will never use them, save to protect the threatened.
Peace and kindness heal minds,
Destroying an opponent is cause for grief.
If you rejoice in hurting others, enjoy the thought of killing,
You kill your own spirit, empty out your own humanity.

In joy, we are glad to be kind.
When sad, we want to indulge in violence.
Military leaders on the battlefield prefer peace,
The politicians safe at home cry for war.
War should be seen as a mass funeral.
The maimed and dead have no side,
All should be mourned as a failure of all of us.
Every victory is a solemn disaster.


This was a very strange one to interpret, and terribly sad. Anyone who resorts to violence, even in thought, has failed to find a real solution.