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| 1 | 孫子曰：凡先處戰地而待敵者佚，後處戰地而趨戰者勞。 | Sun Zi said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. |
| 2 | 故善戰者，致人而不致于人。 | Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him. |
| 3 | 能使敵自至者，利之也﹔能使敵不得至者，害之也。 | By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or, by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near. |
| 4 | 故敵佚能勞之，飽能飢之，安能動之。 | If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him; if well supplied with food, he can starve him out; if quietly encamped, he can force him to move. |
| 5 | 出其所不趨，趨其所不意。 | Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected. |
| 6 | 行千里而不勞者，行于無人之地也。 | An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not. |
| 7 | 攻而必取者，攻其所不守也。守而必固者，守其所不攻也。 | You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. |
| 8 | 故善攻者，敵不知其所守。善守者，敵不知其所攻。 | Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack. |
| 9 | 微乎微乎，至于無形，神乎神乎，至于無聲，故能為敵之司命。 | O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible; and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands. |
| 10 | 進而不可御者，沖其虛也﹔退而不可追者，速而不可及也。 | You may advance and be absolutely irresistible, if you make for the enemy's weak points; you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy. |
| 11 | 故我欲戰，敵雖高壘深溝，不得不與我戰者，攻其所必救也﹔ | If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve. |
| 12 | 我不欲戰，雖畫地而守之，敵不得與我戰者，乖其所之也。 | If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way. |
| 13 | 故形人而我無形，則我專而敵分﹔ | By discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy's must be divided. |
| 14 | 我專為一，敵分為十，是以十攻其一也，則我眾而敵寡﹔ | We can form a single united body, while the enemy must split up into fractions. Hence there will be a whole pitted against separate parts of a whole, which means that we shall be many to the enemy's few. |
| 15 | 能以眾擊寡者，則吾之所與戰者，約矣。 | And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one, our opponents will be in dire straits. |
| 16 | 吾所與戰之地不可知，不可知，則敵所備者多，敵所備者多，則吾之所戰者，寡矣。 | The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few. |
| 17 | 故備前則後寡，備後則前寡，故備左則右寡，備右則左寡，無所不備，則無所不寡。 | For should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his right; should he strengthen his right, he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak. |
| 18 | 寡者備人者也，眾者使人備己者也。 | Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks; numerical strength, from compelling our adversary to make these preparations against us. |
| 19 | 故知戰之地，知戰之日，則可千里而會戰。 | Knowing the place and the time of the coming battle, we may concentrate from the greatest distances in order to fight. |
| 20 | 不知戰之地，不知戰之日，則左不能救右，右不能救左，前不能救後，後不能救前，而況遠者數十里，近者數里乎？ | But if neither time nor place be known, then the left wing will be impotent to succor the right, the right equally impotent to succor the left, the van unable to relieve the rear, or the rear to support the van. How much more so if the furthest portions of the army are anything under a hundred LI apart, and even the nearest are separated by several LI! |
| 21 | 以吾度之，越人之兵雖多，亦奚益于勝敗哉？故曰：勝可為也。 | Though according to my estimate the soldiers of Yueh exceed our own in number, that shall advantage them nothing in the matter of victory. I say then that victory can be achieved. |
| 22 | 敵雖眾，可使無鬥。故策之而知得失之計， | Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting. Scheme so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of their success. |
| 23 | 作之而知動靜之理，形之而知死生之地， | Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. |
| 24 | 角之而知有餘不足之處。 | Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient. |
| 25 | 故形兵之極，至于無形﹔無形，則深間不能窺，智者不能謀。 | In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them; conceal your dispositions, and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest spies, from the machinations of the wisest brains. |
| 26 | 因形而錯勝于眾，眾不能知﹔ | How victory may be produced for them out of the enemy's own tactics--that is what the multitude cannot comprehend. |
| 27 | 人皆知我所以勝之形，而莫知吾所以制勝之形。 | All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved. |
| 28 | 故其戰勝不復，而應形于無窮。 | Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances. |
| 29 | 夫兵形象水，水之形避高而趨下， | Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards. |
| 30 | 兵之形，避實而擊虛， | So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. |
| 31 | 水因地而制流，兵應敵而制勝。 | Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. |
| 32 | 故兵無常勢，水無常形， | Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. |
| 33 | 能因敵變化而取勝者，謂之神。 | He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain. |
| 34 | 故五行無常，勝四時無常位，日有短長，月有死生。 |
The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) are not always equally predominant; the four seasons make way for each other in turn. There are short days and long; the moon has its periods of waning and waxing. |
B.
1. Master Sun said:
Generally he who first occupies the field of battle to await the enemy will be rested; he who comes later and hastens into battle will he weary.
2. Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.
3. Getting the enemy to come of his own accord is a matter of making things easy for him; stopping him from coming is a matter of obstructing him.
4. Thus being able to wear down a well-rested enemy, to starve one that is well-provisioned, and to move one that is settled, lies in going by way of places where the enemy must hasten in defense.
6. To march a thousand li without becoming weary is because one marches through territory where there is no enemy presence.
7. To attack with the confidence of taking one's objective is because one attacks what the enemy does not defend.
8. To defend with the confidence of keeping one's charge secure is because one defends where the enemy will not attack.
Thus against the expert in the attack, the enemy does not know where to defend, and against the expert in defense, the enemy does not know where to strike.
9. So veiled and subtle,
To the point of having no form,
So mysterious and miraculous,
To the point of making no sound.
Therefore he can be arbiter of the enemy's fate.
10. In advancing he cannot be resisted because he bursts through the enemy's weak points; in withdrawing he cannot be pursued because, being so quick, he cannot be caught.
11. Thus, if we want to fight, the enemy has no choice but to engage us, even though safe behind his high walls and deep moats, because we strike at what he must rescue.
12. If we do not want to fight, the enemy cannot engage us, even though we have no more around us than a drawn line, because we divert him to a different objective.
13. If we can make the enemy show his position while concealing ours from him, we will be at full force where he is divided.
14. If our army is united as one and the enemy's is fragmented, in using the undivided whole to attack his one, we are many to his few.
15. If we are able to use many to strike few, anyone we take the battle to will be in desperate circumstances.
16. The place we have chosen to give the enemy battle must be kept from him.
If he cannot anticipate us, the positions the enemy must prepare to defend will be many.
And if the positions he must prepare to defend are many, then any unit we engage in battle will be few in number.
17. Thus if the enemy makes preparations by reinforcing his numbers at the front, his rear is weakened; if he makes preparations at the rear, his front is weakened; if he makes them on his left flank, his right is weakened; if he makes them on his right flank, his left is weakened. To be prepared everywhere is to be weak everywhere.
18. One is weak because he makes preparations against others; he has strength because he makes others prepare against him.
19. Thus if one can anticipate the place and the day of battle, he can march a thousand to join the battle.
20. But if one cannot anticipate either the place or the day of battle, his left flank cannot even rescue his right, or his right his left; his front cannot even rescue his rear, or his rear his front. How much more is this so when your reinforcements are separated by at least a few /i, or even tens of /i.
21. The way I estimate it, even though the troops of Yi.ieh are many, what good is this to them in respect to victory?
Thus it is said: Victory can be created.
22. For even though the enemy has the strength of numbers, we can prevent him from fighting us.
24. Therefore, analyze the enemy's battle plan to understand its merits and its weaknesses; provoke him to find out the panern of his movements; make him show himself to discover the viability of his battle position; skirmish with him to find out where he is strong and where he is vulnerable.
25. The ultimate skill in taking up a strategic position is to have no form.
If your position is formless, the most carefully concealed spies will not be able to get a look at it, and the wisest counsellors will not be able to lay plans against it.
I present the rank and file with victories gained through strategic positioning, yet they are not able to understand them.
Everyone knows the position that has Won me victory, yet none fathom how I came to settle on this winning position.
Thus one's victories in battle cannot be repeared they in their form in response to inexhaustibly changing circumstances.
The positioning (bsing) of troops can be likened to warer:Just as the flow of water avoids high ground and rushes to the lowesr point, so on the parh to vicrory avoid the enemy's strong points and strike where he is weak. As water varies its flow according to the fall of the land, an army varies its method of gaining vicrory according to the enemy.
Thus an army dues nor have flxed strategic advantages or an in variable position.
To be able to rake the victory by varying one's position according to the enemy's is called being inscrutable.
Thus, of the flve phases (wu hsing), none is the constant victor; of four seasons, none occupies a constant position; the days are both short and long; the moon waxes and wanes.
1. Master Sun said:
Generally he who first occupies the field of battle to await the enemy will be rested; he who comes later and hastens into battle will he weary.
2. Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.
3. Getting the enemy to come of his own accord is a matter of making things easy for him; stopping him from coming is a matter of obstructing him.
4. Thus being able to wear down a well-rested enemy, to starve one that is well-provisioned, and to move one that is settled, lies in going by way of places where the enemy must hasten in defense.
6. To march a thousand li without becoming weary is because one marches through territory where there is no enemy presence.
7. To attack with the confidence of taking one's objective is because one attacks what the enemy does not defend.
8. To defend with the confidence of keeping one's charge secure is because one defends where the enemy will not attack.
Thus against the expert in the attack, the enemy does not know where to defend, and against the expert in defense, the enemy does not know where to strike.
9. So veiled and subtle,
To the point of having no form,
So mysterious and miraculous,
To the point of making no sound.
Therefore he can be arbiter of the enemy's fate.
10. In advancing he cannot be resisted because he bursts through the enemy's weak points; in withdrawing he cannot be pursued because, being so quick, he cannot be caught.
11. Thus, if we want to fight, the enemy has no choice but to engage us, even though safe behind his high walls and deep moats, because we strike at what he must rescue.
12. If we do not want to fight, the enemy cannot engage us, even though we have no more around us than a drawn line, because we divert him to a different objective.
13. If we can make the enemy show his position while concealing ours from him, we will be at full force where he is divided.
14. If our army is united as one and the enemy's is fragmented, in using the undivided whole to attack his one, we are many to his few.
15. If we are able to use many to strike few, anyone we take the battle to will be in desperate circumstances.
16. The place we have chosen to give the enemy battle must be kept from him.
If he cannot anticipate us, the positions the enemy must prepare to defend will be many.
And if the positions he must prepare to defend are many, then any unit we engage in battle will be few in number.
17. Thus if the enemy makes preparations by reinforcing his numbers at the front, his rear is weakened; if he makes preparations at the rear, his front is weakened; if he makes them on his left flank, his right is weakened; if he makes them on his right flank, his left is weakened. To be prepared everywhere is to be weak everywhere.
18. One is weak because he makes preparations against others; he has strength because he makes others prepare against him.
19. Thus if one can anticipate the place and the day of battle, he can march a thousand to join the battle.
20. But if one cannot anticipate either the place or the day of battle, his left flank cannot even rescue his right, or his right his left; his front cannot even rescue his rear, or his rear his front. How much more is this so when your reinforcements are separated by at least a few /i, or even tens of /i.
21. The way I estimate it, even though the troops of Yi.ieh are many, what good is this to them in respect to victory?
Thus it is said: Victory can be created.
22. For even though the enemy has the strength of numbers, we can prevent him from fighting us.
24. Therefore, analyze the enemy's battle plan to understand its merits and its weaknesses; provoke him to find out the panern of his movements; make him show himself to discover the viability of his battle position; skirmish with him to find out where he is strong and where he is vulnerable.
25. The ultimate skill in taking up a strategic position is to have no form.
If your position is formless, the most carefully concealed spies will not be able to get a look at it, and the wisest counsellors will not be able to lay plans against it.
I present the rank and file with victories gained through strategic positioning, yet they are not able to understand them.
Everyone knows the position that has Won me victory, yet none fathom how I came to settle on this winning position.
Thus one's victories in battle cannot be repeared they in their form in response to inexhaustibly changing circumstances.
The positioning (bsing) of troops can be likened to warer:Just as the flow of water avoids high ground and rushes to the lowesr point, so on the parh to vicrory avoid the enemy's strong points and strike where he is weak. As water varies its flow according to the fall of the land, an army varies its method of gaining vicrory according to the enemy.
Thus an army dues nor have flxed strategic advantages or an in variable position.
To be able to rake the victory by varying one's position according to the enemy's is called being inscrutable.
Thus, of the flve phases (wu hsing), none is the constant victor; of four seasons, none occupies a constant position; the days are both short and long; the moon waxes and wanes.
C.
to be added.
“Sun Tzu’s The Art of War may seem easier on first reading, but it is actually more difficult to understand in depth.
”2 Sun Tzu’s most famous sayings are frequently cited in the West.
But Western readers often find Sun Tzu’s work extremely difficult to understand. To a certain extent this results from the translations themselves. Yet there is also a broader problem in that many of the Chinese phrases and concepts in The Art of War do not have precise English translations.
This situation is further compounded by a lack of understanding of Taoism, which serves as the philosophical basis for The Art of War."
~ From: Deciphering Sun Tzu, How to Read ‘The Art of War'.
by: Derek M. C. YUEN
Original chapter text ?:
