Chapter on Military Strategy
古之用兵者，非利土壤之廣而貪金玉之略，將以存亡繼絕，平天下之亂，而除萬民之害也。凡有血氣之蟲，含牙帶角，前爪後距，有角者觸，有齒者噬，有毒者螫，有蹄者趹。喜而相戲，怒而相害，天之性也。人有衣食之情，而物弗能足也。故群居雜處，分不均，求不澹，則爭；爭，則強脅弱，而勇侵怯。人無筋骨之強，爪牙之利，故割革而為甲，鑠鐵而為刃。貪昧饕餮之人，殘賊天下，萬人搔動，莫寧其所。有聖人勃然而起，乃討強暴，平亂世，夷險除穢，以濁為清，以危為寧，故不得不中絕。兵之所由來者遠矣！黃帝嘗與炎帝戰矣，顓頊嘗與共工爭矣。故黃帝戰於涿鹿之野，堯戰于丹水之浦，舜伐有苗，啟攻有扈。自五帝而弗能偃也，又況衰世乎！
The ancients who used arms did not covet broad territory or the plunder of gold and jade, but meant to preserve what was perishing and continue what was broken, to settle the disorder of the world and remove the harm to the myriad people. All creatures with blood and breath hold teeth and wear horns, have claws in front and spurs behind; those with horns gore, those with teeth bite, those with poison sting, those with hooves kick. When glad they play with each other, when angry they harm each other, which is the nature of Heaven. Humans have the desire for clothing and food, and things are not sufficient for them. So when they live together mixed, the shares are unequal and demands unsatisfied, and they contend; in contention the strong threaten the weak and the brave bully the timid. Humans lack the strength of sinews and bones and the sharpness of claws and teeth, so they cut hides to make armor and smelt iron to make blades. The greedy and gluttonous ravage the world, ten thousand people are in turmoil, and none is at ease where he is. Then a sage rose in force, attacking the violent and settling the age of disorder, leveling the steep and clearing the filth, turning the muddy into the clear and the dangerous into peace, so those ravagers had to be cut off in the middle. Weapons have come from far back! The Yellow Emperor once fought the Flame Emperor, and Zhuanxu once contended with Gonggong. So the Yellow Emperor fought in the wilds of Zhuolu, Yao fought on the banks of the Dan River, Shun attacked the Youmiao, and Qi attacked the Youhu. Even from the Five Emperors it could not be stopped, let alone in a declining age!
夫兵者，所以禁暴討亂也。炎帝為火災，故黃帝禽之；共工為水害，故顓頊誅之。教之以道，導之以德而不聽，則臨之以威武；臨之威武而不從，則制之以兵革。故聖人之用兵也，若櫛發耨苗，所去者少，而所利者多。殺無辜之民，而養無義之君，害莫大焉；殫天下之財，而澹一人之慾，禍莫深焉。使夏桀、殷紂有害於民而立被其患，不至於為炮烙；晉厲、宋康行一不義而身死國亡，不至於侵奪為暴。此四君者，皆有小過而莫之討也，故至於攘天下，害百姓，肆一人之邪，而長海內之禍，此大倫之所不取也。所為立君者，以禁暴討亂也。今乘萬民之力，而反為殘賊，是為虎傅翼，曷為弗除！夫畜池魚者必去猵獺，養禽獸者必去豺狼，又況治人乎！
Weapons are used to stop violence and punish disorder. The Flame Emperor caused fire disasters, so the Yellow Emperor captured him; Gonggong caused flood harm, so Zhuanxu executed him. Teach with the Way and lead with virtue, and if they do not listen, bring martial might to bear; if martial might is brought to bear and they still do not comply, restrain them with arms and armor. So when the sage uses weapons it is like combing the hair and hoeing seedlings: little is removed and much is gained. To kill innocent people in order to feed an unrighteous ruler, no harm is greater; to exhaust the wealth of the world to satisfy one man's desire, no disaster is deeper. If Jie of Xia and Zhou of Yin had been struck with consequences as soon as they harmed the people, they would not have reached the roasting pillar; if Duke Li of Jin and King Kang of Song had met death and the loss of their states for a single unrighteous act, they would not have gone on to rob and become tyrants. These four rulers all had small faults without anyone attacking them, so they went on to seize the world and harm the people, indulged one man's wickedness, and fanned the calamity within the seas, which the great principle does not allow. So the ruler is established to stop violence and punish disorder. If now he rides on the strength of the myriad people and becomes a ravager, it is like putting wings on a tiger; why not remove him! One who raises fish in a pond must remove the otters, one who raises birds and beasts must remove jackals and wolves; how much more so in governing people!
故霸王之兵，以論慮之，以策圖之，以義扶之，非以亡存也，將以存亡也。故聞敵國之君，有加虐於民者，則舉兵而臨其境，責之以不義，刺之以過行。兵至其郊，乃令軍師曰：“毋伐樹木，毋抉墳墓，毋燒五穀，毋焚積聚，毋捕民虜，毋收六畜。”乃發號施令曰：“其國之君，傲天悔鬼，決獄不辜，殺戮無罪，此天之所以誅也，民之所以仇也。兵之來也，以廢不義而複有德也。有逆天之道，帥民之賊者，身死族滅！以家聽者，祿以家；以裡聽者，賞以裡；以鄉聽者，封以鄉；以縣聽者，侯以縣。”克國不及其民，廢其君而易其政。尊其秀士而顯其賢良，振其孤寡，恤其貧窮，出其囹圄，賞其有功，百姓開門而待之，淅米而儲之，唯恐其不來也。此湯、武之所以致王，而齊桓之所以成霸也。故君為無道，民之思兵也，若旱而望雨，渴而求飲。夫有誰與交兵接刃乎！故義兵之至也，至於不戰而止。
So the armies of a hegemon or king are thought through by discussion, planned by strategy, and supported by righteousness; they are not used to destroy what exists but to preserve what is about to be lost. So when he hears that the ruler of an enemy state is cruel to his people, he raises troops and approaches his border, blaming him for unrighteousness and rebuking his erroneous conduct. When the army reaches his outskirts, he gives orders to the commanders: "Do not cut down trees, do not dig up graves, do not burn the five grains, do not burn stores, do not seize the people as captives, do not take the six domestic animals." Then he issues orders: "The ruler of that state looks down on Heaven, insults the spirits, decides cases wrongly against the innocent, and kills those without guilt; this is why Heaven executes him and the people hate him. The coming of the army is to abolish unrighteousness and restore the virtuous. Those who go against Heaven's Way and lead the people in robbery will die in person and be wiped out in clan! Those who follow by household will be given the household as salary; those who follow by neighborhood will be rewarded with the neighborhood; those who follow by township will be enfeoffed with the township; those who follow by county will be made marquis of the county." Capturing a state without harming the people, deposing its ruler and changing its government, he honors fine scholars and promotes the worthy, relieves orphans and widows, cares for the poor, releases those in prison, rewards those with merit, and the people open their doors to wait, washing rice to store, only afraid he will not come. This is how Tang and Wu came to be kings and how Duke Huan of Qi achieved hegemony. So when a ruler is Way-less, the people long for an army like those in drought long for rain and the thirsty seek a drink. Who then will cross weapons with him! So when the army of righteousness arrives, it ends without battle.
晚世之兵，君雖無道，莫不設渠塹，傅堞而守，攻者非以禁暴除害也，欲以侵地廣壤也。是故至於伏屍流血，相支以日，而霸王之功不世出者，自為之故也。夫為地戰者，不能成其王；為身戰者，不能立其功。舉事以為人者，眾助之；舉事以自為者，眾去之。眾之所助，雖弱必強；眾之所去，雖大必亡。兵失道而弱，得道而強；將失道而拙，得道而工；國得道而存，失道而亡。所謂道者，體圓而法方，背陰而抱陽，左柔而右剛，履幽而戴明。變化無常，得一之原，以應無方，是謂神明。
The armies of the late age are such that even when the ruler is Way-less, there are none who do not set up trenches and attach parapets to defend, and the attackers are not stopping violence or removing harm but wish to seize land and enlarge their territory. So they reach the point of corpses lying and blood flowing, standoffs lasting days, and the merit of a hegemon or king does not appear in the world, because of what they themselves have done. One who fights for land cannot become king; one who fights for himself cannot establish merit. One who acts for others is helped by the multitude; one who acts for himself is left by the multitude. What the multitude help, though weak, will be strong; what the multitude leave, though large, will perish. An army that loses the Way is weak and one that gains the Way is strong; a general who loses the Way is clumsy and one who gains the Way is skilled; a state that gains the Way survives and one that loses the Way perishes. What is called the Way has a round substance and a square rule, carries yin on its back and embraces yang, is soft on the left and hard on the right, treads on the dark and wears the bright. Its changes have no constant pattern, it obtains the source of the One, and answers without a fixed direction; this is called spirit-light.
夫圓者，天也；方者，地也。天圓而無端，故不可得而觀；地方而無垠，故莫能窺其門。天化育而無形象，地生長而無計量，渾渾沉沉，孰知其藏。凡物有朕，唯道無朕。所以無朕者，以其無常形勢也。輪轉而無窮，象日月之運行，若春秋有代謝，若日月有晝夜，終而複始，明而複晦，莫能得其紀。制刑而無刑，故功可成；物物而不物，故勝而不屈。刑，兵之極也，至於無刑，可謂極之矣。是故大兵無創，與鬼神通，五兵不厲，天下莫之敢當。建鼓不出庫，諸侯莫不慴㥄沮膽其處。故廟戰者帝，神化者王。所謂廟戰者，法天道也；神化者，法四時也。修政於境內，而遠方慕其德；制勝於未戰，而諸侯服其威。內政治也。
What is round is Heaven, and what is square is Earth. Heaven is round and has no end, so it cannot be obtained and viewed; Earth is square and has no boundary, so no one can peer into its gate. Heaven transforms and nurtures without image, Earth grows without measure, deep and murky; who knows where it hides? All things have omens, but only the Way has no omen. It has no omen because it has no constant configuration. It turns without end, like the sun and moon in motion, like spring and autumn succeeding each other, like day and night of sun and moon, ending and beginning again, brightening and darkening again, and no one can grasp its guiding thread. To regulate form without form, so that merit can be achieved; to let things be things without being transformed by things, so that one wins without yielding. Form is the extreme of the military, and reaching formlessness may be called the utmost. So the great army has no wounds and communicates with ghosts and spirits, the five weapons are not whetted and no one in the world dares oppose them. The standing drum does not come out of the armory, and the feudal lords all cower, lose their courage, grow dejected and stay where they are (the original has a rare character here). So one who fights in the temple hall becomes emperor, and one who transforms like a spirit becomes king. The so-called temple battle is imitating the Way of Heaven; the spirit-like transformation is imitating the four seasons. Cultivating governance within the borders, distant peoples admire his virtue; winning before fighting, the feudal lords submit to his might. This is because domestic government is well ordered.
古得道者，靜而法天地，動而順日月，喜怒而合四時，叫呼而比雷霆，音氣不戾八風，詘伸不獲五度。下至介鱗，上及毛羽，條修葉貫，萬物百族，由本至末，莫不有序。是故入小而不逼，處大而不窕，浸乎金石，潤乎草木，宇中六合，振豪之末，莫不順比。道之浸洽，滒淖纖微，無所不在，是以勝權多也。夫射，儀度不得，則格的不中；驥，一節不用，而千里不至。夫戰而不勝者，非鼓之日也，素行無刑久矣。故得道之兵，車不發軔，騎不被鞍，鼓不振塵，旗不解卷，甲不離矢，刃不嘗血，朝不易位，賈不去肆，農不離野。招義而責之，大國必朝，小城必下。因民之慾，乘民之力，而為之去殘除賊也。故同利相死，同情相成，同欲相助。順道而動，天下為向；因民而慮，天下為鬥。獵者逐禽，車馳人趨，各盡其力，無刑罰之威，而相為斥闉要遮者，同所利也；同舟而濟於江，卒遇風波，百族之子，捷捽招杼船，若左右手，不以相德，其憂同也。故明王之用兵也，為天下除害，而與萬民共用其利。民之為用，猶子之為父，弟之為兄。威之所加，若崩山決塘，敵孰敢當！故善用兵者，用其自為用也；不能用兵者，用其為己用也。用其自為用，則天下莫不可用也；用其為己用，所得者鮮矣。兵有三詆，治國家，理境內，行仁義，佈德惠，立正法，塞邪隧，群臣親附，百姓和輯，上下一心，君臣同力，諸侯服其威，而四方懷其德。修政廟堂之上，而折沖千里之外，拱揖指捴，而天下回應，此用兵之上也。地廣民眾，主賢將忠，國富兵強，約束信，號令明，兩軍相當，鼓錞相望，未至兵交接刃，而敵奔亡，此用兵之次也。知土地之宜，羽險隘之利，明奇正之變，察行陳解贖之數，維枹綰而鼓之，白刃合，流矢接，涉血屬腸，輿死扶傷，流血千里，暴骸盈場，乃以決勝，此用兵之下也。
The ancients who obtained the Way, when still, took Heaven and Earth as their model, and when moving, followed the sun and moon; their joy and anger matched the four seasons, their calls and cries paralleled thunder and thunderbolts, their voice and breath did not go against the eight winds, and their bending and stretching did not err from the five measures. From shelled and scaled creatures below to furred and feathered above, branches arranged and leaves linked, the myriad things and hundred clans, from root to tip, nothing lacks order. So entering the small it is not cramped, dwelling in the great it is not loose; it soaks into metal and stone and moistens plants and trees; within the universe and six directions, down to the tip of a hair, nothing fails to conform. The Way's permeation is as fine as mud, and everywhere, so its authority to win is great. In archery, if the posture and measure are not right, the target cannot be hit; with a fine steed, if one joint is not used, a thousand li cannot be reached. Fighting without winning is not a matter of the day the drum is struck; the daily conduct has been formless for a long time. So the army of one who has obtained the Way: the chariots do not release their wheel blocks, the cavalry do not put on saddles, the drums do not raise dust, the banners are not unrolled, the armor does not leave the arrows, the blades do not taste blood, the court does not change its position, merchants do not leave their shops, farmers do not leave the fields. When he raises rightness to demand redress, great states will certainly come to pay court and small cities will certainly surrender. He relies on the people's desires and uses the people's strength, and for them removes cruelty and eliminates bandits. So when profits are shared, people die for each other; when feelings are shared, they help each other succeed; when desires are shared, they help each other. Moving along the Way, the world tends toward him; thinking in line with the people, the world fights for him. Hunters chasing game, with chariots speeding and men running, each exhaust their strength, with no threat of punishment yet they block and watch for each other, because their profit is shared; in the same boat crossing a river, suddenly meeting wind and waves, the sons of the hundred clans quickly grab the oars and row like left and right hands, not praising each other's virtue for it, because their worry is shared. So the enlightened king uses the military to remove harm from the world, and shares that benefit with the myriad people. The people are employed like sons for fathers and younger brothers for elder brothers. Where his authority reaches, it is like a mountain collapsing and a dike bursting; who among the enemy dares to resist! So one who is good at using the military uses them for themselves; one who cannot use the military uses them for himself. If one uses them for themselves, nothing in the world cannot be used; if one uses them for oneself, what one gains is little. The military has three kinds of resistance: governing the state, managing the territory, practicing humaneness and rightness, bestowing virtue and favor, setting up correct laws, blocking crooked paths, with ministers close and the people harmonious, high and low of one heart, ruler and ministers of one strength, the feudal lords submit to his might and the four quarters cherish his virtue; cultivating governance in the temple hall and crushing battering chariots a thousand li away, folding hands in a bow and giving directions, the world responds: this is the highest use of the military. With broad land and many people, a worthy ruler and loyal generals, a rich state and strong army, trustworthy agreements, clear commands, two armies matched and drums and banners facing each other, before the weapons even cross blades the enemy flees: this is the next best use of the military. Knowing what the land is suited for, knowing the advantages of narrow passes (the original has "yu" here, a corruption of "zhi"), understanding the changes of the unorthodox and the orthodox, observing the numbers of dispersal and assembly in marching formations, taking up drumsticks to beat the drum, white blades meeting and flying arrows crossing, wading through blood and trailing intestines, chariots carrying the dead and supporting the wounded, with blood flowing for a thousand li and exposed bones filling the field, and only then deciding victory: this is the lowest use of the military.
今夫天下皆知事治其末，而莫知務修其本，釋其根而樹其枝也。夫兵之所以佐勝者眾，而所以必勝者寡。甲堅兵利，車固馬良，畜積給足，士卒殷軫，此軍之大資也，而勝亡焉。明於星辰日月之運，刑德奇該之數，背鄉左右之便，此戰之助也，而全亡焉。良將之所以必勝者，恆有不原之智，不道之道，難以眾同也。夫論除謹，動靜時，吏卒辨，兵甲治，正行伍，連什伯，明鼓旗，此尉之官也。前後知險易，見敵知難易，發斥不忘遺，此候之官也。隧路亟，行輜治，賦丈均，處軍輯，井灶通，此司空之官也。收藏於後，遷舍不離，無淫輿，無遺輜，此輿之官也。凡此五官之於將也，猶身之有股肱手足也。必擇其人，技能其才，使官勝其任，人能其事。告之以政，申之以令，使之若虎豹之有爪牙，飛鳥之有六翮，莫不為用。然皆佐勝之具也，非所以必勝也。
Now the whole world knows to work on governing the branches, but no one knows to work on cultivating the root; this is setting aside the roots and putting up the branches. Weapons are what assist victory in many cases, but what ensures victory in few. Sturdy armor and sharp weapons, solid chariots and good horses, abundant stores and supplies, and many soldiers are the great resources of the army, but victory does not lie in these. Understanding the movements of stars, sun and moon, the numbers of punishment, virtue, odd and complete, and the advantages of facing and turning left and right are aids to battle, but preservation does not lie in these. The reason a good general surely wins is that he constantly has wisdom that cannot be traced, a Way that cannot be spoken of, hard to share with the multitude. As for discussing and being careful, moving and resting at the proper time, officers and soldiers distinguished, weapons and armor in order, ranks and files straight, squads and hundreds linked, drums and banners clearly marked: these are the duties of the captain. Knowing the ease and difficulty of the road ahead and behind, seeing the enemy and knowing the difficulty or ease, sending out scouts without forgetting or omitting: these are the duties of the scout. The road quick, march and baggage in order, supplies even by the foot and measure, camps harmonious, wells and stoves connected: these are the duties of the master of works. Storing at the rear, moving and lodging without leaving anything behind, no chariots overloaded, no baggage left behind: these are the duties of the wagon master. All five of these officials are to the general as limbs are to the body. One must choose the right person, give him the talent, let the official be equal to his post and the person able to do that task. Tell him the policy, make clear the order, and let them be like tigers and leopards with claws and fangs, or flying birds with six flight feathers, none unused. Yet all of these are tools to assist victory and not what ensures victory.
兵之勝敗，本在於政。政勝其民，下附其上，則兵強矣；民勝其政，下畔其上，則兵弱矣。故德義足以懷天下之民，事業足以當天下之急，選舉足以得賢士之心，謀慮足以知強弱之勢，此必勝之本也。地廣人眾，不足以為強；堅甲利兵，不足以為勝；高城深池，不足以為固；嚴令繁刑，不足以為威。為存政者，雖小必存；為亡政者，雖大必亡。昔者楚人地，南卷沅、湘，北繞潁、泗，西包巴、蜀，東裹郯、淮，潁、汝以為洫，江、漢以為池，垣之以鄧林，綿之以方城，山高尋云，溪肆無景，地利形便，卒民勇敢。蛟革犀兕，以為甲冑，修鎩短鏦，齊為前行，積弩陪後，錯車衛旁，疾如錐矢，合如雷電，解如風雨。然而兵殆於垂沙，眾破於栢舉。楚國之強，大地計眾，中分天下，然懷王北畏孟嘗君，背社稷之守，而委身強秦，兵挫地削，身死不還。二世皇帝，勢為天子，富有天下。人跡所至，舟楫所通，莫不為郡縣，然縱耳目之欲，窮侈靡之變，不顧百姓之饑寒窮匱也。興萬乘之駕，而作阿房之宮，發閭左之戍，收太半之賦，百姓之隨逮肆刑，挽輅首路死者，一旦不知千萬之數。天下敖然若焦熱，傾然若苦烈，上下不相寧，吏民不相憀。戍卒陳勝，興於大澤，攘臂袒右，稱為大楚，而天下回應。當此之時，非有牢甲利兵，勁弩強沖也，伐棘棗而為矜，周錐鑿而為刃，剡摲筡，奮儋钁，以當修戟強弩，攻城掠地，莫不降下，天下為之麋沸螘動，雲徹席捲，方數千里。勢位至賤，而器械甚不利，然一人唱而天下應之者，積怨在於民也。武王伐紂，東面而迎歲，至汜而水，至共頭而墜，彗星出而授殷人其柄。當戰之時，十日亂於上，風雨擊於中，然而前無蹈難之賞，而後無遁北之刑，白刃不畢拔而天下得矣。
The victory or defeat of the military is rooted in governance. If governance prevails over the people and those below attach to those above, the military is strong; if the people prevail over governance and those below turn on those above, the military is weak. So if virtue and rightness are enough to draw in the people of the world, if undertakings are enough to bear the world's emergencies, if selection is enough to win the hearts of worthy scholars, and if planning is enough to know the strength and weakness of the situation, these are the roots of sure victory. Broad land and many people are not enough to count as strength; solid armor and sharp weapons are not enough to count as victory; high walls and deep moats are not enough to count as security; strict orders and heavy punishments are not enough to count as authority. One who carries out the governance of survival will survive even if small; one who carries out the governance of ruin will perish even if large. In the past the land of the Chu people rolled up the Yuan and Xiang to the south, wound around the Ying and Si to the north, embraced Ba and Shu to the west, and wrapped Tan and Huai to the east, with the Ying and Ru as moats, the Yangtze and Han as ponds, the Deng forest as walls and the Fangcheng wall stretching on, with mountains so high they reached the clouds and streams so deep they cast no shadow; the terrain was advantageous and the soldiers and people were brave. With armor and helmets made of crocodile hide and rhinoceros, long spears and short lances in neat front ranks, repeating crossbows following behind, and interlocked chariots guarding the sides, they were swift as awls and arrows, joined like thunder and lightning, scattered like wind and rain. Yet their army was in peril at Chuisha, and their multitude was broken at Boju. Chu's strength, counting by the size of the land and the multitude, was to divide the world in half, yet King Huai, fearing Lord Mengchang in the north, abandoned the guarding of the altars and entrusted his person to mighty Qin; his army was defeated, his land was cut away, and he died without returning. The Second Emperor held power as Son of Heaven and had all under heaven. Everywhere human traces reached and boats could pass, all became commanderies and counties, yet he indulged the desires of ears and eyes, exhausted the changes of extravagance, and paid no attention to the hunger, cold and poverty of the people. He raised the carriage of ten thousand chariots and built the Epang Palace, summoned the garrison from the left of the village gates, took the greater part of the taxes, and the people, seized by followers and subjected to harsh punishment, died pulling shafts with their heads toward the road, in numbers beyond count in a single morning. The world was scorched as if by heat, and overturned as if by bitter fire, high and low unable to comfort each other, officials and people unable to rely on each other. The garrison soldier Chen Sheng rose at Daze, bared his right arm and proclaimed Great Chu, and the world responded. At that time there were no solid armor, sharp weapons, strong crossbows or powerful assault weapons; they cut brambles and jujube wood for spear shafts, used awls and chisels for blades, sharpened bamboo, and rose up with carrying poles and hoes to resist long halberds and strong crossbows, attacking cities and seizing land, and none failed to surrender, so that the world was like boiling gruel and swarming ants, scattering like clouds and rolling up like mats, over several thousand li. His position was extremely lowly and his weapons were very poor, yet one man led and the world responded, because resentment had accumulated in the people. King Wu attacking Zhou faced east to meet Jupiter, came to the Si river and met water, reached Gongtou and the mountain collapsed, and a comet appeared and handed the handle to the Yin people. At the time of the battle ten suns were in disorder above and wind and rain struck in the middle, but ahead there was no reward for those who went to face danger, and behind there was no punishment for those who fled in defeat; the white blades had not even all been drawn when the world was won.
是故善守者無與禦，而善戰者無與鬥，明於禁舍開塞之道，乘時勢，因民欲，而取天下。故善為政者積其德，善用兵者畜其怒；德積而民可用，怒畜而威可立也。故文之所以加者淺，則勢之所勝者小；德之所施者博，而威之所制者廣；威之所制者廣，則我強而敵弱矣。故善用兵者，先弱敵而後戰者也，故費不半而功自倍也。湯之地方七十裡而王者，修德也；智伯有千里之地而亡者，窮武也。故千乘之國，行文德者王；萬乘之國，好用兵者亡。故全兵先勝而後戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。德均則眾者勝寡，力敵則智者勝愚，智侔則有數者禽無數。凡用兵者，必先自廟戰。主孰賢？將孰能？民孰附？國孰治？蓄積孰多？士卒孰精？甲兵孰利？器備孰便？故運籌於廟堂之上，而決勝乎千里之外矣。
So one who is good at defense has no one who can attack him, one who is good at battle has no one who can fight him; understanding the way of prohibiting and releasing, opening and closing, riding on the circumstances and relying on the people's desires, he takes the world. So one who is good at governing accumulates virtue, and one who is good at using the military stores up anger; when virtue is accumulated, the people can be used, and when anger is stored, authority can be established. So where culture reaches is shallow, what power overcomes is small; where virtue is applied widely, what authority regulates is wide; when what authority regulates is wide, I am strong and the enemy weak. So one who is good at using the military first makes the enemy weak and only then fights, so the expense is less than half and the merit doubles of itself. Tang had land of only seventy li and became king by cultivating virtue; Zhi Bo had land of a thousand li and perished by exhausting force. So in a state of a thousand chariots, one who practices civil virtue becomes king; in a state of ten thousand chariots, one who loves using the military perishes. So the army that survives wins first and then fights, and the army that is defeated fights first and then seeks victory. When virtue is equal, the many overcome the few; when strength is equal, the clever overcome the foolish; when cleverness is equal, those with method capture those without. In all use of the military, one must first fight in the temple hall oneself: which ruler is worthy? Which general is capable? Which people attach to him? Which state is well governed? Whose stores are more abundant? Whose soldiers are better trained? Whose armor and weapons are sharper? Whose equipment is more convenient? So by planning in the temple hall, victory is decided a thousand li away.
夫有形埒者，天下訟見之；有篇籍者，世人傳學之。此皆以形相勝者也。善形者弗法也，所貴道者，貴其無形也。無形則不可制迫也，不可度量也，不可巧詐也，不可規慮也。智見者，人為之謀；形見者，人為之功；眾見者，人為之伏；器見者，人為之備。動作周還，倨句詘伸，可巧詐者，皆非善者也。善者之動也，神出而鬼行，星耀而玄逐，進退詘伸，不見朕㙬，鸞舉麟振，鳳飛龍騰。發如秋風，疾如駭龍。當以生擊死，以盛乘衰，以疾掩遲，以飽制饑。若以水滅火，若以湯沃雪，何往而不遂！何之而不用達！在中虛神，在外漠志，運於無形，出於不意。與飄飄往，與忽忽來，莫知其所之；與條出，與間入，莫知其所集。卒如雷霆，疾如風雨，若從地出，若從天下，獨出獨入，莫能應圉。疾如鏃矢，何可勝偶？一晦一明，孰知其端緒！未見其發，固已至矣。
What has form and outline, the world competes to see; what has books and records, the people of the age pass on and study. All these are using form to overcome one another. One who is good at form does not take this as a model, and what he values in the Way is its formlessness. What is formless cannot be controlled or pressed, cannot be measured, cannot be deceived with cunning, cannot be planned or deliberated against. When cleverness is displayed, people plot against it; when form is displayed, people win merit against it; when the multitude is displayed, people set ambushes for it; when equipment is displayed, people guard against it. Movement and maneuvering, haughtiness, bending and stretching, whatever can be deceived with cunning, are none of them good. The movements of one who is good come out like spirits and walk like ghosts, shine like stars and chase like the dark, advancing and retreating, bending and stretching, with omens not to be seen (the original has a rare character here), the phoenix rising, the qilin stirring, the phoenix flying and the dragon soaring. Launching like the autumn wind, swift as a startled dragon. Just when using the living to strike the dead, using the flourishing to ride the declining, using the swift to cover the slow, using the full to restrain the hungry. Like using water to put out fire, like pouring hot water on snow, where would it not arrive! Where would it not penetrate! Inside the spirit is empty, outside the will is calm, turning in formlessness and emerging from the unexpected. Going with the drifting and coming with the sudden, no one knows where it goes; coming out with the thread and entering with the gap, no one knows where it gathers. Sudden as thunderbolts, swift as wind and rain, as if coming out of the ground, as if descending from heaven, entering and leaving alone, no one can respond and resist. Swift as arrowheads, how could it be overcome or matched? Now dark, now bright, who knows its beginning! Before one sees it launch, it has already arrived.
故善用兵者，見敵之虛，乘而勿假也，追而勿舍也，迫而勿去也。擊其猶猶，陵其與與，疾雷不及塞耳，疾霆不暇掩目。善用兵，若聲之與響，若鏜之與鞈，眯不給撫，呼不給吸。當此之時，仰不見天，俯不見地，手不麾戈，兵不盡拔，擊之若雷，薄之若風，炎之若火，淩之若波。敵之靜不知其所守，動不知其所為。故鼓鳴旗麾，當者莫不廢滯崩阤，天下孰敢厲威抗節而當其前者！故淩人者勝，待人者敗，為人杓者死。兵靜則固，專一則威，分決則勇，心疑則北，力分則弱。故能分人之兵，疑人之心，則錙銖有餘；不能分人之兵，疑人之心，則數倍不足。故紂之卒，百萬之心；武王之卒，三千人皆專而一。故千人同心，則得千人力；萬人異心，則無一人之用。將卒吏民，動靜如身，乃可以應敵合戰。故計定而發，分決而動，將無疑謀，卒無二心，動無墮容，口無虛言，事無嘗試，應敵必敏，發動必亟。
So one who is good at using the military, seeing the enemy's emptiness, rides it and does not give leave, chases it and does not give up, presses it and does not leave. He strikes when they hesitate, and overruns them when they delay; the quick thunder cannot be stopped by plugging the ears, the quick bolt cannot be stopped by covering the eyes. Good use of the military is like sound and echo, like bell and drum responding; when dust blinds the eye there is no time to wipe it, when one calls there is no time to breathe. At such a time, looking up one cannot see heaven and looking down one cannot see earth, the hand does not wave the spear, the weapons are not all drawn, striking him like thunder, pressing him like wind, burning him like fire, overrunning him like waves. The enemy, when still, does not know what to guard, and when moving, does not know what to do. So when the drum sounds and the banners wave, those who oppose are all stunned and collapse, and who in the world dares to raise his might and hold his standard and stand in front! So one who overruns others wins, one who waits for others is defeated, and one who becomes a target for others dies. When the troops are still they are firm, when united they have authority, when their duties are decided they are brave, when their hearts doubt they are defeated, when their strength is scattered they are weak. So being able to scatter others' troops and make their hearts doubt, even a small amount is more than enough; being unable to scatter others' troops and make their hearts doubt, even several times as many are not enough. So Zhou's soldiers had a million hearts, while King Wu's soldiers, three thousand men, were all of one mind. So when a thousand men are of one heart, one obtains the strength of a thousand men; when ten thousand men have different hearts, there is not the use of one man. Generals, soldiers, officers and people, moving and resting like one body, can then meet and fight the enemy. So plans are settled before launching, duties are decided before moving, the general has no doubtful schemes, the soldiers have no divided hearts, movement has no sagging appearance, the mouth has no empty words, and affairs have no trial and error; meeting the enemy is certainly swift and launching is certainly urgent.
故將以民為體，而民以將為心。心誠則支體親刃，心疑則支體撓北。心不專一，則體不節動；將不誠心，則卒不勇敢。故良將之卒，若虎之牙，若兕之角，若鳥之羽，若蚈之足，可以行，可以舉，可以噬，可以觸。強而不相敗，眾而不相害，一心以使之也。故民誠從其令，雖少無畏；民不從令，雖眾為寡。故下不親上，其心不用；卒不畏將，其形不戰。守有必固，而攻有必勝，不待交兵接刃，而存亡之機固以形矣。
So the general takes the people as his body, and the people take the general as their heart. If the heart is sincere, the limbs go close to blades; if the heart doubts, the limbs bend and flee. If the heart is not single, the body cannot regulate movement; if the general is not sincere in heart, the soldiers are not brave. So the soldiers of a good general are like the tiger's teeth, the rhinoceros's horn, the bird's feathers, the centipede's feet, able to walk, able to lift, able to bite, able to gore. Strong without ruining one another, many without hindering one another, because one heart commands them. So if the people truly follow orders, even if few they have no fear; if the people do not follow orders, even if many they become few. So when those below are not close to those above, the heart is not used; when soldiers do not fear the general, the form does not fight. Defense is certainly firm and attack certainly victorious, without waiting for weapons to cross blades, since the pivot of survival and ruin has already taken form.
兵有三勢，有二權。有氣勢，有地勢，有因勢。將充勇而輕敵，卒果敢而樂戰，三軍之眾，百萬之師，志厲青云，氣如飄風，聲如雷霆，誠積逾而威加敵人，此謂之氣勢。硤路津關，大山名塞，龍蛇蟠，卻笠居，羊腸道，發笱門，一人守隘，而千人弗敢過也，此謂地勢。因其勞倦怠亂，饑渴凍暍，推其摿摿，擠其揭揭，此謂因勢。善用間諜，審錯規慮，設蔚施伏，隱匿其形，出於不意，敵人之兵無所適備，此謂知權。陳卒正，前行選，進退俱，什伍搏，前後不相撚，左右不相干，受刃者少，傷敵者眾，此謂事權。
The military has three kinds of advantage and two kinds of authority. There are the advantage of momentum, the advantage of terrain, and the advantage of circumstance. When the general is full of courage and makes light of the enemy, the soldiers are resolute and delight in battle, and the three armies and million men have wills raised to the blue clouds, qi like a whirlwind, voice like thunder, sincerity piled up in the past and authority applied to the enemy, this is called the advantage of momentum. Narrow roads, river crossings and passes, great mountains and famous fortresses, coiled like dragons and snakes, settled like an upturned hat, sheep-gut paths, gates like an arrow basket, where one man guards the pass and a thousand dare not pass, this is called the advantage of terrain. Relying on the other side's weariness, laxity and disorder, hunger, thirst, cold and heat, pushing him in turmoil and pressing him restless, this is called the advantage of circumstance. Skillfully using spies, carefully planning and interweaving schemes, setting ambushes in grass and trees, hiding one's form and striking when unexpected, so the enemy's troops have no way to prepare, this is called knowing authority. Ranks of soldiers upright, the front row selected, advance and retreat in unison, squads gathering together, the front and rear not tangled, left and right not interfering, few receiving blades and many wounding the enemy, this is called the authority of affairs.
權勢必形，吏卒專精，選良用才，官得其人，計定謀決，明於死生，舉錯得失，莫不振驚，故攻不待沖隆雲梯而城拔，戰不至交兵接刃而敵破，明於必勝之攻也。故兵不必勝，不苟接刃；攻不必取，不為苟發。故勝定而後戰，鈴縣而後動。故眾聚而不虛散，兵出而不徒歸。唯無一動，動則淩天振地。抗泰山，蕩四海，鬼神移徙，鳥獸驚駭。如此，則野無校兵，國無守城矣。靜以合躁，治以待亂，無形而制有形，無為而應變，雖未能得勝於敵，敵不可得勝之道也。敵先我動，則是見其形也；彼躁我靜，則是疲其力也。形見則勝可制也，力疲則威可立也。視其所為，因與之化；觀其邪正，以制其命。餌之以所欲，以疲其足。彼若有間，急填其隙，極其變而束之，盡其節而僕之。敵若反靜，為之出奇，彼不吾應，獨盡其調。若動而應，有見所為，彼持後節，與之推移。彼有所積，必有所虧。精若轉左，陷其右陂。敵潰而走，後必可移。敵迫而不動，名之曰奄遲，擊之如雷霆，斬之若草木，耀之若火電，欲疾以速，人不及步鋗，車不及轉轂，兵如植木，弩如羊角，人雖眾多，勢莫敢格。
When authority and advantage are sure to take form, officers and soldiers are devoted and refined, the good are selected and the talented used, offices get the right people, plans are set and schemes decided, life and death are understood, and every move and loss and gain startles; so in attack, without waiting for battering chariots and cloud ladders the city is taken, and in battle, before weapons cross blades the enemy is broken, this is understanding the attack that surely wins. So if the army is not sure to win, it does not carelessly cross blades; if the attack is not sure to take, it does not carelessly launch. So victory is settled before fighting, and the balance is hung before moving. So a gathered multitude does not scatter in vain, and an army sent out does not return in vain. Only one time it does not move, and once it moves it shakes heaven and earth. It raises Mount Tai and shakes the four seas, ghosts and spirits move away, and birds and beasts are startled. Thus there is no army in the field to contend with, and no city in the state that has to be defended. Using stillness to match haste, using order to await disorder, using formlessness to regulate form, using non-action to respond to change, even if one has not won from the enemy, the enemy cannot find the way to win. If the enemy moves before me, he is displaying his form; if he is hasty and I am still, I make his strength weary. When form is displayed, victory can be regulated; when strength is weary, authority can be established. Look at what he does, and transform together with him by following; observe his crookedness and straightness to regulate his fate. Lure him with what he wants to tire out his feet. If there is a gap on his side, hurry to fill that gap, exhaust his changes and bind him, use up his measures and make him fall. If the enemy returns to stillness, make a surprise move for him; if he does not respond to me, I exhaust my own tune alone. If he moves and responds, displaying something he does, and if he holds a later measure, I shift with him. Where there is accumulation on his side there must be a deficit. If his elite turns left, he falls into his own right flank. If the enemy scatters and runs, one can surely follow behind. If the enemy presses but does not move, it is called slow-stalling; strike him like thunder, cut him like grass and trees, shine on him like fire and lightning, be swift and rapid, so that people have no time to step and chariots no time to turn the hub; the troops are like standing wood and the crossbows like ram's horns; however many people there are, none dares to block the advantage.
諸有象者，莫不可勝也；諸有形者，莫不可應也。是以聖人藏形於無，而遊心於虛。風雨可障蔽，而寒暑不可開閉，以其無形故也。夫能滑淖精微，貫金石，窮至遠，放乎九天之上，蟠乎黃盧之下，唯無形者也。善用兵者，當擊其亂，不攻其治，是不襲堂堂之寇，不擊填填之旗。容未可見，以數相持，彼有死形，因而制之。敵人執數，動則就陰，以虛應實，必為之禽。虎豹不動，不入陷阱；麋鹿不動，不離罝罘；飛鳥不動，不絓網羅；魚鱉不動，不擐蜃喙。物未有不以動而制者也。是故聖人貴靜，靜則能應躁，後則能應先，數則能勝疏，博則能禽缺。故良將之用卒也，同其心，一其力，勇者不得獨進，怯者不得獨退。止如丘山，發如風雨，所淩必破，靡不毀沮，動如一體，莫之應圉。是故傷敵者眾，而手戰者寡矣。夫五指之更彈，不若卷手之一挃；萬人之更進，不如百人之俱至也。今夫虎豹便捷，熊羆多力，然而人食其肉而席其革者，不能通其知而壹其力也。夫水勢勝火，章華之臺燒，以升勺沃而救之，雖涸井而竭池，無奈之何也；舉壺榼盆盎而以灌之，其滅可立而待也。
Whatever has an image can be overcome; whatever has a form can be answered. Therefore the sage hides his form in nothingness and lets his mind roam in emptiness. Wind and rain can be blocked, but cold and heat cannot be opened or shut, because they have no form. What can slip through the subtle and fine, pierce metal and stone, reach the utmost distance, rise above the nine heavens and coil below the Yellow Springs, is only the formless. One skilled at using soldiers strikes the enemy's disorder and does not attack his order; therefore he does not attack imposing invaders or strike at massed banners. If the appearance cannot yet be seen, hold with numbers; where the other side has the form of death, restrain him there. If the enemy holds to numbers, once he moves he goes toward the shadow; if one answers the solid with the empty, he will surely be captured. Tigers and leopards that do not move do not enter pits; elk and deer that do not move do not meet nets; flying birds that do not move are not caught in snares; fish and turtles that do not move do not get into the trap of a clam's beak. There is nothing that is not restrained through movement. Therefore the sage values stillness: stillness can answer restlessness, behind can answer ahead, density can overcome sparseness, and breadth can seize the deficient. So a good general uses his soldiers with one heart and one strength, so that the brave cannot advance alone and the timid cannot retreat alone. In stopping they are like hills and mountains, in setting out like wind and rain; whatever they ride over is surely broken, nothing is not ruined, and they move as one body, with no one able to answer or resist. Therefore many are wounded among the enemy, while few fight with their own hands. Five fingers flicking in turn are not as good as a fist clenched in one blow; ten thousand men advancing in turns are not as good as a hundred arriving together. Now tigers and leopards are swift and bears are strong, yet men eat their flesh and use their hides for mats, because they cannot connect their understanding and unify their strength. Water's force overcomes fire; when the Zhanghua Terrace burned, people poured water from dippers and ladles to save it, and even if they had drawn dry the wells and exhausted the ponds, nothing could be done; but if they lifted flasks, cups, basins and jars to pour, the fire could be put out while one stood waiting.
今人之與人，非有水火之勝也，而欲以少耦眾，不能成其功，亦明矣。兵家或言曰：“少可以耦眾。”此言所將，非言所戰也。或將眾而用寡者，勢不齊也；將寡而用眾者，用力諧也。若乃人盡其才，悉用其力，以少勝眾者，自古及今，未嘗聞也。神莫貴於天，勢莫便於地，動莫急於時，用莫利於人。凡此四者，兵之幹植也。然必待道而後行，可一用也。夫地利勝天時，巧舉勝地利，勢勝人。故任天者可迷也，任地者可束也，任人者可迫也，任人者可惑也。夫仁勇信廉，人之美才也，然勇者可誘也，仁者可奪也，信者易欺也，廉者易謀也。將眾者有一見焉，則為人禽矣。由此觀之，則兵以道理制勝，而不以人才之賢，亦自明矣。
Now between men there is no such overcoming as between water and fire, yet one wants to match the many with the few; that it cannot accomplish anything is clear. Some in the military school say: "The few can match the many." This speaks of what one commands, not of what one fights with. If someone commands the many but uses only a few, the force is not united; if he commands the few but uses the many, the effort is harmonious. As for men who exhaust their talent and use all their strength, from antiquity until now I have never heard of using the few to overcome the many. Nothing in spirit is nobler than Heaven, nothing in terrain is more advantageous than Earth, nothing in movement is more urgent than timing, and nothing in use is sharper than man. These four are the trunk of military affairs. But one must wait for the Way and only then act; then they can be used together. Advantage of terrain overcomes timing of Heaven, skilful action overcomes advantage of terrain, and force overcomes man. Therefore one who relies on Heaven can be confused, one who relies on earth can be bound, one who relies on man can be hard pressed, and one who relies on man can be deluded. Humaneness, courage, trustworthiness and integrity are fine talents in men, but the brave can be lured, the humane can be taken advantage of, the trustworthy are easily deceived, and the honest are easily plotted against. If a commander of the multitude has even one of these showing, others will seize him. From this we see that military affairs win by principle, not by the worthiness of men's talents, which is evident of itself.
是故為麋鹿者，則可以罝罘設也；為魚鱉者，則可以網罟取也；為鴻鵠者，則可以矰繳加也；唯無形者，無可奈也。是故聖人藏於無原，故其情不可得而觀；運於無形，故其陳不可得而經。無法無儀，來而為之宜；無名無狀，變而為之象。深哉睭々，遠哉悠悠，且冬且夏，且春且秋，上窮至高之末，下測至深之底，變化消息，無所凝滯，建心乎窈冥之野，而藏志乎九旋之淵，雖有明目，孰能窺其情！兵之所隱議者，天道也；所圖畫者，地形也；所明言者，人事也；所以決勝者，鈐勢也。故上將之用兵也，上得天道，下得地利，中得人心，乃行之以機，發之以勢，是以無破軍敗兵。及至中將，上不知天道，下不知地利，專用人與勢，雖未必能萬全，勝鈐必多矣。下將之用兵也，博聞而自亂，多知而自疑，居則恐懼，發則猶豫，是以動為人禽矣。
If you are an elk or deer, you can be trapped with nets; if you are a fish or turtle, you can be caught with nets and traps; if you are a swan, tethered arrows can be applied; only the formless cannot be dealt with. Therefore the sage hides in a place without source, and so his feelings cannot be observed; he turns in the formless, and so his formation cannot be arranged. With no law and no model, when something comes he gives it what suits it; with no name and no shape, when it changes he gives it an image. How deep, abyssal; how far, boundless; now winter, now summer, now spring, now autumn; above he exhausts the end of the highest, below he fathoms the bottom of the deepest; he changes and ebbs and flows without stagnation, sets his mind in the wilds of the dim and obscure and hides his will in the abyss of nine turnings; even with bright eyes, who could peep into his feelings! What the army secretly discusses is the way of Heaven; what it plots is the form of the land; what it makes clear is human affairs; and what it relies on to decide victory is power and position. So when a superior general uses troops, above he gets the Way of Heaven, below he gets the advantage of earth, and in the middle he gets the hearts of men, and then he acts by device and sets out by force, so there is no broken army or defeated troops. As for the middling general, he does not know the Way of Heaven above or the advantage of earth below, and only relies on men and force; even if he is not necessarily perfectly safe, the likelihood of victory is great. As for the inferior general in using troops, he has wide learning but confuses himself, knows much but doubts himself, is fearful in camp and hesitant in action, so that when he moves, he is captured by others.
今使兩人接刃，巧詘不異，而勇士必勝者，何也？其行之誠也。夫以巨斧擊桐薪，不待利時良日而後破之。加巨斧於桐薪之上，而無人力之奉，雖順招搖，挾刑德，而弗能破者，以其無勢也。故水激則悍，矢激則遠。夫栝淇衛箘簵，載以銀錫，雖有薄縞之幨，腐荷之矰，然猶不能獨射也。假之筋角之力，弓弩之勢，則貫兕甲而徑於革盾矣。夫風之疾，至於飛屋折木，虛舉之下大遲，自上高丘，人之有所推也。是故善用兵者，勢如決積水於千仞之堤，若轉員石於萬丈之溪，天下見吾兵之必用也，則孰敢與我戰者！故百人之必死也，賢於萬人之必北也。況以三軍之眾，赴水火而不還踵乎！雖誂合刃於天下，誰敢在於上者！
Now if two men are made to cross blades, there is no difference in skill or clumsiness, yet the brave man will surely win; why? Because his conduct is sincere. If one strikes paulownia firewood with a huge axe, one does not wait for a favorable hour or good day before splitting it. If a huge axe is laid on paulownia firewood without human strength lifting it, even if it follows the Zhaoyao star and holds Punishment and Virtue, it cannot split it, because there is no force. Therefore water, when stirred, becomes fierce, and arrows, when driven, go far. The arrows with Gua, Qi, Wei, and Junlu shafts, mounted with silver and tin, even if there were a thin silk curtain or a rotten lotus tether, could not be shot on their own. With the strength of sinew and horn and the force of the bow and crossbow, they pierce rhinoceros armor and pass right through leather shields. The speed of wind can lift houses and break trees; an empty cart is greatly slow below, but comes down from a high hill because someone pushes it. So one who is good at using soldiers is like breaking open a dammed lake on a thousand-fathom embankment, or rolling a round stone in a ten-thousand-fathom stream; when the world sees that my troops will surely be used, who dares fight with me! Therefore a hundred men surely dying is better than ten thousand men surely defeated. How much more when with the multitude of three armies one goes into water and fire without turning back the heels! Even if one challenges the whole world to cross blades, who would dare stand above!
所謂天數者，左青龍，右白虎，前朱雀，後玄武。所謂地利者，後生而前死，左牡而右牝。所謂人事者，慶賞信而刑罰必。動靜時，舉錯疾。此世傳之所以為儀錶者，固也，然而非所以生。儀錶者，因時而變化者也。是故處於堂上之陰，而知日月之次序；見瓶中之冰，而知天下之寒暑。夫物之所以相形者微，唯聖人達其至。故鼓不與於五音，而為五音主；水不與於五味，而為五味調；將軍不與於五官之事，而為五官督。故能調五音者，不與五音者也；能調五味者，不與五味者也；能治五官之事者，不可揆度者也。是故將軍之心，滔滔如春，曠曠如夏，湫漻如秋，典凝如冬，因形而與之化，隨時而與之移。夫景不為曲物直，響不為清音濁。觀彼之所以來，各以其勝應之。是故扶義而動，推理而行，掩節而斷割，因資而成功。使彼知吾所出，而不知吾所入；知吾所舉，而不知吾所集。始如狐狸，彼故輕來；合如兕虎，敵故奔走。夫飛鳥之摯也，俯其首；猛獸之攫也，匿其爪；虎豹不外其爪，而噬不見齒。故用兵之道，示之以柔，而迎之以剛；示之以弱，而乘之以強；為之以歙，而應之以張；將欲西，而示之以東；先忤而後合，前冥而後明。若鬼之無跡，若水之無創。故所向非所之也，所見非所謀也。舉措動靜，莫能識也。若雷之擊，不可為備。所用不復，故勝可百全。與玄明通，莫知其門，是謂至神。
What is called Heaven's number: the Azure Dragon is on the left, the White Tiger on the right, the Vermilion Bird in front, and the Black Tortoise behind. What is called earth's advantage: life behind and death in front, male on the left and female on the right. What is called human affairs: rewards and celebrations are trustworthy and punishments are certain to be carried out. Movement and stillness follow the season, and actions are swift. These are what the world has passed down as models, and so it is, but they are not what gives rise to things. Models change according to the time. So by the shadow in the hall one knows the order of sun and moon; seeing ice in a bottle one knows the cold and heat of the world. The subtlety by which things take form is something only the sage fully penetrates. Thus the drum does not take part in the five notes, yet is the master of the five notes; water does not take part in the five flavors, yet is the harmonizer of the five flavors; the general does not take part in the work of the five offices, yet is the supervisor of the five offices. So what can harmonize the five notes is what does not take part in the five notes; what can harmonize the five flavors is what does not take part in the five flavors; what can govern the work of the five offices is what cannot be measured. So the general's mind is flowing like spring, expansive like summer, clear and still like autumn, congealed like winter; he transforms together with form and shifts together with time. A shadow does not straighten for a crooked object, and an echo does not turn muddy for a clear sound. Observing where the other side comes from, each answers with his own victory. Therefore he moves by relying on righteousness, acts by pushing principle, cuts by following measure, and succeeds by relying on resources. He lets the other side know where I go out but not where I go in, know what I raise but not where I gather. At the start I am like a fox, so the other side comes lightly; when closed up I am like a rhinoceros and tiger, so the enemy runs. A flying bird about to strike lowers its head; a fierce beast about to seize hides its claws; tigers and leopards do not show their claws outside, and when they bite they do not let their teeth be seen. Thus the way of using troops is to show softness to him and meet him with hardness; show weakness and ride him with strength; make a contraction and answer with expansion; if about to go west, show him the east; first resist, then join; dim before, bright after. Like ghosts without traces, like water without wounds. So where one aims is not where one goes, and what he sees is not what is planned. Actions and stillness, no one can recognize. Like a thunderclap, it cannot be guarded against. What is used is not repeated, so victory can be secured a hundred times. Connected with the dark and bright, no one knows its gate; this is called utmost spirit.
兵之所以強者，民也；民之所以必死者，義也；義之所以能行者，威也。是故合之以文，齊之以武，是謂必取。威儀並行，是謂至強。夫人之所樂者，生也；而所憎者，死也。然而高城深池，矢石若雨，平原廣澤，白刃交接，而卒爭先合者，彼非輕死而樂傷也，為其賞信而罰明也。是故上視下如子，則下視上如父；上視下如弟，則下視上如兄。上視下如子，則必王四海；下視上如父，則必正天下。上親下如弟，則不難為之死；下視上如兄，則不難為之亡。是故父子兄弟之寇，不可與鬥者，積恩先施也。故四馬不調，造父不能以致遠；弓矢不調，羿不能以必中；君臣乘心，則孫子不能以應敵。是故內修其政，以積其德；外塞其醜，以服其威；察其勞佚，以知其飽饑。故戰日有期，視死若歸。故將必與卒同甘苦，俟饑寒，故其死可得而盡也。故古之善將者，必以其身先之。暑不張蓋，寒不被裘，所以程寒暑也；險隘不乘，上陵必下，所以齊勞佚也；軍食孰然後敢食，軍井通然後敢飲，所以同饑渴也；合戰必立矢射之所及，以共安危也。故良將之用兵也，常以積德擊積怨，以積愛擊積憎，何故而不勝！
What makes the troops strong is the people; what makes the people surely die is righteousness; what lets righteousness be carried out is authority. So join them with civil means and bring them into order with military means; this is called certain capture. When authority and propriety go together, this is called utmost strength. What people enjoy is life and what they hate is death. Yet with high walls and deep moats, arrows and stones like rain, on flat plains and broad marshes where white blades meet, soldiers still compete to meet first; it is not that they take death lightly and enjoy being wounded, but that rewards are trustworthy and penalties clear. So when those above look at those below like children, those below look at those above like fathers; when those above look at those below like younger brothers, those below look at those above like elder brothers. If those above look at those below like children, they will surely be king within the four seas; if those below look at those above like fathers, they will surely set the world right. If those above love those below like younger brothers, those below will not find it hard to die for them; if those below look at those above like elder brothers, they will not find it hard to perish for them. So invaders who are like fathers, sons and brothers cannot be fought, since accumulated kindness was applied first. When four horses are not in harmony, even Zao Fu could not reach far; when bow and arrow are not in harmony, even Yi could not be sure to hit; when ruler and ministers are of divided mind, even Sun Zi could not face the enemy. So within, one repairs one's government to accumulate virtue; outside, one blocks disgrace to establish authority; one examines toil and ease to know fullness and hunger. So when the day of battle is fixed, they look on death as going home. Therefore the general must share sweetness and bitterness with his soldiers, wait together for hunger and cold, and thus their deaths can be obtained to the utmost. In ancient times those who were good generals always put themselves first. In heat they did not spread a canopy, in cold they did not put on furs, in order to measure the heat and cold; in dangerous narrow passes they did not ride in carriages, and going up hills they always got down, to equalize toil and ease; they dared eat only after the army's food was cooked and dared drink only after the army's well was dug, to share hunger and thirst; in joined battle they must stand where arrows could reach, to share safety and danger. So when a good general uses troops, he often uses accumulated virtue to strike accumulated resentment and accumulated love to strike accumulated hatred; what reason could there be for failing to win!
主之所求於民者二：求民為之勞也，欲民為之死也。民之所望於主者三：饑者能食之，勞者能息之，有功者能德之。民以償其二積，而上失其三望，國雖大，人雖眾，兵猶且弱也。若苦者必得其樂，勞者必得其利，斬首之功必全，死事之後必賞，四者既信於民矣，主雖射雲中之鳥，而釣深淵之魚，彈琴瑟，聲鍾竽，敦六博，投高壺，兵猶且強，令猶且行也。是故上足仰，則下可用也；德足慕，則威可立也。
What the ruler seeks from the people is of two kinds: he asks the people to labor for him and wants them to die for him. What the people look to the ruler for is of three kinds: that the hungry can be fed, that the toiling can rest, and that those with merit are given reward. The people repay with the two accumulations, while the superior loses the three hopes; though the state is large and the people many, the army is still weak. If the suffering are sure to get joy, the toiling sure to get benefit, the merit of beheading sure to be preserved, and the posterity of those who die in service sure to be rewarded, once these four have won the people's trust, even if the ruler shoots birds in the clouds, fishes in deep pools, plays zithers and lutes, strikes bells and pipes, plays liubo and throws arrows into the high pot, the army is still strong and orders are still carried out. So when what is above is enough to look up to, those below can be used; when virtue is enough to be admired, authority can be established.
將者必有三隧、四義、五行、十守。所謂三隧者，上知天道，下習地形，中察人情。所謂四義者，便國不負兵，為主不顧身，見難不畏死，決疑不闢罪。所謂五行者，柔而不可卷也，剛而不可折也，仁而不可犯也，信而不可欺也，勇而不可淩也。所謂十守者，神清而不可濁也，謀遠而不可慕也，操固而不可遷也，知明而不可蔽也，不貪於貨，不淫於物，不嚂於辯，不推於方，不可喜也，不可怒也。是謂至於，窈窈冥冥，孰知其情！發必中銓，言必合數，動必順時，解必中揍。通動靜之機，明開塞之節，審舉措之利害，若合符節。疾如彍弩，勢如發矢。一龍一蛇，動無常體，莫見其所中，莫知其所窮。攻則不可守，守則不可攻。
A general must have three paths, four principles, five conducts and ten guardings. The three paths are knowing the Way of Heaven above, being familiar with the form of the land below, and observing human feelings in the middle. The four principles are to benefit the state and not fail the soldiers, to act for the ruler and disregard oneself, to see hardship and not fear death, and to decide doubts and not avoid blame. The five conducts are being soft and not able to be rolled up, being hard and not able to be broken, being humane and not able to be offended, being trustworthy and not able to be deceived, and being brave and not able to be bullied. The ten guardings are that the spirit is clear and cannot be muddied, plans are far-reaching and cannot be envied, adherence is firm and cannot be moved, knowledge is bright and cannot be obscured, one is not greedy for goods, not carried away by things, not gluttonous for debate, not shifted by a method, cannot be pleased, and cannot be angered. This is called reaching the utmost; dim and obscure, who could know its feelings! What he sets forth surely accords with the balance, his words surely fit the numbers, his movements surely follow the time, and what he unties surely hits the grain. He understands the pivot of movement and stillness, knows the measure of opening and closing, examines the advantage and harm of actions as if matching tallies. He is as swift as a drawn crossbow and his force is like a released arrow. Like a dragon and a snake, his movement has no constant form; no one sees where he hits and no one knows where he is exhausted. If attacking, he cannot be defended against; if defending, he cannot be attacked.
蓋聞善用兵者，必先修諸己，而後求諸人；先為不可勝，而後求勝；修己於人，求勝於敵。己未能治也，而攻人之亂，是猶以火救火，以水應水也。何所能制！今使陶人化而為埴，則不能成盆盎；工女化而為絲，則不能織文錦。同莫足以相治也，故以異為奇。兩爵相與鬥，未有死者也；鸇鷹至，則為之解，以其異類也。故靜為躁奇，治為亂奇，飽為饑奇，佚為勞奇。奇正之相應，若水火金木之代為雌雄也。善用兵者持五殺以應，故能全其勝；拙者處五死以貪，故動而為人禽。兵貴謀之不測也，形之隱匿也。出於不意，不可以設備也。謀見則窮，形見則制。
I have heard that one who is good at using soldiers must first cultivate himself and then seek from others; he first makes himself unconquerable and then seeks victory; he cultivates himself with others and seeks victory over the enemy. If one has not yet governed oneself and goes to attack another's disorder, it is like using fire to save fire and using water to answer water. How can one restrain him? Now if a potter were made to turn into clay, he could not make a basin or jar; if a weaving woman turned into silk, she could not weave patterned brocade. What is the same has nothing by which to govern each other, so one uses difference as the surprise. When two sparrows fight, none dies; when a falcon comes, they are separated for it, because it is not of the same kind. So stillness is the surprise to restlessness, order is the surprise to disorder, fullness is the surprise to hunger, and ease is the surprise to toil. Surprise and orthodox answer each other like water, fire, metal and wood alternately becoming female and male. One who is good at using soldiers holds the five killings in response, and so can preserve victory; one who is clumsy stands in the five deaths and covets, and so when he moves he is captured by others. In military affairs, the value lies in plans that cannot be measured and forms that are hidden. Go out where he does not expect, so that no preparation can be set. When the plan is exposed it is exhausted, and when the form is exposed it is restrained.
故善用兵者，上隱之天，下隱之地，中隱之人。隱之天者，無不制也。何謂隱之天？大寒甚暑，疾風暴雨，大霧冥晦，因此而為變者也。何謂隱之地？山陵丘阜，林叢險阻，可以伏匿而不見形者也。何謂隱之人？蔽之於前，望之於後，出奇行陳之間，發如雷霆，疾如風雨，扌搴巨旗，止鳴鼓，而出入無形，莫知其端緒者也。故前後正齊，四方如繩，出入解續，不相越淩，翼輕邊利，或前或後，離合散聚，不失行伍，此善修行陳者也。明於奇正賌、該陰陽、刑德、五行、望氣、候星、龜策、禨祥，此善為天道者也。設規慮，施蔚伏，見用水火，出珍怪，鼓譟軍，所以營其耳也。曳梢肆柴，揚塵起堨，所以營其目者，此善為詐佯者也。錞鉞牢重，固植而難恐，勢利而不能誘，死亡不能動，此善為充榦者也。剽疾輕悍，勇敢輕敵，疾若滅沒，此善用輕出奇者也。相地形，處次舍，治壁壘，審煙斥，居高陵，捨出處，此善為地形者也。因其饑渴凍暍，勞倦怠亂，恐懼窘步，乘之以選卒，擊之以宵夜，此善因時應變者也。易則用車，險則用騎，涉水多弓，隘則用弩，晝則多旌，夜則多火，晦冥多鼓，此善為設施者也。凡此八者，不可一無也，然而非兵之貴者也。
Therefore one who is good at using soldiers hides above in Heaven, below in Earth, and in the middle in man. What is hidden in Heaven cannot be restrained. What is meant by hiding in Heaven? Great cold and great heat, fierce wind and violent rain, thick fog and darkness: one transforms with these. What is meant by hiding in Earth? Hills, mounds, forests and dangerous passes, where one can ambush and hide without showing one's form. What is meant by hiding in man? Screening in front, watching from behind, producing surprises amid the formations, going out like thunderclaps and moving swiftly like wind and rain, taking down the great banner and stopping the sounding drums, entering and leaving without form, so that no one knows the beginning of it. So front and rear are in order, four sides like cords, entering and leaving, separating and connecting without overstepping one another; the two wings are light and the sides convenient, now forward, now back, joining, parting, scattering and gathering, without losing the ranks; this is being good at drilling formations. To understand the surprise and the orthodox, and to be versed in yin and yang, punishment and virtue, the five phases, observing qi, watching stars, tortoise and milfoil, and good and ill omens: this is being good at the Way of Heaven. To set up plans and calculations, to apply ambushes of grass and trees, to see the use of water and fire, to bring out rare and strange things, and to raise clamor in the army is to confuse the ears. To drag branches, let loose brushwood, and raise dust is to confuse the eyes; this is being good at feints and deceptions. Heavy axes firmly held, minds firmly set and hard to frighten, not drawn by power and profit, not moved by death: this is being good at filling out the trunk. To be swift, light and fierce, brave and make light of the enemy, as quick as disappearing: this is being good at using lightness to produce surprise. Observing the terrain, arranging camps, setting up barricades, examining beacons and scouts, living on high mounds and camping where the water comes out: this is being good at terrain. Relying on the other side's hunger, thirst, cold, sunburn, weariness, slackness and disorder, fear and distress, one rides them with select soldiers and strikes them at night: this is being good at responding to change in time. On level ground use chariots, in danger use cavalry, in water crossings use many bows, in narrow places use crossbows, by day use many banners, at night many fires, and in murk many drums: this is being good at arrangements. Of these eight, none can be lacking, yet they are not what military affairs value most.
夫將者，必獨見獨知。獨見者，見人所不見也；獨知者，知人所不知也。見人所不見，謂之明；知人所不知，謂之神。神明者，先勝者也。先勝者，守不可攻，戰不可勝，攻不可守，虛實是也。上下有隙，將吏不相得，所持不直，卒心積不服，所謂虛也。主明將良，上下同心，氣意俱起，所謂實也。若以水投火，所當者陷，所薄者移，牢柔不相通而勝相奇者，虛實之謂也。故善戰者不在少，善守者不在小，勝在得威，敗在失氣。夫實則鬥，虛則走，盛則強，衰則北。吳王夫差地方二千里，帶甲七十萬，南與越戰，棲之會稽，北與齊戰，破之艾陵，西遇晉公，禽之黃池，此用民氣之實也。其後驕溢縱欲，拒諫喜諛，憢悍遂過，不可正喻，大臣怨懟，百姓不附，越王選卒三千人，禽之幹隧，因制其虛也。夫氣之有虛實也，若明之必晦也。故勝兵者非常實也，敗兵者非常虛也。善者能實其民氣，以待人之虛也；不能者虛其民氣，以待人之實也。故虛實之氣，兵之貴者也。
A general must see alone and know alone. To see alone is to see what others do not see; to know alone is to know what others do not know. To see what others do not see is called brightness; to know what others do not know is called spirit. Spirit and brightness are those who win first. To win first is to defend so as not to be attacked, to fight so as not to be conquered, and to attack so as not to be defended against; that is emptiness and fullness. When there are gaps between above and below, the generals and officials do not get along, what is held is not upright, and the soldiers' hearts accumulate nonsubmission, this is called emptiness. When the ruler is bright and the general is good, above and below are of one mind, and qi and intent rise together, this is called fullness. Like throwing water into fire, what is resisted sinks, what is pressed moves aside; solid and soft do not communicate and victory is strange; this is what is meant by emptiness and fullness. So one good at fighting does not depend on having few men, and one good at defending does not depend on small land; victory lies in obtaining authority, and defeat lies in losing qi. When full, fight; when empty, run; when flourishing, be strong; when declining, be defeated. King Fuchai of Wu had land of two thousand li and seventy thousand armored soldiers; in the south he fought Yue and made Yue roost at Kuaiji, in the north he fought Qi and defeated Qi at Ailing, in the west he met the Duke of Jin and captured him at Huangchi; this was using the fullness of the people's qi. Afterward he became proud, overflowing and indulged his desires, refused remonstrance and loved flattery, was fierce and followed his errors, and could not be instructed with what was right; his great ministers resented him and the common people did not follow; the King of Yue selected three thousand soldiers and captured him at Gansui, relying on the emptiness that restrained him. Qi has emptiness and fullness, like brightness necessarily becoming darkness. So a victorious army is not always full, and a defeated army is not always empty. A good man can fill the people's qi to await the emptiness of others; one who cannot makes the people's qi empty to await the fullness of others. So the qi of emptiness and fullness is what military affairs value.
凡國有難，君自宮召將，詔之曰：“社稷之命在將軍，即今國有難，願請子將而應之。”將軍受命，乃令祝史太卜齋宿三日，之太廟，鑽靈龜，卜吉日，以受鼓旗。君入設廟門，西面而立，將入廟門，趨至堂下，北面而立。主親操鉞，持頭，授將軍其柄，曰：“從此上至天者，將軍制之。”複操斧，持頭，授將軍其柄，曰：“從此下至淵者，將軍制之。”將已受斧鉞，答曰：“國不可從外治也，軍不可從中禦也。二心不可以事君，疑志不可以應敵。臣既以受制於前矣，鼓旗斧鉞之威，臣無還請。願君亦以垂一言之命於臣也。君若不許，臣不敢將。君若許之，臣辭而行。”乃爪鬋，設明衣也，鑿兇門而出。乘將軍車，載旌旗斧鉞，累若不勝。其臨敵決戰，不顧必死，無有二心。是故無天於上，無地於下，無敵於前，無主於後，進不求名，退不避罪，唯民是保，利合於主，國之實也，上將之道也。如此，則智者為之慮，勇者為之鬥，氣厲青云，疾如馳騖。是故兵未交接而敵人恐懼，若戰勝敵奔，畢受功賞，吏遷官，益爵祿，割地而為調，決於封外，卒論斷於軍中。顧反於國，放旗以入斧鉞，報畢於君，曰：“軍無後治。”乃縞素闢舍，請罪於君。君曰：“赦之。”退，齋服。大勝三年反舍，中勝二年，下勝期年。兵之所加者，必無道國也，故能戰勝而不報，取地而不反。民不疾疫，將不夭死，五穀豐昌，風雨時節，戰勝於外，福生於內，是故名必成而後無餘害矣。
Whenever the state is in difficulty, the ruler summons the general from the palace and announces to him: "The fate of the altars of soil and grain lies with the general. Now the state is in difficulty, and I hope you will lead the army and meet it." When the general has accepted the command, the invocator, historian and grand diviner fast and stay overnight for three days, go to the grand temple, drill the numinous tortoise, divine a good day, and receive the drums and banners. The ruler enters, sets up at the temple gate, and stands facing west; the general enters the temple gate, hurries to the foot of the hall and stands facing north. The lord personally takes the battle-axe, holds its head, and hands the handle to the general, saying: "From here up to Heaven, let the general decide." Again he takes the hatchet, holds its head, and hands the handle to the general, saying: "From here down to the abyss, let the general decide." When the general has received the axes, he replies: "A state cannot be governed from outside, and an army cannot be driven from the court. A man of two minds cannot serve his ruler, and a doubtful will cannot face the enemy. Since I have already been given control in the field, I shall not return to ask about the authority of the drums, banners and axes. I hope that my lord will also lay down one word of command for me. If my lord does not permit it, I dare not lead; if my lord permits it, I take my leave." He then cuts his nails, puts on the clothes for the dead, and goes out through a gate broken open for ill omens. He rides the general's chariot, carrying banners and axes, bearing himself as if he could not bear the burden. In confronting the enemy and deciding battle, he disregards death and has no second thought. So he has no Heaven above, no earth below, no enemy in front, and no master behind; in advancing he does not seek fame, in retreating he does not avoid blame, but only preserves the people, with benefit joined to the ruler; this is the treasure of the state and the way of the supreme general. Thus, the wise plan for him, the brave fight for him, his spirit rises to the blue clouds, and he is as swift as a galloping horse. So before arms even meet, the enemy is afraid; if he wins and the enemy flees, all receive rewards for merit, officials are promoted, ranks and stipends increased, land is cut off to make peace, and decisions are made outside the border while the soldiers pass judgment in the army. Turning back to the state, he puts down the banners and sends the axes into the temple, reports to the ruler when it is finished, and says: "The army has no further governing." He then wears plain white and avoids the main hall, and begs the ruler's pardon. The ruler says: "Pardoned." He withdraws and wears fasting garments. For a great victory he returns to the main hall after three years, for a middling victory after two years, and for a lesser victory after one year. Where the army is brought to bear, it must be a state without the Way, so one can win without being avenged, and take land without returning it. The people do not suffer plague, the general does not die young, the five grains flourish, and wind and rain come in season; victory outside brings blessing from within, so his fame is surely achieved and afterward there is no lingering harm.