Gui Gu Zi (鬼谷子) · Volume 1

奧若稽古聖人之在天地間也，為眾生之先，觀陰陽之開闔以名命物；知存亡之門戶，籌策萬類之終始，達人心之理，見變化之朕焉，而守司其門戶。故聖人之在天下也，自古及今，其道一也。

Looking back to antiquity (the received text has “ao” where “yue” is meant): the sage, standing between Heaven and Earth, acted as the guide of living beings. He observed the opening and closing of yin and yang in order to name the myriad things; he knew the gateways of survival and ruin, planned the beginning and end of all kinds of things, understood the principles of the human heart, saw the omens of change, and so guarded those gateways. Therefore the sage in the world, from ancient times to the present, has followed a Way (the word “dao,” which Laozi used to refer to the origin of the myriad things and the manner of their operation, itself beyond description; this book mostly speaks of that operation as it appears in human affairs) that is one and unbroken.

變化無窮，各有所歸，或陰或陽，或柔或剛，或開或閉，或馳或張。是故聖人一守司其門戶，審察其所先後，度權量能，校其伎巧短長。

Change is endless, and each thing has its own destination: now yin, now yang; now soft, now hard; now open, now closed; now relaxed, now drawn tight. Therefore the sage devotes himself to guarding those gateways, examining what comes first and what comes after, weighing capacities, and checking the strengths and shortcomings of skills.

夫賢、不肖；智、愚；勇、怯；仁、義；有差。乃可捭，乃可闔，乃可進，乃可退，乃可賤，乃可貴；無為以牧之。

The worthy and the unworthy, the wise and the foolish, the brave and the timid, the benevolent and the righteous, all differ. So one can open or close, advance or retreat, treat as lowly or treat as honored; and one tends them by non-action (wu wei, not forcing things, which does not mean doing nothing).

審定有無，與其虛實，隨其嗜慾以見其志意。微排其言而捭反之，以求其實，貴得其指。闔而捭之，以求其利。或開而示之，或闔而閉之。開而示之者，同其情也。闔而閉之者，異其誠也。可與不可，審明其計謀，以原其同異。離合有守，先從其志。即欲捭之，貴周；即欲闔之，貴密。周密之貴微，而與道相追。

Examine presence and absence, and likewise the empty and the full, and follow a person’s desires to see his intentions. Slightly set aside his words, open and then reverse, to seek the truth of it; what matters is to obtain the point to which he is heading. Close and then open, to seek advantage. Sometimes open it up to show others; sometimes close it and shut it. To open it up to show is to share the same feelings with him; to close and shut is to differ from his sincere intent. What is permissible and what is not: examine his plans in order to trace the similarities and differences. Joining and parting each have something to hold to; first follow his aims. If you want to open, what matters is being all-encompassing; if you want to close, what matters is secrecy. The value of being all-encompassing and secret lies in subtlety, so that one follows along with the Way.

捭之者，料其情也。闔之者，結其誠也，皆見其權衡輕重，乃為之度數，聖人因而為之慮。其不中權衡度數，聖人因而自為之慮。

To open is to gauge his feelings. To close is to bind his sincerity. Once you have seen how heavy or light the scales of his judgment are, you set measures for him, and the sage plans on his behalf accordingly. If he does not fit the scales and measures, the sage then plans for himself.

故捭者，或捭而出之，而捭而內之。闔者，或闔而取之，或闔而去之。捭闔者，天地之道。捭闔者，以變動陰陽，四時開閉，以化萬物；縱橫反出，反覆反忤，必由此矣。

Therefore opening may be opening to release, or opening to take in. Closing may be closing to make use of something, or closing to get rid of it. Opening and closing (bai he) is the Way of Heaven and Earth. Opening and closing are used to move yin and yang, and the opening and shutting of the four seasons, to transform the myriad things; whether one goes vertically or horizontally, turns back or out, or repeatedly reverses and opposes, it must all proceed from this.

捭闔者，道之大化，說之變也。必豫審其變化。吉凶大命□焉。口者，心之門戶也。心者，神之主也。志意、喜欲、思慮、智謀，此皆由門戶出入。故關之矣捭闔，制之以出入。

Opening and closing is the great transformation of the Way, and the changes of persuasion. One must examine those changes beforehand. Good fortune and ill, the great decrees (the received text is damaged at this word), lie here. The mouth is the gateway of the heart. The heart is the master of the spirit. Intentions, joys and desires, thoughts and schemes all go in and out through this gateway. Therefore one shuts it by opening and closing, and controls it by going out and coming in.

捭之者，開也，言也，陽也。闔之者，閉也，默也，陰也。陰陽其和，終始其義。

To open is to unfold, it is speech, it is yang. To close is to shut, it is silence, it is yin. When yin and yang are in harmony, beginning and end each find their proper meaning.

故言「長生」、「安樂」、「富貴」、「尊榮」、「顯名」、「愛好」、「財利」、「得意」、「喜欲」，為『陽』，曰『始』。

Therefore speaking of “long life,” “peace and joy,” “wealth and rank,” “honor and glory,” “fame,” “fondness,” “riches and profit,” “getting what one wants,” and “delights and desires” belongs to yang, and is called the beginning.

故言「死亡」、「憂患」、「貧賤」、「苦辱」、「棄損」、「亡利」、「失意」、「有害」、「刑戮」、「誅罰」，為『陰』，曰『終』。

Therefore speaking of “death,” “sorrow and calamity,” “poverty and lowliness,” “bitterness and disgrace,” “abandonment and loss,” “loss of profit,” “disappointment,” “harm,” “execution,” and “punishment” belongs to yin, and is called the end.

諸言法陽之類者，皆曰『始』；言善以始其事。諸言法陰之類者，皆曰『終』；言惡以終其謀。

All speech that follows the yang kind is called the beginning, using goodness to start a matter. All speech that follows the yin kind is called the end, using evil to conclude the scheme.

捭闔之道，以陰陽試之。故與陽言者，依崇高。與陰言者，依卑小。以下求小，以高求大。由此言之，無所不出，無所不入，無所不可。可以說人，可以說家，可以說國，可以說天下。

The Way of opening and closing is tested by means of yin and yang. So with those who speak yang, one relies on what is lofty. With those who speak yin, one relies on what is humble and small. Using the low one seeks the small; using the high one seeks the great. From this it follows that there is nothing that cannot go out, nothing that cannot go in, nothing that cannot be done. One can persuade a person, a family, a state, or the whole world.

為小無內，為大無外；益損、去就、倍反，皆以陰陽御其事。

Made small, it has no interior that can be exhausted; made great, it has no exterior that can be reached to its end; gain and loss, leaving and approaching, opposing and reversing all manage their affairs by yin and yang.

陽動而行，陰止而藏；陽動而出，陰隱而入；陽遠終陰，陰極反陽。

Yang moves and goes forth, yin stops and lies hidden; yang moves and goes out, yin hides and goes in; yang, having gone far, finally enters yin, and yin, reaching its extreme, turns back into yang.

以陽動者，德相生也。以陰靜者，形相成也。以陽求陰，苞以德也；以陰結陽，施以力也。陰陽相求，由捭闔也。此天地陰陽之道，而說人之法也。為萬事之先，是謂圓方之門戶。

What moves by yang gives rise to virtue (de, the “getting” that the Way brings to concrete people and things, not moral “virtue” in a preaching sense). What is still by yin gives rise to form. Seeking yin by yang, one embraces it with virtue; joining yang by yin, one applies it with strength. That yin and yang seek one another comes about through opening and closing. This is the Way of Heaven and Earth, yin and yang, and also the method of persuading people. It is the guide to all affairs, and is called the gateway of the round and the square.

古之大化者，乃與無形俱生。反以觀往，復以驗來；反以知古，復以知今；反以知彼，復以知此。動靜虛實之理不合於今，反古而求之。事有反而得復者，聖人之意也，不可不察。

The ancients who could effect great transformations came into being together with the formless. Looking back to examine the past, then returning to test the future; looking back to know antiquity, then returning to know the present; looking back to know the other, then returning to know oneself. If the principles of movement and stillness, emptiness and fullness do not fit the present, go back to antiquity and seek them there. When affairs, turned back, obtain a return, that is the sage’s intention, and one must not fail to examine it.

人言者，動也。己默者，靜也。因其言，聽其辭。言有不合者，反而求之，其應必出。

When another speaks, that is movement. When one is silent oneself, that is stillness. Follow his words and listen to his phrasing. Where his words do not fit, reverse and seek, and his answer will surely come out.

言有象，事有比；其有象比，以觀其次。

Words have images, and affairs have comparisons; with images and comparisons in hand, one uses them to observe the next step.

象者，象其事。比者，比其辭也。以無形求有聲。其釣語合事，得人實也。其猶張□綱而取獸也。多張其會而司之，道合其事，彼自*鮒說鋈酥僖病３３制涓僨*

An image is a likeness of the matter. A comparison is a comparing of his phrasing. Use the formless to seek the sounding. If the words fished out agree with the matter, one obtains the true state of the person. It is like spreading (the received text is damaged at this word) a net to catch beasts. Spread many nets where they gather and lie in wait, and when the Way matches the matter, he himself will (the received text has a rare character after this, lost in transcription).

己反往，彼復來，言有象比，因而定基，重之、襲之、反之、復之，萬事不失其辭。聖人所愚智，事皆不疑。

One goes back oneself and the other side comes again; words have images and comparisons, and so the foundation is fixed; repeated, followed, reversed, returned, in the myriad affairs one does not lose his words. For the sage, whether faced with the foolish or the wise, matters leave no doubt.

故善反聽者，乃變鬼神以得其情。其變當也，而牧之審也。牧之不審，得情不明。得情不明，定基不審。變象比必有反辭以遠聽之。欲聞其聲，反默；欲張，反斂；欲高，反下；欲取，反與。欲開情者，象而比之，以牧其辭。同聲相呼，實理同歸。或因此，或因彼，或以事上，或以牧下。此聽真偽，知同異，得其情詐也。動作言默，與此出入；喜怒由此以見其式；皆以先定為之法則。以反求復，觀其所託，故用此者。

Therefore one who is good at listening in reverse transforms like a ghost or spirit to obtain the true state. When the transformations are fitting, the tending is also careful. If the tending is not careful, obtaining the true state is not clear. If obtaining the true state is not clear, fixing the foundation is not careful. To transform images and comparisons, one must have reversed phrasing and listen from afar. Wanting to hear his voice, be silent instead; wanting to expand, contract instead; wanting to go high, lower yourself instead; wanting to take, give instead. Those who want to open up true feelings use images and comparisons to tend his words. Voices alike call to one another, and true principles return to the same place. Sometimes it is by this one, sometimes by that; sometimes used to serve a superior, sometimes used to tend those below. This is how one listens for truth and falsehood, knows sameness and difference, and obtains true feelings and deceit. Movement, action, speech, silence all go in and out along this; joy and anger show their pattern through this; first fix the rules for what you do. Using reversal to seek a return and observing what he relies on, one uses this.

己欲平靜以聽其辭，觀其事、論萬物、別雄雌。雖非其事，見微知類。若探人而居其內，量其能，射其意；符應不失，如□蛇之所指，若弈之引矢；故知之始己，自知而後知人也。其相知也，若比目之魚；其見形也，若光之與影；其察言也不失，若磁石之取鐵；若舌之取燔骨。其與人也微，其見情也疾；如陰與陽，如圓與方。未見形，圓以道之；既見形，方以事之。進退左右，以是司之。己不先定，牧人不正，是用不巧，是謂忘情失道。己審先定以牧人，策而無形容，莫見其門，是謂天神。

When you want to listen to his words in tranquility, observe his affairs, discuss the myriad things, and distinguish male from female. Even if it is not that matter, one can see the subtle and know the kind. As if probing in and dwelling inside him, one measures his abilities and shoots at his intentions; the tally answers without fail, like what a snake (the received text is damaged at this word) points to, like an archer drawing the arrow. Therefore knowing others begins with oneself; one knows oneself and afterward knows others. When two know each other, they are like the flatfish that swim paired; seeing the form is like light and shadow; examining words without error is like a magnet drawing iron, like a tongue taking a roasted bone. Giving someone the subtle, one sees the feelings quickly; like yin and yang, like round and square. Before the form is seen, use the round to lead him; after the form is seen, use the square to handle the matter. Advancing and retreating, left and right, all are managed by this. If one does not first fix oneself, one’s tending of others will not be correct and one’s use of them will not be skillful; this is called forgetting the true state and losing the Way. If one is careful and first fixes oneself and then tends others, one’s plans have no visible shape and no one sees the gateway; this is called the divine.

君臣上下之事，有遠而親，近而疏；就之不用，去之反求；日進前而不御，遙聞聲而相思。

In the affairs of ruler and subject, high and low, some are distant yet close, near yet distant; some are near but not used, some have left and are instead sought; some come before one’s face every day yet are not employed, while others are heard of from afar and longed for.

事皆有內楗，素結本始。或結以道德，或結以黨友，或結以財貨，貨結以采色。用其意，欲入則入，欲出則出；欲親則親，欲疏則疏；欲就則就；欲去則去；欲求則求，欲思則思。若蚨母之從子也；出無間，入無朕。獨往獨來，莫之能止。

All affairs have an inner latch, tied from the beginning at the root. Some bind it by Way and virtue, some by party and friends, some by wealth and goods, some by beauty and color (the received text has “wealth binds” where “or binds” is meant). Using his intentions, when you want to go in you go in, when you want to go out you go out; when you want to be close you are close, when you want to be distant you are distant; when you want to approach you approach, when you want to leave you leave; when you want to seek you seek, when you want to be remembered you are remembered. It is like the mother of the water-strider following her young; going out leaves no gap, coming in leaves no sign. One goes alone and comes alone, and no one can stop it.

內者，進說辭也。楗者，楗所謀也。欲說者務穩度，計事者務循順。陰慮可否，明言得失，以御其志。方來應時，以和其謀。詳思來楗，往應時當也。夫內有不合者，不可施行也。乃揣切時宜，從便所為，以求其變。以變求內者，若管取楗。言往者，先順辭也；說來者，以變言也。善變者審知地勢，乃通於天，以化四時，使鬼神，合於陰陽，而牧人民。

“Nei” means presenting words to a superior. “Jian” means latching the plan. Those who want to persuade must measure steadily, and those who plan affairs must follow what is smooth. Privately weigh what is permissible, openly state gains and losses, and so steer his aims. Come at the right moment, in order to match his plans. Think in detail about the latch that is coming, and when you go, respond to the timing and you will be fitting. If there is inner disagreement, it cannot be carried out. Then assess what the times demand, follow what is convenient for what you do, and seek its variations. Use variation to seek the inside, like using a tube to take out a latch. In speaking of the past, use first the words of compliance; in speaking of the future, use words of change. One who is good at change knows the lay of the land, then penetrates to Heaven, so as to transform the four seasons, command ghosts and spirits, accord with yin and yang, and tend the people.

見其謀事，知其志意。事有不合者，有所未知也。合而不結者，陽親而陰疏。事有不合者，聖人不為謀也。

Seeing how he plans an affair, one knows his intentions. Where affairs do not fit, there is something he does not yet know. If they fit but do not bind, he is close on the surface but distant in secret. Where affairs do not fit, the sage does not plan for him.

故遠而親者，有陰德也。近而疏者，志不合也。就而不用者，策不得也。去而反求者，事中來也。日進前而不御者，施不合也。遙聞聲而相思者，合於謀待決事也。

Therefore those who are distant yet close have hidden virtue. Those who are near yet distant have aims that do not match. Those who are near but not used have plans that are not suitable. Those who have left yet are sought have affairs that arise from within. Those who come before one’s face daily yet are not employed have actions that do not fit. Those who are heard from afar and longed for fit the plan and are waiting for a decision.

故曰：不見其類而為之者，見逆。不得其情而說之者，見非。得其情乃制其術，此用可出可入，可楗可開。故聖人立事，以此先知而楗萬物。

Therefore it is said: to act without seeing its kind is to meet with opposition. To speak without having the true state is to be seen as wrong. Only after obtaining the true state do you fashion your technique, and so employed it can go out or in, can latch or open. Therefore the sage establishes affairs, and by this foreknows and latches the myriad things.

由夫道德仁義，禮樂忠信計謀，先取詩書，混說損益，議論去就。欲合者用內，欲去者用外。外內者，必明道數。揣策來事，見疑決之。策無失計，立功建德，治名入產業，曰楗而內合。上暗不治，下亂不□，楗而反之。內自得而外不留，說而飛之，若命自來，己迎而御之。若欲去之，因危與之。環轉因化，莫知所為，退為大儀。

Through Way and virtue, benevolence and righteousness, ritual and music, loyalty and good faith, and strategy, first draw on the Songs and the Documents, mix in speech about gain and loss, and discuss leaving and approaching. Use the inner for those you want to join, the outer for those you want to leave. Outer and inner must be clear about the Way and the numbers. Estimate affairs to come, and on seeing doubt, decide. When plans have no missed strategy, you establish merit and build virtue, govern your name and enter into enterprises; this is called latching and inwardly fitting. If those above are dim and do not govern, and those below are chaotic and do not (the received text is damaged at this word), then latch and reverse. When you have gained inwardly but do not linger outwardly, you speak and so lift him up; if he orders you to come, you receive him yourself and steer him. If you want to be rid of him, use danger to hand it to him. Turning as in a ring, following transformation, so that no one knows what you do, and withdrawing is the great rule.

物有自然，事有合離。有近而不可見，有遠而可知。近而不可見者，不察其辭也；遠而可知者，反往以驗來也。

Things have their own so-ness (zi ran, being so of themselves, originally so; not “nature” in the sense of the natural world), and affairs have joining and parting. Some are near yet cannot be seen; some are far yet can be known. Being near yet unseen is not examining his words; being far yet knowable is going back to verify the future.

戲者，罅也。罅者，澗也。澗者，成大隙也。戲始有朕，可抵而塞，可抵而卻，可抵而息，可抵而匿，可抵而得，此謂抵戲之理也。

A “xi” is a crack. A crack is a ravine. A ravine becomes a great fissure. When the xi begins to show omens, one can press on it and block it, press on it and drive it back, press on it and bring it to rest, press on it and hide it, press on it and obtain it; this is called the principle of pressing on the crack.

事之危也，聖人知之，獨保其身；因化說事，通達計謀，以識細微。經起秋毫之末，揮之於太山之本。其施外兆萌牙□之謀，皆由抵戲。抵戲之隙為道術用。

When affairs are dangerous, the sage knows it and alone keeps his person whole; following the changes he speaks of affairs, penetrates plans, and so recognizes the subtle. It rises from the tip of an autumn hair and, wielded, reaches the foot of Mount Tai. Schemes applied to those sprouts (the received text is damaged at this word) outside all come from pressing on cracks. The fissures of such pressing are used by the arts of the Way.

天下紛錯，上無明主，公侯無道德，則小人讒賊，賢人不用，聖人鼠匿，貪利詐偽者作，君臣相惑，土崩瓦解而相伐射，父子離散，乖亂反目，是謂萌牙戲罅。聖人見萌牙戲罅，則抵之以法。世可以治，則抵而塞之；不可治，則抵而得之；或抵如此，或抵如彼；或抵反之，或抵覆之。五帝之政，抵而塞之；三王之事，抵而得之。諸侯相抵，不可勝數，當此之時，能抵為右。

When the world is in confusion and disorder, with no enlightened ruler above, and dukes and marquises lacking virtue, then petty men slander and harm, the worthy are unused, the sages hide away (the received text’s “shu” should read “dun”), those who covet profit and practice deceit rise up, ruler and subject deceive one another, the state collapses like earth sliding and tiles scattering, and they attack and shoot at one another, fathers and sons part, and discord and estrangement turn them against one another; this is called the sprouting of cracks and fissures. When the sage sees the sprouting of cracks and fissures, he deals with them by the method of pressing. If the age can be governed, he presses on it and blocks; if it cannot be governed, he presses and takes it; now pressing this way, now pressing that way; now pressing in reverse, now pressing to overturn. The government of the Five Emperors pressed and blocked; the affairs of the Three Kings pressed and took. Among the feudal lords pressing on one another there were too many to count, and at such a time, the one who could press was the best.

自天地之合離終始，必有戲隙，不可不察也。察之以捭闔，能用此道，聖人也。聖人者，天地之使也。世無可抵，則深隱而待時；時有可抵，則為之謀；可以上合，可以檢下。能因能循，為天地守神。

From the joining and parting, beginning and end, of Heaven and Earth there must be cracks and fissures, and one must not fail to examine them. Use opening and closing to examine; one who can use this Way is a sage. The sage is the envoy of Heaven and Earth. When the world has nothing to press on, he withdraws deeply into seclusion and waits for the moment; when the moment has something to press on, he plans for it; he can join with those above and inspect those below. Able to follow and to comply, he guards the spirit on behalf of Heaven and Earth.

凡度權量能，所以徵遠來近。立勢而制事，必先察同異，別是非之語，見內外之辭，知有無之數，決安危之計，定親疏之事，然後乃權量之，其有隱括，乃可徵，乃可求，乃可用。

In general, weighing authority and measuring ability is used to summon the distant and call in the near. To establish position and control affairs, one must first examine sameness and difference, distinguish words of right and wrong, see the phrasing of inside and outside, know the numbers of presence and absence, decide plans of safety and danger, and settle the affairs of closeness and distance; only then weigh and measure. When there is a framework in it, one can summon, one can seek, one can use.

引鉤箝之辭，飛而箝之。鉤箝之語，其說辭也，乍同乍異。其不可善者，或先徵之，而後重累；或先重累，而後毀之；或以重累為毀；或以毀為重累。其用或稱財貨、琦瑋、珠玉、壁帛、采色以事之。或量能立勢以鉤之，或伺候見澗而箝之，其事用抵戲。

Draw out the words of hooking and clamping, and fly and clamp them. The speech of hooking and clamping is persuasive wording, now alike, now different. For those who cannot be treated well, sometimes first summon them and afterward pile on layer upon layer; or first pile on layer upon layer and afterward ruin them; or take piling on as ruining; or take ruining as piling on. In use, sometimes one cites wealth and goods, rare and splendid things, pearls and jade, discs and silks, and colorful things to serve him (the received text’s “bi” should read the jade disc “bi”). Sometimes one weighs ability and sets up position in order to hook him; sometimes one waits and, seeing a ravine or crack, clamps him; the matter uses pressing on cracks.

將欲用之於天下，必度權量能，見天時之盛衰，制地形之廣狹、阻險之難易，人民貨財之多少，諸侯之交孰親孰疏，孰愛孰憎，心意之慮懷。審其意，知其所好惡，乃就說其所重，以飛箝之辭，鉤其*茫艘澤榍籩*

When about to be used on the world, one must weigh authority and measure ability, see the rise and fall of the times of Heaven, estimate the breadth and narrowness of the terrain and the ease or difficulty of its obstacles, the amount of people, goods, and wealth, which feudal lords are close or distant in their dealings, whom they love and whom they hate, and what their hearts are pondering and cherishing. Examine his intentions, know what he likes and dislikes, and then persuade him by what he values, using the words of flying and clamping to hook him (the received text has a rare character after this, lost in transcription).

用之於人，則量智能、權財力、料氣勢，為之樞機，以迎之、隨之，以箝和之，以意宣之，此飛箝之綴也。用之於人，則空往而實來，綴而不失，以究其辭，可箝可橫，可引而東，可引而西，可引而南，可引而北，可引而反，可引而覆，雖覆能復，不失其度。

When applied to a person, then measure his wisdom and ability, weigh his wealth and strength, and estimate his spirit and momentum, taking these as the pivot with which to meet him and follow him; use the clamp to join with him and use the intention to proclaim to him; this is the linking of flying and clamping. When applied to a person, go out empty and come back full, linking without loss, to exhaust his words; one can clamp, one can go crosswise, one can lead east, one can lead west, one can lead south, one can lead north, one can lead and reverse, one can lead and overturn, and even when overturned, one can restore, without losing the rule.

凡趨合倍反，計有適合。化轉環屬，各有形勢，反覆相求，因事為制。是以聖人居天地之間，立身、御世、施教、揚聲、明名也；必因事物之會，觀天時之宜，因知所多所少，以此先知之，與之轉化。

In general, going toward and turning away, in joining and opposing, plans have what suits them. Transformations are linked like a ring, each with its own configuration, seeking one another back and forth and fixed according to the matter. Therefore the sage, dwelling between Heaven and Earth, establishes himself, governs the age, gives teaching, spreads his voice, and makes his name clear; he must follow the meeting of things and observe what suits the times of Heaven, and so know what is abundant and what is scarce, and by this know beforehand and transform together with it.

世無常貴，事無常師；聖人無常與，無不與；無所聽，無不聽；成於事而合於計謀，與之為主。合於彼而離於此，計謀不兩忠，必有反忤；反於是，忤於彼；忤於此，反於彼。其術也，用之於天下，必量天下而與之；用之於國，必量國而與之；用之於家，必量家而與之；用之於身，必量身材氣勢而與之；大小進退，其用一也。必先謀慮計定，而後行之以飛箝之術。

In the world nothing is constantly honored, and in affairs there is no constant teacher; the sage has nothing he always sides with, and yet nothing he does not side with; he has nothing he listens to, and yet nothing he does not listen to; when he succeeds in the matter and it fits the plan, he acts as master with him. Joining with that side and parting from this one, a plan cannot be loyal to both ends, and there must be reversal and opposition; reversing on this side means opposing on that, opposing on this side means reversing on that. This technique, when applied to the world, must measure the world and give to it; when applied to a state, must measure the state and give to it; when applied to a family, must measure the family and give to it; when applied to a person, must measure the person’s talent, spirit, and momentum and give to it; large or small, advancing or retreating, the method of use is one. One must first plan and settle the strategy, and only then carry it out by the art of flying and clamping.

古之善背向者，乃協四海，包諸侯忤合之地而化轉之，然後求合。故伊尹五就湯，五就桀，而不能所明，然後合於湯。呂尚三就文王，三入殷，而不能有所明，然後合於文王，此知天命之箝，故歸之不疑也。

The ancients who were good at turning away and toward harmonized the four seas, enclosed the places where the feudal lords opposed and joined, and transformed them, and only then sought union. Therefore Yi Yin went to Tang five times and to Jie five times, and could not make himself plain, and only afterward joined with Tang. Lu Shang went to King Wen three times and entered Yin three times, and could not make himself plain, and only afterward joined with King Wen; this was the clamp of knowing the mandate of Heaven, and so he attached himself without doubt.

非至聖達奧，不能御世；非勞心苦思，不能原事；不悉心見情，不能成名；材質不惠，不能用兵；忠實無實，不能知人；故忤合之道，己必自度材能知睿，量長短遠近孰不知，乃可以進，乃可以退，乃可以縱，乃可以橫。

Without supreme sagacity penetrating the profound, one cannot govern an age; without laboring the heart and bitter thought, one cannot trace the origin of affairs; without giving one’s whole heart to see true feelings, one cannot make a name; if one’s talent is not keen (the received text’s “hui” is read as “hui,” keen), one cannot use troops; loyalty without substance cannot know people. Therefore in the Way of opposing and joining, one must first measure one’s own talents and wisdom, and weigh strengths and shortcomings, near and far, and who does not know; only then can one advance, can one retreat, can one go lengthwise, can one go crosswise.

古之善用天下者，必量天下之權，而揣諸侯之情。量權不審，不知強弱輕重之稱；揣情不審，不知隱匿變化之動靜。

The ancients who were good at using the world must weigh the authority of the world and estimate the feelings of the feudal lords. If weighing authority is not careful, one does not know the scale of strong and weak, light and heavy; if estimating feelings is not careful, one does not know the movement and stillness of what is hidden and changing.

何謂量權？曰：度於大小，謀於眾寡；稱貨財有無之數，料人民多少、饒乏，有餘不足幾何？辨地形之險易，孰利孰害？謀慮孰長孰短？揆君臣之親疏，孰賢孰不肖？與賓客之智慧，孰多孰少？觀天時之禍福，孰吉孰兇？諸侯之交，孰用孰不用？百姓之心，孰安孰危？孰好孰憎？反側孰辨？能知此者，是謂量權。

What is called weighing authority? It says: measure large and small, plan many and few; weigh the numbers of goods and wealth present and absent, estimate the people, how many, how abundant or scarce, and how much is surplus or lacking. Distinguish the danger and ease of the terrain, who benefits and who is harmed. Ponder who is strong and who is weak. Assess the closeness of ruler and subject, who is worthy and who is unworthy. Compare the wisdom of guests and advisers, who has more and who has less. Observe the fortunes and misfortunes of the times of Heaven, who has good luck and who has ill. Among the dealings of the feudal lords, who is used and who is not. In the hearts of the common people, who is at peace and who is in danger, who is liked and who is hated. Who can tell which way things are turning? One who can know these things is said to weigh authority.

揣情者，必以其甚喜之時，往而極其欲也；其有欲也，不能隱其情。必以其甚懼之時，往而極其惡也；其有惡者，不能隱其情。情慾必出其變。感動而不知其變者，乃且錯其人勿與語，而更問其所親，知其所安。夫情變於內者，形見於外，故常必以其者而知其隱者，此所以謂測深探情。

One who estimates feelings must, when he is extremely pleased, push his desires to the utmost; since he has desires, he cannot hide his true feelings. One must, when he is extremely afraid, push his dislikes to the utmost; since he has dislikes, he cannot hide his true feelings. His feelings and desires will surely come out through his changes. If he is moved and yet you do not know his changes, then set that person aside for the time and do not speak with him, but ask instead someone close to him, and learn what he is at ease with. When feelings change within, form appears outside, so one must always use what is evident to know what is hidden, and this is what is meant by sounding the depths and probing feelings.

故計國事者，則當審權量；說人主，則當審揣情；謀慮情慾，必出於此。乃可貴，乃可賤；乃可重，乃可輕；乃可利，乃可害；乃可成，乃可敗；其數一也。

Therefore one who plans the affairs of a state should examine the weighing of authority; one who persuades a ruler should examine the estimating of feelings; plans about feelings and desires must come from this. Then one can make honored, can make lowly; can make weighty, can make light; can benefit, can harm; can make succeed, can make fail; the number is one.

故雖有先王之道；聖智之謀，非揣情隱匿，無可索之。此謀之大本也，而說之法也。常有事於人，人莫能先，先事而生，此最難為。故曰：揣情最難守司。言必時其謀慮。故觀□飛蠕動，無不有利害，可以生事美。生事者，幾之勢也。此揣情飾言，成文章而後論之也。

Therefore even with the Way of the former kings and the schemes of sagacious wisdom, if one does not estimate feelings, what is hidden cannot be taken. This is the great root of planning, and also the method of persuasion. Often the matter lies in the person, and no one can be ahead of it, to be born before the matter, which is the hardest thing to do. So it is said: estimating feelings is the hardest to master. Words must be timed to his plans. So looking at (the received text is damaged at this word) flying and crawling creatures, none is without benefit and harm, and one can bring forth the beauty of a matter. Giving rise to a matter is the momentum of the barely visible. This is estimating feelings, polishing one’s words, writing them into an essay, and then discussing it.

摩者，揣之術也。內符者，揣之主也。用之有道，其道必隱。微摩之以其索欲，測而探之，內符必應；其索應也，必有為之。故微而去之，是謂塞□匿端，隱貌逃情，而人不知，故能成其事而無患。

“Mo” (stroking) is the technique of estimating. “Inner tally” is the master of estimating. There is a Way in using it, and that Way must be hidden. Lightly stroke him, use the desire he seeks to measure and probe him, and the inner tally will surely respond; if what he seeks has a response, he will surely act. So one lightly removes, and this is called stopping up (the received text is damaged at this word) and hiding the clues, concealing the appearance and escaping the feelings so that people do not know, and therefore one can accomplish the matter without trouble.

摩之在此，符之在彼，從而用之，事無不可。古之善摩者，如操鉤而臨深淵，餌而投之，必得魚焉。故曰：主事日成，而人不知；主兵日勝，而人不畏也。聖人謀之於陰，故曰神；成之於陽，故曰明，所謂主事日成者，積德也，而民安之，不知其所以利。積善也，而民道之，不知其所以然；而天下比之神明也。主兵日勝者，常戰於不爭不費，而民不知所以服，不知所以畏，而天下比之神明。

With the probe on this side and the tally on that side, use them together, and there is nothing that cannot be done. The ancients who were good at probing were like one holding a hook beside a deep pool: set the bait and cast, and you are sure to catch fish. Hence it is said: one who manages affairs succeeds day by day, yet people do not know it; one who commands troops wins day by day, yet people do not fear him. The sage plans in the shade, so he is called spirit-like; he achieves in the light, so he is called brilliant. The saying that one who manages affairs succeeds day by day means he accumulates virtue, and the people are at ease in it without knowing how they benefit. It also means he accumulates goodness, and the people follow along without knowing why; so the world likens him to a divine being. One who commands troops and wins day by day always fights without contending and without expense, and the people do not know why they submit or why they fear; so the world likens him to a divine being.

其摩者，有以平，有以正；有以喜，有以怒；有以名，有以行；有以廉，有以信；有以利，有以卑。平者，靜也。正者，宜也。喜者，悅也。怒者，動也。名者，發也。行者，成也。廉者，潔也。信者，期也。利者，求也。卑者，諂也。故聖人所以獨用者，眾人皆有之；然無成功者，其用之非也。

As for probing, some use evenness, some use rectitude; some use delight, some use anger; some use reputation, some use conduct; some use integrity, some use good faith; some use profit, some use humility. Evenness is stillness. Rectitude is fittingness. Delight is pleasure. Anger is stirring up. Reputation is giving out. Conduct is accomplishment. Integrity is purity. Good faith is a promise kept. Profit is seeking. Humility is flattery. What only the sage can use, ordinary people have as well; yet they do not succeed, because they use it wrongly.

故謀莫難於周密，說莫難於悉聽，事莫難於必成；此三者唯聖人然後能任之。故謀必欲周密；必擇其所與通者說也，故曰：或結而無隙也。夫事成必合於數，故曰：道、數與時相偶者也。說者聽，必合於情；故曰：情合者聽。故物歸類；抱薪趨火，燥者先燃；平地注水，溼者先濡；此物類相應，於事誓猶是也。此言內符之應外摩也如是，故曰：摩之以其類，焉有不相應者；乃摩之以其欲，焉有不聽者。故曰：獨行之道。夫幾者不晚，成而不拘，久而化成。

So in planning, nothing is harder than being thorough; in persuading, nothing is harder than being heard in full; in affairs, nothing is harder than being sure of success. Only a sage can bear these three. Therefore a plan must be thorough; one must choose someone who is in tune with oneself to persuade, and so it is said: bind together so that there is no gap. For a matter to succeed it must fit the numbers, and so it is said: the Way, the numbers and the timing match one another. For persuasion to be heard it must fit the circumstances, and so it is said: what fits the circumstances is heard. So things go with their kind: carry firewood toward a fire and the driest catches first; pour water on level ground and the dampest is soaked first; this is how things of one kind respond to each other, and affairs are probably the same. This is to say that the inner tally answers the outer probe in this way, and so it is said: probe with their own kind, and how could there be no response; probe with their desires, and how could they not listen? So it is said: this is the way of acting alone. Those who see the subtle signs are not late, and when they succeed they do not cling to it, and over time it transforms.