--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When many people are killed, they should…" description: "\"When many people are killed, they should be mourned and lamented. Those who are victorious in war should follow the rites of funerals.\" — Laozi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/laozi-147_funeral_when-many-people-are-killed-they-should_2211882.jpg" --- # When many people are killed, they should be mourned and… ![“When many people are killed, they should be mourned and lamented. Those who are victorious in war should follow the rites of funerals.” quote by Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/laozi-147_funeral_when-many-people-are-killed-they-should_2211882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/laozi-147_funeral_when-many-people-are-killed-they-should_2211882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/laozi-147_funeral_when-many-people-are-killed-they-should_2211882.jpg) > “When many people are killed, they should be mourned and lamented. Those who are victorious in war should follow the rites of funerals.” [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War victims deserve mourning; victors should honor the dead through proper rites, recognizing shared humanity. **In simple terms:** Respect the dead and uphold funeral rites even in victory. Key Takeaway Honor all lives lost, regardless of side. Themes war mourning ritual humanity respect Mood somber respectful thoughtful Type ethical historical reflective When to use this quote - military ceremonies - memorial services - peace negotiations - historical education - counseling for veterans Key Concepts ethical duty cultural rites empathy Questions to Reflect On - Why is it important for winners to observe mourning rites? - How can societies ensure respectful remembrance after conflict? A Different Perspective Rituals may be ignored in chaotic post‑war contexts, limiting healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral/) [Funerals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funerals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rite/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [They say funerals are not for the dead but for the living. Those rites are what permit you to move on, so if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/they-say-funerals-are-not-for-the-dead-but-for-the-living-those-rites/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [Funerals are a pagan rite. There's not any doubt about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/funerals-are-a-pagan-rite-there-s-not-any-doubt-about-it/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Arms are instruments of ill omen… When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/arms-are-instruments-of-ill-omen-when-one-is-compelled-to-use-them-it/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“They mourned for his kind of Christianity, and he frankly scoffed at theirs; but both parties went on loving each other just the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/they-mourned-for-his-kind-of-christianity-and-he-frankly-scoffed-at/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“She mourned the history that the invisible intruder had erased, but not enough that she would spend a second more of her future feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/she-mourned-the-history-that-the-invisible-intruder-had-erased-but/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“The broken are not always gathered together,of course, and not all mysteries of the flesh are solved. We speak of "senseless tragedies" but really:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kallos/the-broken-are-not-always-gathered-together-of-course-and-not-all/) [Stephanie Kallos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kallos/) > [You have mourned over others; now sit down for a while and weep over your own self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-have-mourned-over-others-now-sit-down-for-a-while-and-weep-over/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Yet tears to human suffering are due; And mortal hopes defeated and o'erthrown Are mourned by man, and not by man alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/yet-tears-to-human-suffering-are-due-and-mortal-hopes-defeated-and-o/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Lady Moon rose an' gazed o'er my busted'n'beautsome Valleys with silv'ry'n'sorryin' eyes, an' the dingos mourned for the died uns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/lady-moon-rose-an-gazed-o-er-my-busted-n-beautsome-valleys-with-silv/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Beloved, till life can charm no more; And mourned, till Pity's self be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-collins/beloved-till-life-can-charm-no-more-and-mourned-till-pity-s-self-be/) [William Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-collins/) > [“He was a hunter who mourned for his prey, but was very good at tracking it down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-thomas/he-was-a-hunter-who-mourned-for-his-prey-but-was-very-good-at/) Jeffrey Thomas > [I hurt for my Marines, goodhearted American guys who'd bear these burdens for the rest of their lives. And I mourned for myself. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-fick/i-hurt-for-my-marines-goodhearted-american-guys-who-d-bear-these/) [Nathaniel Fick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-fick/) > [“I don't know if you're alive or dead. Can you on earth be sought, or only when the sunsets fade be mourned secretly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/i-don-t-know-if-you-re-alive-or-dead-can-you-on-earth-be-sought-or/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [“Freedom is only mourned by those who no longer have it. Those who’ve never known it don’t have that luxury.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-dacosta/freedom-is-only-mourned-by-those-who-no-longer-have-it-those-who-ve/) [Pippa DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pippa-dacosta/) > [“The way she said his name, the tenderness in those two words, the loss, told me that it was Charlie who she mourned above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilly-macmillan/the-way-she-said-his-name-the-tenderness-in-those-two-words-the-loss/) [Gilly Macmillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilly-macmillan/) ## More by Laozi > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-lightness-the-root-is-lost-in-haste-the-ruler-is-lost/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-sage-wants-to-stand-above-people-he-must-speak-to-them-from/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/goodie-goodies-are-the-thieves-of-virtue/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/without-looking-through-the-window-you-can-see-heaven-s-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-the-sage-is-good-to-those-who-are-good-he-is-also-good-to-those/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a thing inherent and natural which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-a-thing-inherent-and-natural-which-existed-before-heaven-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More Funeral quotes > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [“Well, they took the neck bones down from the Royal Oaks tree. Rest of the bones they separated from the chains on the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-e-wright/well-they-took-the-neck-bones-down-from-the-royal-oaks-tree-rest-of/) Sarah E Wright > [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [ The most important thing I learned \[...\] was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-that-when-a-person-dies-he/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [“What about your funeral, eh?” She asks. “You mean the one that is never going to happen ever because I am going to gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/what-about-your-funeral-eh-she-asks-you-mean-the-one-that-is-never/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [The Nobel is a ticket to one's own funeral. No one has ever done anything after he got it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-nobel-is-a-ticket-to-one-s-own-funeral-no-one-has-ever-done/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [“I feel like I just went to my own funeral. and I didn’t like the eulogy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lane-pryce/i-feel-like-i-just-went-to-my-own-funeral-and-i-didn-t-like-the-eulogy/) Lane Pryce > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [Growing up, there were a lot of funerals that I attended, and the adults at the funerals went out of their way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fuller/growing-up-there-were-a-lot-of-funerals-that-i-attended-and-the/) [Bryan Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fuller/) > [Funerals and weddings were commonplace, and nothing could have been so interesting to them as the coming of the end of the world ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-eggleston/funerals-and-weddings-were-commonplace-and-nothing-could-have-been-so/) [Edward Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-eggleston/) > [I've got no idea when I am going to retire. Whenever they pick me up and take me to the funeral home, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-ve-got-no-idea-when-i-am-going-to-retire-whenever-they-pick-me-up/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [My father? A hard drinking man from the 70's. We actually have no pictures of my dad where he is not holding a beer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-a-hard-drinking-man-from-the-70-s-we-actually-have-no/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [At my funeral, if one said, 'Nick was a generous person,' trust me I won't be doing cartwheels in my coffin. Recognition from people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/at-my-funeral-if-one-said-nick-was-a-generous-person-trust-me-i-won-t/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) [Browse all 1,014 Funeral quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When many people are killed, they should be mourned and lamented. 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