Line by Line - Verse 31, Line 18

and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Victory in war should be treated as a funeral
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

(No corresponding line)
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Death is universal. Each being and each entity in the world we know eventually will die.

When someone or something dies, those still alive often mourn the loss. There can be a feeling of emptiness and isolation. It can feel as if your heart has been ripped out.

Consequently, we each intuitively know what those who have lost a loved one in war will experience. It doesn't matter which side the deceased fought on -- the pain is still the same.

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