Version 1
Someone who carries weapons is relying on the most unfavorable tools, and perhaps harbors a hatred for other things in this world.
Therefore, someone who's connected with Dao wouldn't consider being comfortable with that.
A person of character rests more comfortably with valuing being considered inferior.
Someone who'd resort to brandishing weapons finds more value in a sense of needing to defend his honor.
Therefore, someone who uses weapons offensively is in direct opposition with the way a person of character would look at the usage of weapons.
Therefore, it's said that someone who uses weapons offensively is relying on the most unfavorable tools.
If one has no choice but to use them, it should be done dispassionately.
One who's forced to act as a superior wouldn't see that as beautiful position to be in.
If they did see it as beautiful, then they're certainly someone who finds pleasure in killing another person.
You know, finding happiness in killing can never fulfill one's ambitions in this world.
Therefore, it's more auspicious to see an inferior position as being superior.
Those who see retaining their honor as being superior will be the ones who'll end up having to make funeral arrangements.
It's only natural for one who must follow orders to take an inferior position.
One who's the highest commander must defend his honour.
Then he has to constantly be giving eulogies at funerals.
Therefore, killing another person would lead to being in a state of grief.
By defeating others he'd always be at a funeral for someone.
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Version 2
Weapons are instruments of evil omen; they are not the instruments of a superior person. A superior person uses them only out of necessity. Calmness and repose are what he prizes; victory by force of arms is, to him,
undesirable. To consider the latter desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men. He who delights in the slaughter of men cannot instil his will in the world. On occasions of festivity, seats on the left are more prestigious. On occasions of mourning, seats on the right are more prestigious. In the army, the commander - in-chief has his place on the right, and the second in command has his place on the left. This signifies that the army adopts the same principle as that of the funeral rites when they go to war. He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief. The victor in battle has his place according to the funeral
rites.
《Scroll 34: Lao Zi - THE GOVERNING PRINCIPLES OF ANCIENT CHINA VOLUME 1.》
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