孙子兵法 The Art of War: Translated by Lionel Giles Source: 画眉深浅

 
        孙子兵法 The Art of War
　　孙武 By Sun Tzu

　　Translated by Lionel Giles


　　始计第一 Laying Plans

　　孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。

　　Sun Tzu said：The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death，a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

　　故经之以五事，校之以计，而索其情：一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰将，五曰法。

　　The art of war，then，is governed by five constant factors，to be taken into account in one's deliberations， when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are：（1）The Moral Law； （2）Heaven； （3）Earth； （4）The Commander； （5）Method and discipline.

　　道者，令民于上同意，可与之死，可与之生，而不危也；The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler， so that they will follow him regardless of their lives， undismayed by any danger.

　　天者，阴阳、寒暑、时制也；Heaven signifies night and day，cold and heat，times and seasons.

　　地者，远近、险易、广狭、死生也；Earth comprises distances，great and small；danger and security；open ground and narrow passes； the chances of life and death.

　　将者，智、信、仁、勇、严也；The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom，sincerely，benevolence， courage and strictness.

　　法者，曲制、官道、主用也。

　　By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions，the graduations of rank among the officers，the maintenance of

　　roads by which supplies may reach the army，and the control of military expenditure.

　　凡此五者，将莫不闻，知之者胜，不知之者不胜。

　　These five heads should be familiar to every general：he who knows them will be victorious；he who knows them not will fail.

　　故校之以计，而索其情，曰：主孰有道？ 

      
        作战第二 II. Waging War

　　孙子曰：凡用兵之法，驰车千驷，革车千乘，带甲十万，千里馈粮。则内外之费，宾客之用，胶漆之材，车甲之奉，日费千金，然后十万之师举矣。

　　Sun Tzu said：In the operations of war，where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots，as many heavy chariots，and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers，with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li，the expenditure at home and at the front，including entertainment of guests，small items such as glue and paint，and sums spent on chariots and armor，will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100，000 men.

　　其用战也，胜久则钝兵挫锐，攻城则力屈，When you engage in actual fighting，if victory is long in coming， then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town，you will exhaust your strength.

　　久暴师则国用不足。

　　Again，if the campaign is protracted，the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.

　　夫钝兵挫锐，屈力殚货，则诸侯乘其弊而起，虽有智者不能善其后矣。

　　Now，when your weapons are dulled，your ardor damped，your strength exhausted and your treasure spent， other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man，however wise，will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.

　　故兵闻拙速，未睹巧之久也。

　　Thus，though we have heard of stupid haste in war，cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

　　夫兵久而国利者，未之有也。

　　There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.

　　故不尽知用兵之害者，则不能尽知用兵之利也。

　　It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

　　善用兵者，役不再籍，粮不三载，The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy，neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice.

　　取用于国，因粮于敌，故军食可足也。

　　Bring war material with you from home，but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.


        谋攻第三 III. Attack by Stratagem 
 

　　孙子曰：夫用兵之法，全国为上，破国次之；全军为上，破军次之；全旅为上，破旅次之；全卒为上，破卒次之；全伍为上，破伍次之。

　　Sun Tzu said：In the practical art of war，the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact；to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So，too，it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it，to capture a regiment，a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.

　　是故百战百胜，非善之善也；不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。

　　Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence；supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

　　故上兵伐谋，其次伐交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。

　　Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans；the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces；the next in order is to attack the

　　enemy's army in the field；and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

　　攻城之法，为不得已。修橹□①□②，具器械，三月而后成；距堙，又三月而后已。

　　The rule is，not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. The preparation of mantlets，movable shelters，and various implements of war，will take up three whole months；and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more.

　　将不胜其忿而蚁附之，杀士卒三分之一，而城不拔者，此攻之灾也。

　　The general，unable to control his irritation，will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants，with the result that one-third of his men are slain，while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.

　　故善用兵者，屈人之兵而非战也，拔人之城而非攻也，毁人之国而非久也，

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting；he captures their cities without laying siege to them；he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.

　　必以全争于天下，故兵不顿而利可全，此谋攻之法也。

　　With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire，and thus，without losing a man，his triumph will be complete. This is the method of attacking by stratagem.

　　故用兵之法，十则围之，五则攻之，倍则分之，

It is the rule in war，if our forces are ten to the enemy's one， to surround him；if five to one，to attack him；if twice as numerous，to divide our army into two.

　　敌则能战之，少则能逃之，不若则能避之。 


        军形第四 IV. Tactical Dispositions 
 

　　孙子曰：昔之善战者，先为不可胜，以待敌之可胜。

　　Sun Tzu said： The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat， and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

　　不可胜在己，可胜在敌。

　　To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands， but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

　　故善战者，能为不可胜，不能使敌之必可胜。

　　Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat， but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

　　故曰：胜可知，而不可为。

　　Hence the saying： One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

　　不可胜者，守也；可胜者，攻也。

　　Security against defeat implies defensive tactics； ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.

　　守则不足，攻则有余。

　　Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength； attacking， a superabundance of strength.

　　善守者藏于九地之下，善攻者动于九天之上，故能自保而全胜也。

　　The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the earth； he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven.

　　Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves； on the other， a victory that is complete.

　　见胜不过众人之所知，非善之善者也；To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.

　　战胜而天下曰善，非善之善者也。

　　Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says， “Well done！”

　　故举秋毫不为多力，见日月不为明目，闻雷霆不为聪耳。

　　To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength； to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight； to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.



       兵势第五 V. Energy 
 

　　孙子曰：凡治众如治寡，分数是也；Sun Tzu said： The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men： it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

　　斗众如斗寡，形名是也；Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one： it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.

　　三军之众，可使必受敌而无败者，奇正是也；To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of the enemy's attack and remain unshaken―― this is effected by maneuvers direct and indirect.

　　兵之所加，如以□①投卵者，虚实是也。

　　That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg――this is effected by the science of weak points and strong.

　　凡战者，以正合，以奇胜。

　　In all fighting， the direct method may be used for joining battle， but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.

　　故善出奇者，无穷如天地，不竭如江海。终而复始，日月是也。死而更生，四时是也。

　　Indirect tactics， efficiently applied， are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth， unending as the flow of rivers and streams； like the sun and moon， they end but to begin anew； like the four seasons， they pass away to return once more.

　　声不过五，五声之变，不可胜听也；There are not more than five musical notes， yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.

　　色不过五，五色之变，不可胜观也；There are not more than five primary colors （blue， yellow， red， white， and black）， yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.

　　味不过五，五味之变，不可胜尝也；There are not more than five cardinal tastes （sour， acrid， salt， sweet， bitter）， yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.

　　战势不过奇正，奇正之变，不可胜穷也。

　　In battle， there are not more than two methods of attack――the direct and the indirect； yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.

　　奇正相生，如循环之无端，孰能穷之哉！

　　The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle――you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination？

　　激水之疾，至于漂石者，势也；The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which will even roll stones along in its course.


       虚实第六 VI. Weak Points and Strong 
 

　　孙子曰：凡先处战地而待敌者佚，后处战地而趋战者劳。

　　Sun Tzu said： Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy， will be fresh for the fight； whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

　　故善战者，致人而不致于人。

　　Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy， but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

　　能使敌人自至者，利之也；能使敌人不得至者，害之也。

　　By holding out advantages to him， he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord； or， by inflicting damage， he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near.

　　故敌佚能劳之，饱能饥之，安能动之。

　　If the enemy is taking his ease， he can harass him； if well supplied with food， he can starve him out； if quietly encamped， he can force him to move.

　　出其所必趋，趋其所不意。

　　Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend； march swiftly to places where you are not expected.

　　行千里而不劳者，行于无人之地也；An army may march great distances without distress， if it marches through country where the enemy is not.

　　攻而必取者，攻其所不守也。守而必固者，守其所必攻也。

　　You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that

　　cannot be attacked.

　　故善攻者，敌不知其所守；善守者，敌不知其所攻。

　　Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend； and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

　　微乎微乎，至于无形；神乎神乎，至于无声，故能为敌之司命。

　　O divine art of subtlety and secrecy！ Through you we learn to be invisible， through you inaudible； and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands.

　　进而不可御者，冲其虚也；退而不可追者，速而不可及也。

　　You may advance and be absolutely irresistible， if you make for the enemy's weak points； you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy.

　　故我欲战，敌虽高垒深沟，不得不与我战者，攻其所必救也；If we wish to fight， the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve.

　　我不欲战，虽画地而守之，敌不得与我战者，乖其所之也。

　　If we do not wish to fight， we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

     
       军争第七 VII. Maneuvering

　　孙子曰：凡用兵之法，将受命于君，Sun Tzu said： In war， the general receives his commands from the sovereign.

　　合军聚众，交和而舍，Having collected an army and concentrated his forces， he must blend and harmonize the different elements thereof before pitching his camp.

　　莫难于军争。军争之难者，以迂为直，以患为利。

　　After that， comes tactical maneuvering， than which there is nothing more difficult. The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct， and misfortune into gain.

　　故迂其途，而诱之以利，后人发，先人至，此知迂直之计者也。

　　Thus， to take a long and circuitous route， after enticing the enemy out of the way， and though starting after him， to contrive to reach the goal before him， shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation.

　　军争为利，军争为危。

　　Maneuvering with an army is advantageous； with an undisciplined multitude， most dangerous.

　　举军而争利则不及，委军而争利则辎重捐。

　　If you set a fully equipped army in march in order to snatch an advantage， the chances are that you will be too late. On the other hand， to detach a flying column for the purpose involves the sacrifice of its baggage and stores.

　　是故卷甲而趋，日夜不处，倍道兼行，百里而争利，则擒三将军，Thus， if you order your men to roll up their buff-coats， and make forced marches without halting day or night， covering double the usual distance at a stretch， doing a hundred LI in order to wrest an advantage， the leaders of all your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy.

　　劲者先，疲者后，其法十一而至；The stronger men will be in front， the jaded ones will fall behind， and on this plan only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.

　　五十里而争利，则蹶上将军，其法半至；If you march fifty LI in order to outmaneuver the enemy， you will lose the leader of your first division， and only half your force will reach the goal.

　　三十里而争利，则三分之二至。

　　If you march thirty LI with the same object， two-thirds of your army will arrive.

　　是故军无辎重则亡，无粮食则亡，无委积则亡。

　　We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost； without provisions it is lost； without bases of supply it is lost.

　　故不知诸侯之谋者，不能豫交；We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.

　　不知山林、险阻、沮泽之形者，不能行军；We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country――its mountains and forests， its pitfalls and precipices， its marshes and swamps.

　　不用乡导者，不能得地利。

　　We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides.

　　故兵以诈立，以利动，In war， practice dissimulation， and you will succeed.

　　以分和为变者也。

　　Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops， must be decided by circumstances.

　　故其疾如风，其徐如林，Let your rapidity be that of the wind， your compactness that of the forest.

　　侵掠如火，不动如山，In raiding and plundering be like fire， is immovability like a mountain.

　　难知如阴，动如雷震。

　　Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night， and when you move， fall like a thunderbolt.


　　
        九变第八 VIII. Variation in Tactics


　　孙子曰：凡用兵之法，将受命于君，合军聚合。

　　Sun Tzu said： In war， the general receives his commands from the sovereign， collects his army and concentrates his forces

　　泛地无舍，衢地合交，绝地无留，围地则谋，死地则战，When in difficult country， do not encamp. In country where high roads intersect， join hands with your allies. Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions. In hemmed-in situations， you must resort to stratagem. In desperate position， you must fight.

　　途有所不由，军有所不击，城有所不攻，地有所不争，君命有所不受。

　　There are roads which must not be followed， armies which must be not attacked， towns which must be besieged， positions which must not be contested， commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

　　故将通于九变之利者，知用兵矣；The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.

　　将不通九变之利，虽知地形，不能得地之利矣；The general who does not understand these， may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country， yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.

　　治兵不知九变之术，虽知五利，不能得人之用矣。

　　So， the student of war who is unversed in the art of war of varying his plans， even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages， will fail to make the best use of his men.

　　是故智者之虑，必杂于利害，Hence in the wise leader's plans， considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.

　　杂于利而务可信也，If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way， we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.

　
      
       地形第十 X. Terrain 
 

　　孙子曰：地形有通者、有挂者、有支者、有隘者、有险者、有远者。

　　Sun Tzu said： We may distinguish six kinds of terrain， to wit： （1） Accessible ground； （2） entangling ground； （3） temporizing ground； （4） narrow passes； （5） precipitous heights； （6） positions at a great distance from the enemy.

　　我可以往，彼可以来，曰通。

　　Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.

　　通形者，先居高阳，利粮道，以战则利。

　　With regard to ground of this nature， be before the enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots， and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then you will be able to fight with advantage.

　　可以往，难以返，曰挂。

　　Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.

　　挂形者，敌无备，出而胜之，敌若有备，出而不胜，难以返，不利。

　　From a position of this sort， if the enemy is unprepared， you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared for your coming， and you fail to defeat him，then， return being impossible， disaster will ensue.

　　我出而不利，彼出而不利，曰支。

　　When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move， it is called temporizing ground.

　　支形者，敌虽利我，我无出也，引而去之，令敌半出而击之利。

　　In a position of this sort， even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait， it will be advisable not to stir forth， but rather to retreat， thus enticing the enemy in his turn； then， when part of his army has come out， we may deliver our attack with advantage.

　　隘形者，我先居之，必盈之以待敌。

　　With regard to narrow passes， if you can occupy them first， let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

　　若敌先居之，盈而勿从，不盈而从之。

　　Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass， do not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned， but only if it is weakly garrisoned.

　　险形者，我先居之，必居高阳以待敌；With regard to precipitous heights， if you are beforehand with your adversary， you should occupy the raised and sunny spots， and there wait for him to come up.

　　若敌先居之，引而去之，勿从也。

　　If the enemy has occupied them before you， do not follow him， but retreat and try to entice him away.

　　远形者，势均难以挑战，战而不利。

　　If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy， and the strength of the two armies is equal， it is not easy to provoke a battle， and fighting will be to your disadvantage.

　　凡此六者，地之道也，将之至任，不可不察也。

　　These six are the principles connected with Earth. The general who has attained a responsible post must be careful to study them.

　　凡兵有走者、有驰者、有陷者、有崩者、有乱者、有北者。凡此六者，非天地之灾，将之过也。

　　Now an army is exposed to six several calamities， not arising from natural causes， but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are： （1） Flight； （2）insubordination； （3） collapse； （4） ruin； （5） disorganization； （6） rout.

　　夫势均，以一击十，曰走；Other conditions being equal， if one force is hurled against another ten times its size， the result will be the flight of the former.



        九地第十一 XI. The Nine Situations 
 

　　孙子曰：用兵之法，有散地，有轻地，有争地，有交地，有衢地，有重地，有泛地，有围地，有死地。

　　Sun Tzu said： The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground： （1） Dispersive ground； （2） facile ground； （3） contentious ground； （4） open ground； （5） ground of intersecting highways； （6） serious ground； （7） difficult ground； （8） hemmed-in ground； （9） desperate ground.

　　诸侯自战其地者，为散地；When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory， it is dispersive ground.

　　入人之地不深者，为轻地；When he has penetrated into hostile territory， but to no great distance， it is facile ground.

　　我得亦利，彼得亦利者，为争地；Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side， is contentious ground.

　　我可以往，彼可以来者，为交地；Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground.

　　诸侯之地三属，先至而得天下众者，为衢地；Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states， so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command， is a ground of intersecting highways.

　　入人之地深，背城邑多者，为重地；When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country， leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear， it is serious ground.

　　山林、险阻、沮泽，凡难行之道者，为泛地；Mountain forests， rugged steeps， marshes and fens――all country that is hard to traverse： this is difficult ground.

　　所由入者隘，所从归者迂，彼寡可以击吾之众者，为围地；Ground which is reached through narrow gorges， and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths， so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men： this is hemmed in ground.

　　疾战则存，不疾战则亡者，为死地。

　　Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay， is desperate ground.

　　是故散地则无战，轻地则无止，争地则无攻，On dispersive ground， therefore， fight not. On facile ground， halt not. On contentious ground， attack not.

　　交地则无绝，衢地则合交，On open ground， do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways， join hands with your allies.

　　重地则掠，泛地则行，On serious ground， gather in plunder. In difficult ground， keep steadily on the march.

　　围地则谋，死地则战。On hemmed-in ground， resort to stratagem. On desperate ground， fight.

　　古之善用兵者，能使敌人前后不相及，众寡不相恃，贵贱不相救，上下不相收，Those who were called skillful leaders of old knew how to drive a wedge between the enemy's front and rear； to prevent co-operation between his large and small divisions； to hinder the good troops from rescuing the bad， the officers from rallying their men.

　　卒离而不集，兵合而不齐。

　　When the enemy's men were united， they managed to keep them in disorder.

　　合于利而动，不合于利而止。

　　When it was to their advantage， they made a forward move； when otherwise， they stopped still. 
 

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