Ji — Reckoning計篇

《傳》曰：「國之大事，在祀與戎。」

The *Zuo Commentary* (左傳) says, "The great affairs of a state lie in sacrifice and in war."

國之安危在兵，故講武練兵，實先務也。

The peace or peril of the state hangs on its arms, so that training in arms and nurturing troops is truly the first business.

兵者凶器，死生、存亡繫於此矣，是以重之，恐人輕行者也。

Arms are an ill-omened instrument. Death and life, survival and ruin hang upon them, and so he treated them as weighty. He feared that men would take them up lightly.

國之存亡，人之死生，皆由於兵，故須審察也。

The survival or ruin of a state and the death or life of its people both arise out of arms, and so they must be examined.

地，猶所也，亦謂陳師、振旅、戰陳之地。得其利則生，失其便則死，故曰死生之地。道者，權機立勝之道，得之則存，失之則亡，故曰不可不察也。《書》曰：「有存道者，輔而固之；有亡道者，推而亡之。」

Ground here is the same word as place, and it can also mean the place where troops are deployed, where an army is drawn in, and where battle is spread out. Gain its advantage and you live; lose its ease and you die, and so it is called the ground of death and life. The road is the way of weighing the signs and establishing victory. Grasp it and you survive, lose it and you are ruined, and so he said it cannot go unexamined. The *Book of Documents* (書經) says, "Him who has the way of surviving, help and make firm; him who has the way of ruin, push and let him fall."

地有死生之勢，戰有存亡之道。

Ground has in it the conformation of death and life; war has in it the road of survival and ruin.

兵舉，則死生、存亡繫之。

Once arms are raised, death and life, survival and ruin hang upon them.

民之死生兆於此，則國之存亡見於彼。然死生曰地、存亡曰道者，以死生在勝負之地，而存亡繫得失之道也，得不重慎審察乎？

When the signs of the people's death and life appear on this side, the survival or ruin of the state shows itself on that side. Yet death and life are called a ground while survival and ruin are called a road, because death and life lie in the place of winning and losing, whereas survival and ruin hang on the road of gaining and losing. How then could one fail to examine it with repeated care?

謂下五事、七計，求彼我之情也。

This refers to the five things and the seven reckonings below. It is finding out the true state of their side and ours.

謂下五事也。校，量也。量計遠近，而求物情以應敵。

This refers to the five things below. To compare (校) is to reckon. One reckons far and near by counting, seeks out the true state of things, and so faces the enemy.

經者，經度也。五者，卽下所謂五事也。校者，校量也。計者，卽篇首計算也。索者，搜索也。情者，彼我之情也。此言先須經度五事之優劣，次復校量計算之得失，然後始可搜索彼我勝負之情狀。

To measure (經) is to take the measure of a thing. The five are just the five things named below. To compare is to set side by side and reckon. The reckoning (計) is the counting at the head of the chapter. To seek (索) is to search out. The true state (情) is the real condition of their side and ours. This says that one first measures which of the five things is better and which worse, next sets the gains and losses of the reckoning side by side, and only then can search out the real condition in which they and we will win or lose.

校量彼我之計謀，搜索兩軍之情實，則長短可知，勝負易見。

Set their plans and ours side by side and reckon them, and search out the real condition of the two armies: then strengths and weaknesses can be known and victory or defeat is easily seen.

經紀五事，校定計利。

He takes the five things as the main threads and measures by them, then sets the profit of the reckoning side by side and settles it.

經，常也，又經緯也。計者，謂下七計。索，盡也。兵之大經，不出道、天、地、將、法耳。就而校之以七計，然後能盡彼己勝負之情狀也。

To measure is what is constant, and it is also to weave as warp and weft and so take measure. The reckoning refers to the seven reckonings below. To seek is to exhaust. The great threads of arms do not go beyond the Way, Heaven, Earth, the general and regulation. Going on from there to set them side by side by the seven reckonings, one can know fully the real condition in which they and we will win or lose.

經，經緯也。上先經緯五事之次序，下乃用五事以校計彼我之優劣，探索勝負之情狀。

To measure is to weave as warp and weft. Above he first weaves the order of the five things; below he uses those five to set their side and ours side by side, reckons which is better and which worse, and gropes out the real condition in which they will win or lose.

恩信使民。

He moves the people by kindness and trust.

上順天時。

Above, he follows the seasons of Heaven.

下知地利。

Below, he knows the advantages of Earth.

委任賢能。

He entrusts the task to the worthy and the able.

此之謂五事也。

These are what are called the five things.

此經之五事也。夫用兵之道，人和爲本，天時與地利則其助也。三者具，然後議舉兵。兵舉，必須將能；將能，然後法修。孫子所次，此之謂矣。

These are the five things to be measured. In general the way of using arms takes the concord of men as its ground, while the seasons of Heaven and the advantages of Earth are its aids. Only when the three are in hand does one discuss raising troops. Once troops are raised the general must be able, and once the general is able, regulation is put in order. The order in which Sunzi arranged them says just this.

節制嚴明。夫將與法在五事之末者，凡舉兵伐罪，廟堂之上，先察恩信之厚薄，後度天時之逆順，次審地形之險易，三者已熟，然後命將征之。兵旣出境，則法令一從於將。此其次序也。

Regulation is restraint that is strict and clear. The general and regulation are placed at the end of the five for this reason. When troops are to be raised to punish a crime, the court first examines whether its own kindness and trust are thick or thin, next weighs whether the seasons of Heaven run against it or with it, and then examines whether the shape of the ground is steep or level. Only when these three are ripe does it command a general to strike. Once the army has crossed the border, the laws and orders follow the general alone. This is their order.

以恩信道義撫衆，則三軍一心，樂爲其用。《易》曰：「悅以犯難，民忘其死。」

Soothe the host with kindness, trust and right conduct, and the three armies become of one mind and gladly serve. The *Book of Changes* (周易) says, "Go gladly into hardship, and the people forget their own death."

謂道之以教令。危者，危疑也。

This refers to leading them by teaching and command. Danger (危) is to waver in doubt.

危，亡也。以道理衆，人自化之，得其同用，何亡之有？

Danger here means ruin. Govern the host by the Way and men are moved of themselves and serve together; where then would there be any ruin?

道者，仁義也。李斯問兵於荀卿，答曰：「彼仁義者，所以修政者也。政修，則民親其上，樂其君，輕爲之死。」復對趙孝成王論兵曰：「百將一心，三軍同力，臣之於君也，下之於上也，若子之事父，弟之事兄，若手臂之捍頭目而覆胸臆也。」如此，始可令與上下同意，死生同致，不畏懼於危疑也。

The Way is benevolence and righteousness. When Li Si (李斯) asked Xun Qing (荀卿) about arms, he answered thus: "Benevolence and righteousness are the ground on which government is put in order. When government is in order the people hold their superiors close and delight in their ruler, and they die for him lightly." He also discussed arms with King Xiaocheng (孝成王) of Zhao, saying, "A hundred generals of one mind and the three armies joining their strength; subject to ruler and inferior to superior as a son serves his father and a younger brother his elder, as hand and arm block for the head and the eyes and cover the breast." Only when it is like this can high and low be brought to share one purpose and to hold death and life in common, so that they fear neither peril nor doubt.

陳皥《註》同杜牧。

Chen Hao's (陳皥) comment is the same as Du Mu's.

一作「人不疑」，謂始終無二志也。一作「人不危」。道，謂道之以政令，齊之以禮教，故能化服士民，與上下同心也。故用兵之妙，以權術爲道。大道廢，而有法；法廢，而有權；權廢，而有勢；勢廢，而有術；術廢，而有數。大道淪替，人情訛僞，非以權數而取之，則不得其欲也。故其權術之道，使民上下同進趨，共愛憎，一利害，故人心歸於德，得人之力，無私之至也。故百萬之衆，其心如一，可與俱同死力動而不至危亡也。臣之於君，下之於上，若子之事父，弟之事兄，若手臂之捍頭目而覆胸臆也。如此，始可與上同意，死生同致，不畏懼於危疑。

One text has "the people do not doubt," meaning that from beginning to end they are not of two minds. Another text has "the people are not imperiled." The Way means leading them by decrees and orders and evening them by rite and teaching. Thus soldiers and people are moved to follow, and high and low become of one mind. Therefore the subtlety of using arms takes the art of weighing as its way. When the great Way breaks down, regulation arises; when regulation breaks down, weighing arises; when weighing breaks down, momentum arises; when momentum breaks down, artifice arises; when artifice breaks down, reckoning arises. Once the great Way has sunk and men's hearts have run to deceit, what one hopes for cannot be got except by taking it through weighing and reckoning. Therefore the way of that art of weighing makes the people advance together, high and low alike, share their loves and hatreds, and make one of profit and harm. So men's hearts return to virtue and the strength of men is got: it is selflessness at its utmost. Therefore a host of a million has its heart as though it were one, exhausts its strength to die together, and though it moves it does not come to peril and ruin. Subject serves ruler and inferior serves superior as a son serves his father and a younger brother his elder, as hand and arm block for the head and the eyes and cover the breast. Only when it is like this do they share one purpose with their superior and hold death and life in common, so that they do not fear peril or doubt.

將能以道爲心，與人同利共患，則士卒服，自然心與上者同也。使士卒懷我如父母，視敵如仇讎者，非道不能也。黃石公云：「得道者昌，失道者亡。」

When the general makes the Way his heart, shares profit with his men and bears their cares with them, the soldiers follow him, and their hearts become of themselves the same as their superior's. To make soldiers cherish me as a parent and look on the enemy as a foe cannot be done except by the Way. The Yellow Stone Elder (黃石公) says, "He who gains the Way flourishes; he who loses the Way is ruined."

謂導之以政令，齊之以禮教也。危者，疑也。上有仁施，下能致命也。故與處存亡之難，不畏傾危之敗。若晉陽之圍，沈竈産蛙，人無叛疑心矣。

This means leading them by decrees and orders and evening them by rite and teaching. Danger is doubt. When there is benevolent giving above, those below can offer up their lives. So they pass together through the hardship of survival and ruin and yet do not fear toppling and perilous defeat. It is like the siege of Jinyang (晉陽), when the stoves were sunk in water and frogs bred in them, and still the people had no heart to turn away or to doubt.

危，戾也。主有道，則政教行；人心同，則危戾去。故主安與安，主危與危。

Danger is going awry. When the ruler has the Way, government and teaching are carried out; when men's hearts are the same, peril and going awry vanish. So when the ruler is at ease they are at ease with him, and when the ruler is in peril they are in peril with him.

道，謂主有道，能得民心也。夫得民之心者，所以得死力也。得死力者，所以濟患難也。《易》曰：「悅以犯難，民忘其死。」如是，則安畏危難之事乎？

The Way means that the ruler has the Way and so can gain the hearts of the people. To gain the hearts of the people is the road to gaining their strength unto death, and to gain their strength unto death is the road to crossing hardship. The *Book of Changes* says, "Go gladly into hardship, and the people forget their own death." If it is like this, how would they fear peril and hardship?

危，疑也。士卒感恩，死生存亡與上同之，決然無所疑懼。

Danger is doubt. The soldiers are moved by his kindness and share death and life, survival and ruin with their superior; they are resolute, with nothing they doubt or fear.

順天行誅，因陰陽四時之制。故《司馬法》曰：「冬夏不興師，所以兼愛民也。」

This means to punish in accord with Heaven, following the restraint of yin and yang and of the four seasons. So the Sima fa (司馬法) says, "In winter and summer no army is raised, for this is to cherish our own people and the enemy's alike."

應天順人，因時制敵。

He answers to Heaven and follows men, and handles the enemy according to the season.

陰陽者，五行、刑德、向背之類是也。今五緯行止，最可據驗。巫咸、甘氏、石氏、唐蒙、史墨、梓慎、裨竈之徒，皆有著述，咸稱祕奧。察其指歸，皆本人事。《準星經》曰：「歲星所在之分，不可攻，攻之反受其殃也。」《左傳》昭三十二年：「夏，吳伐越，始用師於越。史墨曰：不及四十年，越其有吳乎？越得歲而吳伐之，必受其凶。」《註》曰：「存亡之數，不過三紀。歲星三周，三十六歲，故曰『不及四十年』也。此年歲在星紀。星紀，其分也，歲星所在，其國有福；吳先用兵，故反受其殃。」哀二十二年，越滅吳，至此三十八歲也。李淳風曰：「天下誅秦，歲星聚於東井。秦政暴虐，失歲星仁和之理，違歲星恭肅之道，拒諫信讒，是故胡亥終於滅亡。」復曰：「歲星清明潤澤，所在之國分大吉。君令合於時，則歲星光熹，年豐人安。君尚暴虐，令人不便，則歲星色芒；角而怒，則兵起。」由此言之，歲星所在，或有福德，或有災祥，豈不皆本於人事乎？夫吳越之君，德均勢敵。闔閭興師，志於吞滅，非爲拯民，故歲星福越而禍吳。秦之殘酷，天下誅之，上合天意，故歲星禍秦而祚漢。熒惑，罰星也。宋景公出一善言，熒惑退移三舍，而延二十七年。以此推之，歲爲善星，不福無道；火爲罰星，不罰有德。舉此二者，其他可知。況所臨之分，隨其政化之善惡，各變其本色，芒角大小，隨爲禍福，各隨時而占之。淳風曰：「夫形器著於下，精象係於上。」近取之身，耳目爲肝腎之用，鼻口實心腹所資，彼此影響，豈不然歟？《易》曰：「在天成象，在地成形，變化見矣。」蓋本於人事而已矣。刑德向背之說，尤不足信。夫刑德天官之陳，背水陳者爲絕地，向山坂陳者爲廢軍。武王伐紂，背濟水向山坂而陳，以二萬二千五百人擊紂之億萬而滅之。今可目睹者，國家自元和已後至今，三十年間，凡四伐趙宼昭義軍，加以數道之衆，常號十萬，圍之臨城縣，攻其南，不拔；攻其北，不拔；攻其東，不拔；攻其西，不拔。其四度圍之，通有十歲。十歲之內，東西南北，豈有刑德向背、王相吉辰哉？其不拔者，豈不曰城堅、池深、糧多、人一哉？復以往事驗之，秦累世戰勝，竟滅六國，豈天道二百年間常在乾方，福德常居鶉首？豈不曰穆公已還，卑身趨士，務耕戰，明法令而致之乎？故梁惠王問尉繚子曰：「黃帝有刑德，可以百戰百勝，其有之乎？」尉繚子曰：「不然。黃帝所謂刑德者，刑以伐之，德以守之，非世之所謂刑德也。」夫舉賢用能者，不時日而利；明法審令者，不卜筮而事吉；貴功養勞者，不禱祠而得福。周武王伐紂，師次於汜水共頭山，風雨疾雷，鼓旗毁折，王之驂乘惶懼欲死。太公曰：「夫用兵者，順天道未必吉，逆之未必凶。若失人事，則三軍敗亡。且天道鬼神，視之不見，聽之不聞，故智者不法，愚者拘之。若乃好賢而任能，舉事而得時，此則不看時日而事利，不假卜筮而事吉，不待禱祠而福從。」遂命驅之前進。周公曰：「今時逆太歲，龜灼言凶，卜筮不吉。星凶爲災，請還師。」太公怒曰：「今紂剖比干，囚箕子，以飛廉爲政，伐之有何不可？枯草朽骨，安可知乎？」乃焚龜折蓍，率衆先涉，武王從之，遂滅紂。宋高祖圍慕容超於廣固，將攻城，諸將咸諫曰：「今往亡之日，兵家所忌。」高祖曰：「我往彼亡，吉孰大焉！」乃命悉登，遂克廣固。後魏太祖武帝討後燕慕容麟，甲子晦日進軍。太史令鼂崇奏曰：「昔紂以甲子日亡。」帝曰：「周武豈不以甲子日勝乎？」崇無以對。遂戰，破之。後魏太武帝征夏赫連昌於統萬城，師次城下，昌鼓噪而前。會有風雨從賊後來，太史進曰：「天不助人，將士飢渴，願且避之。」崔浩曰：「千里制勝一日，豈得變易？風道在人，豈有常也！」帝從之。昌軍大敗。或曰：「如此者，陰陽向背定不足信，孫子敘之何也？」答曰：「夫暴君昏主，或爲一寶一馬，則必殘人逞志，非以天道鬼神，誰能制止？故孫子敘之，蓋有深旨。」寒暑、時氣節制其行止也。周瑜爲孫權數曹公四敗，一曰：「今盛寒，馬無稾草，驅中國士衆，遠涉江湖，不習水土，必生疾病。此用兵之忌也。」寒暑同歸於天時，故聯以敘之也。

Yin and yang means such things as the five phases (五行), punishment and virtue (刑德), and facing or turning away (向背). Of these, the going and halting of the five planets is the most worth taking as ground for examination. Wu Xian (巫咸), Master Gan (甘氏), Master Shi (石氏), Tang Meng (唐蒙), Shi Mo (史墨), Zi Shen (梓慎) and Pi Zao (裨竈) and their like all left writings, and all were called secret and deep; but examine what they point to and every one of them rests on the affairs of men. The *Zhun xing jing* (準星經) says, "The quarter where the Year Star (歲星) stands must not be attacked; attack it and the calamity turns back upon you." In the thirty-second year of Duke Zhao (昭公) the *Zuo Commentary* says, "In summer Wu attacked Yue; this was the first use of arms against Yue. Shi Mo said: In less than forty years will Yue not hold Wu? Yue has gained the Year Star and Wu has attacked it, so Wu will surely receive its ill fortune." The comment on it says, "The reckoning of survival and ruin does not pass three ji (紀). Three rounds of the Year Star make thirty-six years, and so he said 'in less than forty years.' In that year the Year Star stood in Starry Chronicle (星紀). Starry Chronicle is the quarter of Yue, and where the Year Star stands there is blessing for that state. Wu used arms first, and so the calamity turned back upon it." In the twenty-second year of Duke Ai (哀公) Yue destroyed Wu: thirty-eight years from then to that. Li Chunfeng (李淳風) says, "When all under Heaven punished Qin (秦), the Year Star gathered in the Eastern Well (東井). Qin's government was fierce and cruel, so that it lost the Year Star's principle of benevolence and harmony and went against the Year Star's way of deference and gravity; it shut out remonstrance and believed slander, and so Huhai (胡亥) was ruined in the end." He also says, "When the Year Star is clear, bright and lustrous, the quarter of the state where it stands is greatly fortunate. When the ruler's commands fit the season, the Year Star shines, the harvest is ample and the people are at ease. When the ruler is fierce and cruel and puts his people out of ease, the light of the Year Star grows spiky; and when it horns out in anger, arms are raised." Put this way, where the Year Star stands there may be blessing and virtue and there may be calamity and omen: how is this not all resting on the affairs of men? Now the rulers of Wu and Yue were even in virtue and matched in power. Helü (闔閭) raised arms with his mind set on swallowing and destroying and not on saving the people, and so the Year Star gave blessing to Yue and misfortune to Wu. Qin was cruel and all under Heaven punished it, which above fitted the will of Heaven, and so the Year Star gave misfortune to Qin and blessing to Han (漢). Sparkling Deluder (熒惑) is the star that punishes. When Duke Jing (景公) of Song uttered a single good word, Sparkling Deluder drew back three stations and moved away, and his years of life were lengthened by twenty-seven. Reasoning from this, the Year Star is a good star and gives no blessing to one without the Way, while the Fire Star is a punishing star and does not punish one who has virtue. Raise these two and the rest can be known. Still more, in the quarter a star oversees, each changes its own light according to whether that state's government and teaching are good or bad, and becomes misfortune or blessing according to whether its spiky light is great or small; each is divined according to its season. Li Chunfeng says, "Shapes and vessels show below; essence and images (象) hang above." Take it near, from the body: ear and eye serve liver and kidney, and nose and mouth are what heart and belly truly lean on. How should this side and that not answer each other so? The *Book of Changes* says, "In Heaven it completes images, on Earth it completes shapes, and so change shows itself." In the main it rests on the affairs of men, nothing more. The doctrines of punishment and virtue and of facing or turning away are still less to be trusted. Punishment and virtue is the array-method of the Heavenly Offices (天官): it holds that to draw up with water at your back makes it cut-off ground, and that to draw up facing a hillside makes a discarded army. Yet when King Wu (武王) struck Zhou (紂) he drew up with the Ji River (濟水) at his back and facing a hillside, and with twenty-two thousand five hundred men he struck Zhou's host of a hundred million and destroyed it. As for what can be seen with one's own eyes, in the thirty years from the Yuanhe (元和) era down to today the dynasty has struck the brigands of Zhao (趙) four times. The Zhaoyi Army (昭義軍), with the troops of several circuits added to it, always called itself a hundred thousand; it surrounded Lincheng county (臨城縣) and struck at its south without taking it, struck at its north without taking it, struck at its east without taking it, and struck at its west without taking it. Those four sieges came to ten years in all. In ten years, in east, west, south or north, where was there an auspicious day of punishment and virtue, of facing and turning away, of the royal and ministerial phases (王相)? How can one not say that the reason it was not taken was that the walls were firm, the moats deep, the grain plentiful and the men of one mind? Let us look again at the past. Qin fought and won through many generations and at last destroyed the six states. How could Heaven's way have stood always in the Qian quarter (乾方) for two hundred years, and blessing and virtue have always lodged in Quail's Head (鶉首)? How can one not say that it was accomplished because, from Duke Mu (穆公) on, they lowered themselves and went to men of worth, put their strength into farming and fighting, and made their laws and orders clear? So King Hui (惠王) of Liang (梁) asked Wei Liaozi (尉繚子), "They say the Yellow Emperor (黃帝) had punishment and virtue, and so could fight a hundred times and win a hundred times. Is there such a thing?" Wei Liaozi said, "It is not so. What the Yellow Emperor called punishment and virtue was to strike by punishment (刑) and to hold by virtue (德); it is not the punishment and virtue the world speaks of." In general, he who raises up the worthy and employs the able profits without choosing a day; he who makes his laws clear and examines his orders has his affairs turn out fortunate without divining; and he who honors merit and nurtures those who have labored gains blessing without praying. When King Wu of Zhou struck Zhou, his army halted at the Si River (汜水) and Mount Gongtou (共頭山), and wind, rain and sudden thunder beat down and broke the drums and the banners, so that those who rode beside the king were frightened half to death. Taigong (太公) said, "He who uses arms is not surely fortunate though he follow Heaven's way, nor surely unlucky though he go against it. Lose the affairs of men and the three armies are defeated and ruined. Moreover Heaven's way and the spirits are looked at but not seen, listened to but not heard; the wise do not take them for a model, and it is fools who are bound by them. Love the worthy, entrust matters to the able, and raise your affairs so as to catch the season, and then your affairs profit without your looking at days, turn out fortunate without your borrowing a divination, and blessing follows without your waiting on prayer." And he commanded them at last to drive on and advance. The Duke of Zhou (周公) said, "The present season runs against the Great Year (太歲); the tortoise, scorched, says it is unlucky, and the divination is not fortunate. The stars are ill-omened and make calamity. I beg that the army be turned back." Taigong said in anger, "Now Zhou has cut open Bi Gan (比干), imprisoned Jizi (箕子) and given his government to Feilian (飛廉). What is there against striking him? How can dried stalks and rotten bones know anything?" He burned the tortoise shell, broke the yarrow stalks, led the host and crossed first; and King Wu followed him and at last destroyed Zhou. When Gaozu (高祖) of Song (宋) had Murong Chao (慕容超) surrounded at Guanggu (廣固) and was about to assault the walls, his generals all held him back, saying, "Today is a Going-and-Perishing day (往亡日), a day the school of war shuns." Gaozu said, "I go and they perish: what fortune could be greater than this!" He ordered them all to climb, and took Guanggu in the end. Emperor Wu (武帝), Taizu of the Later Wei (後魏), set his army forward on the last day of the month, a jiazi (甲子) day, to strike Murong Lin (慕容麟) of the Later Yan (後燕). The Grand Scribe Chao Chong (鼂崇) reported, "Of old, Zhou perished on a jiazi day." The ruler said, "Did not King Wu of Zhou win on a jiazi day?" and Chao Chong had nothing to answer. In the end he fought and broke them. When Emperor Taiwu (太武帝) of the Later Wei struck Helian Chang (赫連昌) of Xia (夏) at Tongwan city (統萬城), his army halted below the walls and Helian Chang came out beating drums and shouting. Just then wind and rain drove up from behind the enemy, and the Grand Scribe came forward and said, "Heaven does not aid our men, and the officers and soldiers are hungry and thirsty. I beg that we withdraw a while." Cui Hao (崔浩) said, "We have come a thousand li to settle the victory in a single day: how can that be changed? The way of the wind lies with men; how should it be always the same!" The ruler followed him, and Helian Chang's army was greatly defeated. Someone asked, "If it is like this, then yin and yang and facing or turning away are plainly not to be trusted. Why then did Sunzi write them down?" The answer was, "A fierce ruler and a benighted lord will harm men to fill their own desire even for one treasure or one horse; and if it is not done by Heaven's way and the spirits, who could stop them? So Sunzi wrote this down, and in the main there is a deep meaning in it." Cold and heat, the breath of the seasons, restrain their going and halting. When Zhou Yu (周瑜) counted out to Sun Quan (孫權) the four causes of Cao Cao's (曹操) defeat, he gave as one of them: "It is now the depth of the cold and there is no straw or fodder for the horses; and he drives the troops of the central plain far across rivers and lakes, where, unused to the water and the soil, they will surely fall sick. This is a thing shunned in the use of arms." Cold and heat both come back to the seasons of Heaven, and so he wrote of them next.

兵者，法天運也。陰陽者，剛柔盈縮也。用陰，則沉虛固靜；用陽，則輕捷猛厲。後則用陰，先則用陽。陰無蔽也，陽無察也。陰陽之象無定形，故兵法天。天有寒暑，兵有生殺。天則應殺而制物，兵則應機而制形，故曰「天」也。

Arms take the course of Heaven as their model. Yin and yang are hardness and softness, the full and the waning. Use yin and you are sunken, empty, firmly still; use yang and you are light, swift and fierce. Standing behind, one uses yin; standing in front, one uses yang. In yin there is no screening, in yang no scrutiny. The images of yin and yang have no fixed shape, and so arms take Heaven as their model. Heaven has cold and heat; arms have sparing and killing. Heaven answers to the time of killing and handles things, and arms answer to the signs and handle shapes. And so he said "Heaven."

讀「時制」爲「時氣」，謂從其善時，占其氣候之利也。

He reads the restraint of the seasons (時制) as the breath of the seasons (時氣), meaning that one follows the good season and divines the advantage of the weather.

謂順天行誅，因陰陽四時剛柔之制。

This means carrying out punishment in accord with Heaven, following the restraint of hardness and softness in yin and yang and in the four seasons.

兵必參天道，順氣候，以時制之，所謂制也。《司馬法》曰：「冬夏不興師，所以兼愛民也。」

In using arms one must weigh Heaven's way and, following the weather, restrain oneself by the season; this is what is called restraint (制). The *Sima fa* says, "In winter and summer one does not raise troops, because one cares alike for the people of both sides."

謂陰陽，總天道、五行、四時、風雲、氣象也，善消息之，以助軍勝。然非異人特授其訣，則末由也。若黃石授書張良，乃《太公兵法》是也。意者豈天機神密，非常人所得知耶？其諸十數家紛紜，抑未足以取審矣。寒暑，若吳起云疾風、大寒、盛夏、炎熱之類；時制，因時利害而制宜也。范蠡云「天時不作，弗爲人客」，是也。

Yin and yang here takes in Heaven's way together with the five phases, the four seasons, wind and cloud, and the airs of the weather. One examines well their coming and going and so helps one's arms to victory. But unless an extraordinary man hands down its secret in particular, there is no way in. What the Yellow Stone Elder gave to Zhang Liang (張良) was the *Taigong's Art of War* (太公兵法). Does it mean, when one thinks of it, that the signs of Heaven are so wondrous and secret that an ordinary man cannot know them? The words of those dozen-odd schools are in confusion, and so they too are not to be trusted and taken up. Cold and heat are such things as the strong winds and great cold, and the burning heat of midsummer, that Wu Qi (吳起) spoke of. Restraint of the seasons is to settle what is fitting according to the profit and harm of the season. This is what Fan Li (范蠡) meant by "If Heaven's season has not stirred, do not become the guest who invades."

夫陰陽者，非孤虛向背之謂也，蓋兵自有陰陽耳。范蠡曰：「後則用陰，先則用陽。盡敵陽節，盈吾陰節而奪之。」又云：「設右爲牝，益左爲牡，早晏以順天道。」李衛公解曰：「左右者，人之陰陽；早晏者，天之陰陽；奇正者，天人相變之陰陽。」此皆言兵自有陰陽、剛柔之用，非天官、日時之陰陽也。今觀尉繚子《天官》之篇，則義最明矣。《太白陰經》亦有天無陰陽之篇，皆著爲卷首，欲以決世人之惑也。太公曰：「聖人欲止後世之亂，故作爲譎書，以寄勝於天道，無益於兵也。」是亦然矣。唐太宗亦曰：「凶器無甚於兵。行兵苟便於人事，豈以避忌爲疑也？」寒暑者，謂冬夏興師也。漢征匈奴，士多墮指。馬援征蠻，卒多疫死，皆冬夏興師故也。時制者，謂順天時而制征討也。《太白陰經》言天時者，乃水旱、蝗雹、荒亂之天時，非孤虛向背之天時也。

Yin and yang does not mean the Lone and the Empty (孤虛) or facing and turning away. In the main it is only that arms have in them a yin and yang of their own. Fan Li said, "Standing behind, one uses yin; standing in front, one uses yang. Make the enemy exhaust his yang breath, and fill up my yin breath and take from him." He also said, "Set the right as the female (牝) and raise up the left as the male (牡), and by early and late follow Heaven's way." Duke Li of Wei (李衛公) explained it: "Left and right are the yin and yang of men; early and late are the yin and yang of Heaven; and the unorthodox (奇) and the orthodox (正) are the yin and yang in which Heaven and men change into each other." All this says that arms have in them a yin and yang and a use of hardness and softness of their own, and that it is not the yin and yang of the Heavenly Offices and of days and hours. Look now at the "Heavenly Offices" chapter of Wei Liaozi and the meaning is clearest of all. The *Taibai yinjing* (太白陰經) too has a chapter saying that Heaven has no yin and yang, and both of them put it at the head of the book, meaning to cut off the delusion of the men of the world. Taigong said, "The sages, wishing to stop the disorder of later ages, made deceiving writings and attached victory to Heaven's way; it is of no profit to arms." This too is so. Emperor Taizong of Tang also said, "Of ill-omened instruments none is worse than arms. If the moving of an army fits the affairs of men, why should one doubt it over what is shunned and avoided?" Cold and heat means raising troops in winter and summer. When Han struck the Xiongnu many of its soldiers lost their fingers, and when Ma Yuan (馬援) struck the southern tribes many of his soldiers died of pestilence; both came of raising troops in winter and summer. Restraint of the seasons is to follow the seasons of Heaven and so restrain striking and punishing. The seasons of Heaven spoken of in the *Taibai yinjing* are the seasons of flood and drought, locusts and hail, famine and disorder, not the seasons of the Lone and the Empty and of facing and turning away.

言以九地形勢不同，因時制利也。論在《九地篇》中。

This means that the forms of the nine kinds of ground each differ, so one makes advantage according to the season. This discussion is in the Nine Grounds chapter (九地篇).

得形勢之地，有死生之勢。

It is to gain ground that has conformation, for in it lies the momentum of death and life.

知形勢之利害。

He knows the profit and harm of the conformation of the ground.

凡用兵，貴先知地形。知遠近，則能爲迂直之計；知險易，則能審步騎之利；知廣狹，則能度衆寡之用；知死生，則能識戰散之勢也。

In using arms it is held precious to know the shape of the ground first. Know far and near and you can set the reckoning of the roundabout and the direct; know steep and level and you can examine where foot troops and horsemen have the advantage; know wide and narrow and you can weigh the use of many troops or few; know ground of death and ground of life and you can know the momentum for fighting and the momentum for scattering.

將宜五德備也。

A general ought to possess these five virtues.

此五者，爲將之德，故師有「丈人」之稱也。

These five are the virtues of a general. And so one who leads an army is called an "elder" (丈人).

先王之道，以仁爲首；兵家者流，用智爲先。蓋智者，能機權、識變通也；信者，使人不惑於刑賞也；仁者，愛人憫物，知勤勞也；勇者，決勝乘勢，不逡巡也；嚴者，以威刑肅三軍也。楚申包胥使於越，越王勾踐將伐吳，問戰焉，曰「夫戰，智力始，仁次之，勇次之。不智，則不能知民之極，無以詮度天下之衆寡；不仁，則不能與三軍共飢勞之殃；不勇，則不能斷疑以發大計也。」

The way of the former kings put benevolence at the head, while the school of war takes the use of wisdom as first. In the main, wisdom is weighing the signs and knowing how to change and get through; good faith is keeping men from being bewildered about punishment and reward; benevolence is loving men, pitying all things, and knowing their labor; courage is deciding the victory and riding the momentum without hesitating; and strictness is making the three armies grave through awe-inspiring punishment. When Shen Baoxu (申包胥) of Chu went as envoy to Yue, and King Goujian (勾踐) of Yue, meaning to strike Wu, asked him about warfare, he said: "Warfare begins in wisdom and strength, with benevolence next and courage next. Without wisdom you cannot know the limits of the people and have no way to weigh how many or few there are in the world; without benevolence you cannot share with the three armies the calamity of hunger and hard labor; and without courage you cannot cut off doubt and spread out the great reckoning."

專任智則賊，偏施仁則懦，固守信則愚，恃勇力則暴，令過嚴則殘。五者兼備，各適其用，則可爲將帥。

Entrust everything to wisdom and it does harm; give benevolence alone and one-sidedly and it goes soft; hold firmly to good faith alone and it is foolish; trust only in courage and strength and it turns fierce; make commands too strict and it is cruel. Have the five together, each fitted to its own use, and one can be a general.

智能發謀，信能賞罰，仁能附衆，勇能果斷，嚴能立威。

Wisdom can bring forth plans; good faith can carry out reward and punishment; benevolence can attach the host; courage can cut off boldly; strictness can set up awe.

智者，先見而不惑，能謀慮，通權變也；信者，號令一也；仁者，惠撫惻隱，得人心也；勇者，徇義不懼，能果毅也；嚴者，以威嚴肅衆心也。五者相須，闕一不可。故曹公曰：「將宜五德備也。」

Wisdom is seeing ahead without being bewildered, bringing forth plans, and getting through by weighing and adapting. Good faith is that commands are one. Benevolence is soothing men with kindness and pitying them, and so gaining the hearts of men. Courage is following the right without fear, bold and firm. Strictness is making the many minds grave through awe. The five wait upon one another, and not one of them may be missing. So Cao Cao said, "A general ought to have the five virtues."

非智不可以料敵應機，非信不可以訓人率下，非仁不可以附衆撫士，非勇不可以決謀合戰，非嚴不可以服強齊衆。全此五才，將之體也。

Without wisdom one cannot weigh the enemy and answer the signs; without good faith one cannot teach men and lead those below; without benevolence one cannot attach the host and soothe the troops; without courage one cannot decide a plan and join battle; without strictness one cannot subdue the strong and make the host even. To have these five talents whole is the body of a general.

智不可亂，信不可欺，仁不可暴，勇不可懼，嚴不可犯。五德皆備，然後可以爲大將。

Be wise and you cannot be thrown into confusion; keep good faith and you cannot be deceived; be benevolent and you cannot be made fierce; be courageous and you cannot be frightened; be strict and you cannot be transgressed against. Only when all five virtues are in hand can one be a great general.

曲制者，部曲、旛幟、金鼓之制也。官者，百官之分也。道者，糧路也。主者，主軍費用也。

Unit ordering (曲制) is the regulation of how companies are formed and of banners, gongs and drums. Offices (官) is the division of the various posts. Road (道) is the route by which provisions come and go. Charge (主) is taking care of how military funds are spent.

曲，部曲也。制，節度也。官，爵賞也。道，路也。主，掌也。用者，軍資用也。皆師之常法，而將所治也。

Units (曲) are the formations. Ordering is discipline. Offices are posts and rewards. Road is the route. Charge is to take a thing in charge. Supplies (用) are the army's materials and its expenditure. All of them are the constant laws of arms and what the general governs.

曲者，部曲隊伍有分畫也。制者，金鼓旌旗有節制也。官者，偏裨校列各有官司也。道者，營陳開闔各有道徑也。主者，管庫厮養職守主張其事也。用者，車馬器械三軍須用之物也。荀卿曰：「械用有數。」夫兵者，以食爲本，須先計糧道，然後興師。

Units means that the formations and the files have their divisions. Ordering means that gongs, drums and banners have their restraint. Offices means that the ranks of colonels, majors and captains each have an office of their own. Road means that the opening and closing of the camp each has its route. Charge means that those who hold the storehouses in charge and those who tend the horses keep to their duties and manage their own business. Supplies means the things the three armies must use, such as carts, horses and machines. Xun Qing said, "For machines and things to be used there is a reckoning." In general arms take food as their ground, so one must first reckon the road of provisions and only then raise troops.

曲制，部曲隊伍分畫必有制也。官道，裨校首長統率必有道也。主用，主軍之資糧百物必有用度也。

Unit ordering means that in dividing the formations and the files there must be regulation. Offices and roads means that in the commanding done by majors, captains and headmen there must be a route. Charge of supplies means that in holding in charge the army's materials, its grain and all its goods there must be a measuring of expenditure.

曲者，卒伍之屬。制者，節制其行列進退也。官者，羣吏偏裨也。道者，軍行及所舍也。主者，主守其事。用者，凡軍之用，謂輜重糧積之屬。

Units are such things as the company and the file. Ordering is the restraining of their ranks and of their advance and retreat. Offices are the various clerks and the colonels and majors. Roads are the routes by which the army goes and the places where it halts. Charge is to hold a business in charge and keep to it. Supplies are all the army's expenditure, meaning such things as baggage carts and stored grain.

曲，部曲也；制，節制也。官，謂分偏裨之任。道，謂利糧餉之路。主者，職掌軍資之人。用者，計度費用之物。六者，用兵之要，宜處置有其法。

Units are the formations and ordering is restraint. Offices means dividing the duties of colonels and majors. Roads means making the routes for carrying grain advantageous. Charge is the man who holds the army's materials in charge. Supplies is to measure the goods to be spent. These six are the essentials of using arms, and in providing for them there must be a method.

已上五事，人人同聞；但深曉變極之理則勝，不然則敗。

Every man hears the five things above alike, but he who has grasped them deeply to the end of their changes wins, and he who has not loses.

同聞五者，將知其變極，卽勝也。索其情者，勝負之情。

Though all have heard these five alike, the general who knows their changes to the very end wins. To seek out the true state of affairs is to seek out the state of victory and defeat.

謂上五事，將欲聞知，校量計算彼我之優劣，然後搜索其情狀，乃能必勝，不爾則敗。

This says that if a general, having heard the five things above, means to know them, and if he sets their side and ours side by side to reckon which is better and which worse and then searches out the true state of affairs, he can surely win; and if not, he loses.

《書》云：「非知之艱，行之惟艱。」

The *Book of Documents* says, "It is not the knowing that is hard; it is the doing that is hard."

當盡知也。言雖周知五事，待七計以盡其情也。

One ought to know them all. It says that even if one knows the five things through and through, it is by waiting on the seven reckonings that one comes to know the true state of affairs fully.

上已陳五事，自此而下，方考校彼我之得失，探索勝負之情狀也。

Above he has already set out the five things; from here down he sets their gains and losses and ours side by side, examines them, and gropes out the real condition in which they will win or lose.

道德智能。

This refers to virtue, wisdom and ability.

孰，實也。有道之主，必有智能之將。范增辭楚，陳平歸漢，卽其義也。

Which (孰) here has the sense of truly. A ruler who has the Way will surely have wise and able generals. Fan Zeng's (范增) leaving Chu and Chen Ping's (陳平) turning to Han are just this meaning.

孰，誰也。言我與敵人之主，誰能遠佞親賢，任人不疑也。

Which here has the sense of who. It asks which of the two rulers, mine and the enemy's, keeps flatterers at a distance and holds the worthy close, and entrusts matters to men without doubting them.

主，君也；道，道德也。必先考校兩國之君，誰知誰否也。若荀息料虞公貪而好寶，宮之奇懦而不能強諫是也。

Ruler means the lord, and the Way means moral virtue. One must first set the rulers of the two states side by side and examine which of them knows and which does not. Such was Xun Xi's (荀息) reckoning that Duke Yu (虞公) was greedy and fond of treasure, and that Gong Zhiqi (宮之奇) was soft and would not be able to dissuade him firmly.

誰能得人心也。

It asks which of them can gain the hearts of men.

若韓信言項王匹夫之勇，婦人之仁，名雖爲霸，實失天下心；謂漢王入武關，秋毫無所害，除秦苛法，秦民亡不欲大王王秦者是也。

Such was Han Xin's (韓信) saying that King Xiang (項王) had the courage of a single man and the benevolence of a woman, so that he was hegemon in name but had truly lost the heart of the world, whereas the King of Han (漢王), on entering the Wu Pass (武關), had harmed not a single hair and had abolished the harsh laws of Qin, so that there was not one of the people of Qin who did not wish His Majesty to be king over Qin.

《書》曰：「撫我則后，虐我則讎。」撫虐之政，孰有之也。

The *Book of Documents* says, "He who soothes me is my ruler; he who is cruel to me is my foe." It asks which side has the government that soothes and which the government that is cruel.

先校二國之君，誰有恩信之道，卽上所謂「令民與上同意」者之道也。若淮陰料項王仁勇過高祖而不賞有功，爲婦人之仁，亦是也。

First set the rulers of the two states side by side and see which has the way of kindness and good faith: that is, the Way spoken of above, which makes the people share one purpose with their superior. So too the Marquis of Huaiyin (淮陰侯) reckoned that King Xiang surpassed Gaozu in benevolence and courage, but gave no reward to those who had merit, and so his was the benevolence of a woman.

將孰有能者，上所謂「智、信、仁、勇、嚴」也。

Which general is abler refers to the wisdom, good faith, benevolence, courage and strictness spoken of above.

梅堯臣同杜牧《註》。

Mei Yaochen's (梅堯臣) comment is the same as Du Mu's.

若漢王問魏大將柏直，曰「是口尚乳臭，不能當韓信」之類是也。

Such was the King of Han's asking about Bo Zhi (柏直), the great general of Wei, and saying, "His mouth still smells of milk; he is no match for Han Xin."

察彼我之將，誰有智、信、仁、勇、嚴之能，若漢高祖料魏將柏直不能當韓信之類也。

Examine the generals of their side and ours and see which has the ability of wisdom, good faith, benevolence, courage and strictness. Such was Gaozu of Han's reckoning that Bo Zhi, the general of Wei, was no match for Han Xin.

天時、地利。

The season Heaven gives and the advantage Earth gives.

天者，上所謂「陰陽、寒暑、時制」也；地者，上所謂「遠近、險易、廣狹、死生」也。

Heaven refers to the yin and yang, cold and heat, and the restraint of the seasons spoken of above; Earth refers to the far and near, steep and level, wide and narrow, ground of death and ground of life spoken of above.

視兩軍所據，知誰得天時、地利。

Look at where the two armies stand and one knows which has gained the seasons of Heaven and the advantages of Earth.

稽合天時，審察地利。

He matches up the seasons of Heaven and examines the advantages of Earth.

王晳同杜牧《註》。

Wang Xi's (王晳) comment is the same as Du Mu's.

觀兩軍所舉，誰得天時、地利，若魏武帝盛冬伐吳，慕容超不據大峴，則失天時、地利者也。

Look at what the two armies have undertaken and see which has gained the seasons of Heaven and the advantages of Earth. Emperor Wu of Wei's striking at Wu in the dead of winter, and Murong Chao's not holding Daxian (大峴), were a losing of the seasons of Heaven and the advantages of Earth.

設而不犯，犯而必誅。

Once they are set up they are not broken, and whoever breaks them is surely punished.

縣法設禁，貴賤如一。魏絳戮僕、曹公斷髮是也。

He hangs up the laws and sets up prohibitions, and makes the noble and the base alike. Wei Jiang's (魏絳) killing of a servant and Cao Cao's cutting off his own hair are this.

發號出令，校孰下不敢犯。

Issue the orders and compare which side's subordinates dare not transgress them.

齊衆以法，一衆以令。

By law he makes the host even; by command he makes the host one.

孰能法明令便，人聽而從？

Which side has laws that are clear and commands that are easy, so that men hear them and follow?

魏絳戮揚干，穰苴斬莊賈，呂蒙誅鄉人，卧龍刑馬謖，茲所謂「設而不犯，犯而必誅」，誰爲如此？

Wei Jiang beheaded Yanggan (揚干); Rangju (穰苴) beheaded Zhuang Jia (莊賈); Lü Meng (呂蒙) punished a man of his own district; and the Crouching Dragon (卧龍) punished Ma Su (馬謖). This is what is meant by "set it up and it is not transgressed; transgress it and punishment is sure." Which side does it so?

上下和同，勇於戰爲強；卒衆車多爲強。

That high and low are in concord and become one and are brave in battle is strength; and that the soldiers are many and the chariots many is strength.

內和，外附。

Within there is concord, and without, men attach themselves.

強弱足以相形而知。

Strong and weak can be known by setting them side by side.

車堅、馬良，士勇、兵利，聞鼓而喜，聞金而怒，誰者爲然？

The chariots firm and the horses good, the troops brave and the weapons sharp, glad to hear the drum and angry to hear the gong: which side is so?

辨旌旗，審金鼓，明開合，知進退，閑馳逐，便弓矢，習擊刺也。

It is to make out the banners, to watch the gongs and drums, to be clear about opening and closing, to know advance and retreat, to be practiced in running pursuit, to be able with bow and arrow, and to train in striking and thrusting.

知誰兵器強利、士卒簡練者。故王子曰：「士不素習，當陳惶惑；將不素習，臨陳闇變。」

One knows which side has weapons that are strong and sharp and soldiers well chosen and practiced. So the Prince (王子) said, "If the troops are not drilled in ordinary times, they flounder when they stand in the line; if the general is not drilled in ordinary times, he is in the dark about changes when he comes to the line."

車騎閑習，孰國精粗？

In the practice of chariots and horsemen, which state is finely trained and which rough?

孰訓之精？

Which side's teaching is finer?

勇怯強弱，豈能一概？

How could bravery and cowardice, strength and weakness ever be all of one kind?

離合、聚散之法，坐作、進退之令，誰素閑習？

The methods of parting and joining, gathering and scattering, and the commands for sitting and rising, advancing and retreating: which side has drilled them in ordinary times?

賞不僣，刑不濫。

Rewards are not given beyond a man's due, and punishments are not handed down at random.

賞善罰惡，知誰分明者。故王子曰：「賞無度，則費而無恩；罰無度，則戮而無威。」

One knows which side is clear in rewarding the good and punishing the bad. So the Prince said, "If there is no way in rewarding, men are merely used and feel no kindness; if there is no way in punishing, men are merely killed and there is no awe."

賞有功，罰有罪。

He rewards those who have merit and punishes those who have offended.

孰能賞必當功，罰必稱情？

Which side makes reward surely fit the merit and punishment surely fit the facts?

當賞者，雖仇怨必録；當罰者，雖父子不舍。又，《司馬法》曰「賞不逾時，罰不遷列」，於誰爲明？

He who should be rewarded is set down for it even if he is an enemy, and he who should be punished is not let off even if he is a father or a son. And the *Sima fa* says, "Reward does not pass its season, and punishment does not move along the ranks." Which side is clear in this?

以七事計之，知勝負矣。

Reckon by the seven things and you know victory and defeat.

以上七事量校彼我之政，則勝敗可見。

Weigh and compare the government of their side and ours by the seven things above, and victory or defeat can be seen.

能索其情，則知勝負。

If one can search out the true state of affairs, one knows victory and defeat.

七事俱優，則未戰而先勝；七事俱劣，則未戰而先敗。故勝負可預知也。

If all seven are better, one has already won before fighting; if all seven are worse, one has already lost before fighting. So victory and defeat can be known beforehand.

不能定計，則退而去也。

If the reckoning cannot be settled, he withdraws and leaves.

若彼自備護，不從我計，形勢均等，無以相加，用戰必敗，引而去之。故《春秋傳》曰「允當則歸」也。

If the other side guards and prepares itself and does not follow my reckoning, and the conformations are even and alike so that neither has anything to add, then to fight would be sure defeat, and one leads the army away. So the *Spring and Autumn Commentary* (春秋傳) says, "Meet what is fitting and turn back."

孫武以書干闔閭曰：「聽用吾計策，必能勝敵，我當留之不去；不聽吾計策，必當負敗，我去之不留。」以此感動闔閭，庶必見用。故闔閭曰：「子之十三篇，寡人盡觀之矣。」其時，闔閭行軍用師，多自爲將，故不言「主」而言「將」也。

Sun Wu (孫武) came to Helü with his writings and said, "If my plans are heard and used, I can surely defeat the enemy, and I will stay and not leave; if my plans are not heard, defeat is sure, and I will leave and not stay." By this he meant to move Helü and be certain of employment. So Helü said, "Your thirteen chapters I have read through." In those days Helü, when he moved and used his army, often made himself its general, and so he said "the general" and not "the ruler."

將，裨將也。聽吾計畫而勝，則留之；違吾計畫而敗，則除去之。

The general here means a subordinate general (裨將). One who hears my plan and wins is kept on; one who goes against my plan and loses is cut off and sent away.

武以十三篇干吳王闔閭，故首篇以此辭動之，謂︰王將聽我計，而用戰必勝，我當留此也；王將不聽我計，而用戰必敗，我當去此也。

Sun Wu came to King Helü of Wu with the thirteen chapters, and so in the first chapter he moved him with these words. That is: "If Your Majesty hears my reckoning and uses it in war, you will surely win, and I will stay here; if Your Majesty does not hear my reckoning and uses it in war, you will surely lose, and I will leave this place."

將，行也；用，謂用兵耳。言行聽吾此計，用兵則必勝，我當留；行不聽吾此計，用兵則必敗，我當去也。

The word general (將) here has the sense of carrying out, and use means the using of troops. It says: if this reckoning of mine is carried out and heard, troops will be used and victory is sure, and I will stay; if this reckoning of mine is carried out and not heard, troops will be used and defeat is sure, and I will leave.

將，辭也。孫子謂︰今將聽吾所陳之計，而用兵則必勝，我乃留此矣；將不聽吾所陳之計，而用兵則必敗，我乃去之他國矣。以此辭激吳王而求用。

The word general is a particle that helps the phrasing. Sunzi said, "If the reckoning I have now spread out is heard and troops are used by it, victory is sure, and I will stay here; if the reckoning I have spread out is not heard and troops are used, defeat is sure, and I will leave for another state." With these words he spurred the King of Wu and sought to be employed.

常法之外也。

This lies outside the fixed rules.

計利旣定，乃乘形勢之變也。佐其外者，常法之外也。

Once the reckoning has settled where the profit lies, one then rides the changes of the conformation. To help what lies outside means outside the constant laws.

計算利害，是軍事根本。利害已見聽用，然後於常法之外，更求兵勢，以助佐其事也。

To reckon profit and harm is the root of arms. Once profit and harm have been accepted and put to use, then outside the constant laws one further seeks the momentum of arms and so helps the undertaking.

計其利，聽其謀，得敵之情，我乃設奇譎之勢以動之。外者，或傍攻，或後躡，以佐正陳。

Reckon the profit of it, have the plan heard, and gain the true state of the enemy; then I spread out a strange and deceiving momentum and so move the enemy. What lies outside is to strike from the flank or tread on his rear, and so help the orthodox line.

定計於內，爲勢於外，以助成勝。

Within, he settles the reckoning; without, he makes momentum, and so helps the victory to be achieved.

吾計之利已聽，復當知應變，以佐其外。

Once the profit of my reckoning has been accepted, I must further know how to answer the changes and so help what lies outside.

孫子又謂︰吾所計之利若已聽從，則我當復爲兵勢，以佐助其事於外。蓋兵之常法，卽可明言於人；兵之利勢，須因敵而爲。

Sunzi says further, "Once the profit I have reckoned has been accepted, I will further make the momentum of arms and help the undertaking from outside." In the main the constant laws of arms can be made clear and told to men, but the advantageous momentum of arms must be made according to the enemy.

制由權也，權因事制也。

Handling comes out of weighing, and weighing is settled by the matter at hand.

謀因事制。

Plans are settled according to the affair.

自此便言常法之外。勢，夫勢者，不可先見，或因敵之害見我之利，或因敵之利見我之害，然後始可制機權而取勝也。

From here on he speaks of what lies outside the constant law. Momentum cannot be seen beforehand. One may see one's own advantage in the enemy's harm, or one's own harm in the enemy's advantage; only then can one weigh the signs, handle them, and gain the victory.

因利行權以制之。

He follows the advantage, carries out the weighing, and so handles him.

勢者，乘其變者也。

Momentum is to ride upon his changes.

所謂勢者，須因事之利，制爲權謀，以勝敵耳，故不能先言也。自此而後，略言權變。

What is called momentum is only to follow the advantage in an affair, make of it a plan of weighing, and so beat the enemy; therefore it cannot be spoken of beforehand. From here on he speaks briefly of weighing and adapting.

兵無常形，以詭詐爲道。

War has no fixed shape, so it takes deception for its way.

軍不厭詐。

An army does not shrink from deceit.

非譎不可以行權，非權不可以制敵。

Without deceit one cannot carry out weighing; without weighing one cannot handle the enemy.

詭者，所以求勝敵；御衆必以信也。

Deception is the way by which one seeks to beat the enemy; in commanding the host one must use good faith.

用兵雖本於仁義，然其取勝必在詭詐。故曳柴揚塵，欒枝之譎也；萬弩齊發，孫臏之奇也；千牛俱奔，田單之權也；囊沙壅水，淮陰之詐也，此皆用詭道而制勝也。

Though the use of arms is grounded in benevolence and righteousness, the gaining of victory lies always in deceit. Thus the dragging of brushwood to raise dust was the deceit of Luan Zhi (欒枝); the loosing of ten thousand crossbows at once was the strange stroke of Sun Bin (孫臏); the driving of a thousand oxen together was the weighing of Tian Dan (田單); and the damming of the water with sandbags was the guile of the Marquis of Huaiyin. All of these won by using the way of deception.

實強而示之弱，實勇而示之怯，李牧敗匈奴、孫臏斬龐涓之類也。

Truly strong, he shows himself weak; truly brave, he shows himself afraid. Such were Li Mu (李牧) breaking the Xiongnu and Sun Bin beheading Pang Juan (龐涓).

言己實用師，外示之怯也。漢將陳豨反，連兵匈奴。高祖遣使十輩視之，皆言可擊。復遣婁敬，報曰：「匈奴不可擊。」上問其故。對曰：「夫兩國相制，宜矜誇其長。今臣往，徒見羸老。此必能而示之不能，臣以爲不可擊也。」高祖怒曰：「齊虜以口舌得官，今妄沮吾衆！」械婁敬于廣武，以三十萬衆至白登。高祖爲匈奴所圍，七日乏食。此師外示之以怯之義也。

This says that while I am truly using my troops I show fear on the outside. Chen Xi (陳豨), a general of Han, rebelled and joined his troops with the Xiongnu. Gaozu sent ten parties of envoys to look, and all said they could be struck. He sent Lou Jing (婁敬) next, and he reported, "The Xiongnu cannot be struck." When the ruler asked why, he said, "Whenever two states stand against each other they ought to make a display of their strong points. Now that your servant has gone to look, he saw nothing but the frail and the old. This is surely a case of being able and showing oneself unable, and your servant holds that they cannot be struck." Gaozu grew angry and said, "This slave of Qi got office by mouth and tongue, and now he recklessly breaks the spirit of my army!" He shut Lou Jing up at Guangwu (廣武) and came with three hundred thousand men to Baideng (白登). There Gaozu was ringed about by the Xiongnu and for seven days had nothing to eat. This is the meaning of an army showing fear on the outside.

此乃詭詐藏形。夫形也者，不可使見於敵；敵人見形，必有應。《傳》曰：「鷙鳥將擊，必藏其形。」如匈奴示羸老於漢使之義也。

This is to deceive and hide one's shape. A shape must never be let to show to the enemy, for if the enemy sees a shape he is sure to answer it. The *Zuo Commentary* says, "When the hawk is about to strike, it surely hides its shape." It is the same as the meaning of the Xiongnu showing the Han envoys their frail and old.

言己實能、用，外示之以不能、不用，使敵不我備也，若孫臏減竈而制龐涓。

This says that while I am truly able and truly using my troops, I show myself on the outside unable and not using them, so that the enemy makes no preparation against me. It is like Sun Bin reducing his cooking stoves and so handling Pang Juan.

強示弱，勇示怯，治示亂，實示虛，智示愚，衆示寡，進示退，速示遲，取示捨，彼示此。

Strong, he shows himself weak; brave, afraid; in order, in disorder; full, empty; wise, foolish; many, few; advancing, withdrawing; swift, slow; about to take, about to give up; aiming over there, aiming over here.

能而示之不能者，如單于羸師誘高祖，圍於平城是也；用而示之不用者，如李牧按兵於雲中，大敗匈奴是也。

Being able and showing oneself unable was the Chanyu (單于) making his troops look frail to lure Gaozu and ring him about at Pingcheng (平城). Using one's troops and showing that one is not using them was Li Mu holding his troops down at Yunzhong (雲中) and then breaking the Xiongnu utterly.

欲戰而示之退，欲速而示之緩，班超擊莎車、趙奢破秦軍之類也。

Meaning to fight, he shows himself withdrawing; meaning to hurry, he shows himself slow. Such were Ban Chao (班超) striking Shache (莎車) and Zhao She (趙奢) breaking the army of Qin.

令敵失備也。漢將韓信虜魏王豹，初陳舟欲渡臨晉，乃潜師浮木甖，從夏陽襲安邑，而魏失備也。耿弇之征張步，亦先攻臨淄，皆示遠勢也。

This makes the enemy lose his preparation. When Han Xin, a general of Han, took King Bao (豹) of Wei captive, he first set out boats as though he would cross at Linjin (臨晉), while secretly floating his troops over in wooden jars and falling upon Anyi (安邑) from Xiayang (夏陽), so that Wei lost its preparation. When Geng Yan (耿弇) struck Zhang Bu (張步), he too struck Linzi (臨淄) first. All of these showed the momentum of the far side.

欲近襲敵，必示以遠去之形；欲遠襲敵，必示以近進之形。韓信盛兵臨晉而渡於夏陽，此乃示以近形而遠襲敵也。後漢末，曹公、袁紹相持官渡，紹遣將郭圖、淳于瓊、顔良等攻東郡太守劉延於白馬。紹引兵至黎陽，將渡河。曹公北救延津，荀攸曰：「今兵少不敵，分兵勢乃可。公致兵延津將欲渡，兵向其後，紹必西應之；然後輕兵襲白馬，掩其不備，顔良可擒也。」公從之。紹聞兵渡，卽留，分兵西應之。公乃引軍行趨白馬。未至十餘里，良大驚，來戰。使張遼、關羽前進擊破，斬顔良，解白馬圍。此乃示以遠形而近襲敵也。

To fall upon an enemy near at hand one must show the shape of departing far off; to fall upon an enemy far off one must show the shape of advancing near. Han Xin filling Linjin with troops and crossing at Xiayang was showing a near shape and falling upon the enemy from afar. At the end of the Later Han, when Cao Cao and Yuan Shao (袁紹) stood against each other at Guandu (官渡), Yuan Shao sent his generals Guo Tu (郭圖), Chunyu Qiong (淳于瓊), Yan Liang (顔良) and others to strike Liu Yan (劉延), the governor of Dong commandery, at Baima (白馬). Yuan Shao led his troops to Liyang (黎陽) and meant to cross the Yellow River. When Cao Cao wished to go north to relieve Yanjin (延津), Xun You (荀攸) said, "Our troops are now too few to stand against him, and we must divide the enemy's momentum. If my lord sends troops to Yanjin as though to cross and faces his rear, Yuan Shao will surely answer westward. Then fall upon Baima with light troops, striking where he has not prepared, and Yan Liang can be taken." Cao Cao followed his words. Hearing that troops were crossing, Yuan Shao halted at once, divided his troops and answered westward. Cao Cao then led his troops in haste to Baima. Before he had come within some ten li, Yan Liang in great alarm came out to fight. Putting Zhang Liao (張遼) and Guan Yu (關羽) in front, he advanced, struck and broke them, beheaded Yan Liang and raised the siege of Baima. This was showing a far shape and falling upon the enemy near at hand.

去就在我，敵何由知？

Going and halting rest with me; by what shall the enemy know them?

欲近而設其遠也，欲遠而設其近也。誑耀敵軍，示之以遠，本從其近，若韓信之襲安邑。

Meaning to be near, he spreads out on the far side; meaning to be far, he spreads out on the near side. He deceives and confuses the enemy's troops, showing the far side while truly following the near one, as Han Xin fell upon Anyi.

使其不能測。

He keeps the enemy from reckoning him.

王晳同上注。

Wang Xi's note is the same as the note above.

遠而示之近者，韓信陳舟臨晉而渡夏陽是也；近而示之遠者，晉侯伐虢，假道於虞是也。

Being far and showing oneself near was Han Xin setting out boats at Linjin and crossing at Xiayang. Being near and showing oneself far was the ruler of Jin (晉) striking Guo (虢) while borrowing a road from Yu (虞).

欲近襲之，反示以遠。吳與越夾水相距，越爲左右句卒，相去各五里，夜爭鳴鼓而進，吳人分以禦之；越乃潜涉，當吳中軍而襲之，吳大敗是也。欲遠攻之，反示以近。韓信陳兵臨晉而渡於夏陽是也。

Meaning to fall upon him near at hand, he shows the far side instead. When Wu and Yue stood against each other across the water, Yue set hooked wings of troops to left and right, five li apart from each other, and in the night they advanced beating their drums in rivalry, so that the men of Wu divided their troops to block them. Yue then crossed the water in secret and fell upon the center army of Wu, and Wu was utterly beaten. Meaning to strike him from afar, he shows the near side instead. Han Xin setting out his troops at Linjin and crossing at Xiayang is this.

趙將李牧大縱畜牧，人衆滿野。匈奴小入，徉北不勝，以數千人委之。單于聞之，大喜，率衆大至。牧多爲奇陳，左右夾擊，大破殺匈奴十餘萬騎也。

Li Mu, the general of Zhao, loosed his herds in great numbers, so that men and beasts filled the fields. When the Xiongnu came in a little way he feigned defeat and flight, giving up several thousand men. The Chanyu, hearing of it, was greatly pleased and came on in force with his host. Li Mu then set out many strange formations, took them on both flanks and struck, and utterly broke and killed more than a hundred thousand Xiongnu horsemen.

以利動之，動而有形，我所以因形制勝也。

He moves the enemy with profit; and when he moves, his shape shows itself, and I follow that shape and gain the victory.

彼貪利，則以貨誘之。

If the other side covets profit, lure him out with goods.

利而誘之者，如赤眉委輜重而餌鄧禹是也。

Luring with profit was the Red Eyebrows (赤眉) throwing away their baggage carts to hook Deng Yu (鄧禹).

示以小利，誘而克之，若楚人伐絞，莫敖曰：「絞小而輕，請無扞采樵者以誘之。」於是絞人獲楚三十人。明日，絞人爭出，驅楚役徒於山中，楚人設伏兵於山下，而大敗之是也。

Show a small profit, lure him out and beat him. When Chu struck Jiao (絞), Mo'ao (莫敖) said, "Jiao is small and light; I ask that we leave our woodcutters unguarded and so lure them." At this the men of Jiao seized thirty men of Chu. The next day the men of Jiao came out in rivalry and drove the Chu laborers into the hills; but the men of Chu had hidden troops at the foot of the hills, and they broke them utterly. This is it.

敵貪利，必亂也。秦王姚興征禿髮傉檀，悉驅部內牛羊，散放於野，縱秦人虜掠。秦人得利，旣無行列，傉檀陰分十將，掩而擊之，大敗秦人，斬首七千餘級，「亂而取之」之義也。

If the enemy covets profit he is sure to fall into disorder. When Yao Xing (姚興), the king of Qin, struck Tufa Rutan (禿髮傉檀), Rutan drove out all the oxen and sheep within his camps and scattered them in the fields, letting the men of Qin plunder them. When the men of Qin had got the profit their ranks were gone, so Rutan secretly divided ten generals to fall upon them and struck, breaking the men of Qin utterly and beheading more than seven thousand. This is the meaning of "take them when they are in disorder."

敵有昏亂，可以乘而取之。《傳》曰：「兼弱攻昧，取亂侮亡，武之善經也。」

When the enemy has darkness and disorder in him, one can ride upon it and take him. The *Zuo Commentary* says, "To gather in the weak and strike the dark, to take the disordered and make light of the doomed, are the good threads of the martial."

我令姦智亂之，候亂而取之也。

I throw the enemy into disorder with plans and cunning wisdom, and wait for that disorder to take him.

彼亂，則乘而取之。

If the other side is in disorder, ride upon it and take him.

亂，謂無節制；取，言易也。

Disorder means being without restraint; take means that it is easy.

詐爲紛亂，誘而取之，若吳越相攻，吳以罪人三千，示不整以誘越，罪人或奔或止，越人爭之，爲吳所敗是也。言敵亂而後取者非也。《春秋》之法，凡書「取」者，言易也，魯師取邿是也。

He feigns disorder, lures him out and takes him. When Wu and Yue were striking at each other, Wu showed three thousand convicts as though undrilled in order to lure Yue; the convicts now fled and now halted, and the men of Yue contended over them and were beaten by Wu. This is it. To say that one takes the enemy only after he has fallen into disorder is not right. In the law of the *Spring and Autumn* (春秋), wherever "take" is written it means that the thing was easy, as when the army of Lu took Shi (邿). This is it.

敵治實，須備之也。

When the enemy is well ordered and full, one must prepare against them.

備敵之實。蜀將關羽欲圍魏之樊城，懼吳將呂蒙襲其後，乃多留備兵守荊州。蒙陰知其旨，遂詐之以疾。羽乃撤去備兵，遂爲蒙所取，而荊州没吳，則其義也。

He prepares against what is solid in the enemy. When Guan Yu, the general of Shu (蜀), meant to ring about Fancheng (樊城) of Wei, he feared that Lü Meng, the general of Wu, would fall upon his rear, and so left many troops in preparation to hold Jingzhou (荊州). Lü Meng secretly learned his intent and feigned illness, whereupon Guan Yu withdrew the troops he had left in preparation; so in the end Lü Meng took it from him and Jingzhou passed to Wu. This is just that meaning.

對壘相持，不論虛實，常須爲備。此言居常無事，鄰封接境，敵若修政治實，上下相愛，賞罰明信，士卒精練，卽須備之，不待交兵然後爲備也。

When the lines face each other and stand against each other, one must be prepared at all times, without asking whether he is empty or full. What this says is that in ordinary times, when nothing is afoot and one's borders touch a neighboring state, if the enemy puts his government in order so that his rule is solid, if high and low cherish one another, if reward and punishment are clear and trustworthy and his soldiers finely practiced, then one must be prepared; preparation does not wait until the armies have closed.

敵若不動完實，我當謹備，亦自實以備敵也。

If the enemy does not move and is whole and solid, I must prepare with care, and must also make myself solid and so be prepared against him.

彼實，則不可不備。

If the other side is full, one cannot but prepare.

彼將有以擊吾之不備也。

Otherwise the other side gains the means to strike where I have not prepared.

彼敵但見其實，而未見其虛之形，則當蓄力而備之也。

If only what is solid shows in the enemy and no empty shape is yet to be seen, one ought to gather strength and prepare.

《經》曰：「角之而知有餘不足之處。」有餘，則實也；不足，則虛也。言敵人兵勢旣實，則我當爲不可勝之計以待之，勿輕舉也。李靖《軍鏡》曰：「觀其虛則進，見其實則止。」

The text of Sunzi says, "Try him, and know where he has too much and where too little." Too much is what is solid, too little is what is empty. This says that when the enemy's conformation is already solid, I must lay a reckoning that makes me unbeatable and wait, and must not move lightly. Li Jing's (李靖) *Mirror of the Army* (軍鏡) says, "Seeing where he is empty, advance; seeing where he is solid, halt."

避其所長也。

This is to avoid their strength.

量力也。楚子伐隨，隨之臣季梁曰：「楚人上左，君必左，無與王遇；且攻其右，右無良焉，必敗。偏敗，衆乃攜矣。」少師曰：「不當王，非敵也。」不從。隨師敗績，隨侯逸。攻強之敗也。

This is to measure strength. When the ruler of Chu struck Sui (隨), Ji Liang (季梁), a minister of Sui, said, "The men of Chu honor the left, so their ruler will surely be on the left. Do not stand against the king, but strike his right. On the right there are no good troops, and it will surely be beaten. When one wing is beaten the host scatters." The Lesser Tutor (少師) said, "Not to stand against the king is to be no match for him," and would not follow him. The army of Sui was utterly beaten and the ruler of Sui fled. This is defeat from striking the strong.

逃避所長。言敵人乘兵強氣銳，則當須且回避之，待其衰懈，候其間隙而擊之。晉末，嶺南賊盧循、徐道覆乘虛襲建鄴，劉裕禦之，曰：「賊若新亭直上，且當避之；回泊蔡洲，乃成擒耳。」徐道覆欲焚舟直上，循以爲不可，乃泊於蔡洲，竟以敗滅。

This is to avoid his strong point and get away. It says that when the enemy rides upon the strength of his troops and the keenness of their spirit, one should avoid him for a while, wait for them to wane and slacken, watch for the gap and then strike. At the end of the Jin, when the bandits of Lingnan, Lu Xun (盧循) and Xu Daofu (徐道覆), rode upon a gap and fell upon Jianye (建鄴), Liu Yu (劉裕) blocked them and said, "If the bandits come straight up from Xinting (新亭), we must avoid them for a time; if they go round and moor their boats at Caizhou (蔡洲), they will be taken." Xu Daofu wished to burn the boats and go straight up, but Lu Xun said it would not do and moored at Caizhou, and in the end they were beaten and destroyed.

以弱制強，理須待變。

To handle the strong with the weak, one must look to the principle of it and wait for a change.

彼府庫充實，士卒銳盛，則當退避以伺其虛懈，觀變而應之。

If the other side's storehouses are full and his soldiers keen and flourishing, withdraw and avoid him, watch for them to grow empty and slack, and answer as the changes appear.

彼強，則我當避其銳。

If the other side is strong, I ought to avoid his keen edge.

敵兵精銳，我勢寡弱，則須退避。

If the enemy's troops are choice and my own momentum is small and weak, one ought to withdraw and avoid him.

《經》曰「無邀正正之旗，無擊堂堂之陳」，言敵人行陳修整，節制嚴明，則我當避之，不可輕肆也。若秦晉相攻，交綏而退，蓋各防其失敗也。

The text of Sunzi says, "Do not stand against orderly banners, do not strike an imposing formation." This says that when the enemy's ranks and lines are well dressed and his restraint strict and clear, I ought to avoid him and must not come forward lightly. When Qin and Jin were striking at each other and drew back with reins touching, it was in the main that each wished to guard against defeat.

待其衰懈也。

Wait until their momentum breaks and they slacken.

將之多怒者，權必易亂，性不堅也。漢相陳平謀撓楚權，以太牢具進楚使，驚曰：「是亞父使邪？乃項王使邪！」此怒撓之者也。

When a general is often angry, his weighing is sure to fall easily into disorder; his nature is not firm. Chen Ping, the chancellor of Han, wishing to shake the weighing of Chu, set out the rich feast of the full sacrifice (太牢) for the envoy of Chu, and then feigned surprise and said, "Is this an envoy of the Second Father (亞父)? Why, he is an envoy of King Xiang!" This was angering him and shaking him.

大將剛戾者，可激之令怒，則逞志快意，志氣撓亂，不顧本謀也。

If the great general is a hard and crooked man, he can be provoked to anger. Then he seeks to fill his will and please his heart, so that his will and spirit are shaken into disorder and he does not look back to his original plan.

敵人盛怒，當屈撓之。

When the enemy is greatly angered, one ought to bend and shake him.

彼褊急易怒，則撓之，使憤激輕戰。

If the other side is narrow and hasty and angers easily, shake him, so that in his fury he fights lightly.

敵持重，則激怒以撓之。

If the enemy guards himself heavily, provoke him to anger and so shake him.

怒而撓之者，漢兵擊曹咎於汜水是也。

Angering and shaking him was the army of Han striking Cao Jiu (曹咎) at the Si River.

彼性剛忿，則辱之令怒，志氣撓惑，則不謀而輕進，若晉人執宛春以怒楚是也。《尉繚子》曰：「寬不可激而怒。」言性寬者，則不可激怒而致之也。

If the other side is hard by nature and quick to anger, shame him and make him angry. When his will and spirit are shaken and bewildered he does not plan but advances lightly. The men of Jin seizing Wan Chun (宛春) and so angering Chu is this. The *Weiliaozi* says, "The generous man cannot be provoked to anger," meaning that one whose nature is generous cannot be provoked into anger and drawn out.

幣重而言甘，其志不小。後趙石勒稱臣於王浚，左右欲擊之，浚曰：「石公來，欲奉我耳。敢言擊者斬！」設饗禮以待之。勒乃驅牛羊數萬頭，聲言上禮，實以填諸街巷，使浚兵不得發。乃入薊城，擒浚於廳，斬之而并燕。卑而驕之，則其義也。

When the gifts are thick and the words sweet, his purpose is not small. Shi Le (石勒) of the Later Zhao (後趙) called himself the subject of Wang Jun (王浚), and those about Wang Jun wished to strike him. Wang Jun said, "Lord Shi comes only to serve me. Whoever dares speak of striking him I will behead!" And he set out a feast and received him. Shi Le drove in tens of thousands of oxen and sheep, crying out that he was presenting gifts, while in truth he filled the streets and lanes with them so that Wang Jun's troops could not move. He then entered the city of Ji (薊城), seized Wang Jun in his hall and beheaded him, and took Yan (燕). Stooping low and making him proud is just that meaning.

秦末，匈奴冒頓初立，東胡強，使使謂冒頓曰：「欲得頭曼時千里馬。」冒頓以問羣臣，羣臣皆曰：「千里馬，國之寶，勿與。」冒頓曰：「奈何與人鄰國，愛一馬乎？」遂與之。居頃之，東胡使使來，曰：「願得單于一閼氏。」冒頓問羣臣，皆怒曰：「東胡無道，乃求閼氏，請擊之！」冒頓曰：「與人鄰國，愛一女子乎？」與之。居頃之，東胡復曰：「匈奴有棄地千里，吾欲有之。」冒頓問羣臣，羣臣皆曰：「與之亦可，不與亦可。」冒頓大怒曰：「地者，國之本也，本何可與？」諸言與者皆斬之。冒頓上馬，令國中有後者斬，東襲東胡。東胡輕冒頓，不爲之備。冒頓擊滅之。冒頓遂西擊月氏，南并樓煩、白羊、河南，北侵燕、代，悉復收秦所使蒙恬所奪匈奴地也。

At the end of the Qin, when Modu (冒頓) of the Xiongnu had just been set up, the Donghu (東胡) were strong, and they sent an envoy to Modu saying, "We wish to have the thousand-li horse of Touman's (頭曼) time." Modu asked his many ministers, and all said, "The thousand-li horse is the treasure of the state; do not give it." Modu said, "How should I grudge one horse to a state that neighbors us?" and in the end he gave it. Not long after, the Donghu sent an envoy saying, "We wish to have one of the Chanyu's consorts (閼氏)." Modu asked his many ministers, and all were angry and said, "The Donghu are without the Way and ask for a consort; we beg to strike them!" Modu said, "Shall I grudge one woman to a state that neighbors us?" and he gave her. Not long after, the Donghu said again, "The Xiongnu have a thousand li of waste land, and we wish to have it." Modu asked his many ministers, and all said, "It may be given, or it may not be given." Modu grew greatly angry and said, "Land is the ground of the state. How can the ground be given away?" and he beheaded all who had said to give it. Modu mounted his horse, ordered that any in the land who lagged behind be beheaded, and fell upon the Donghu eastward. The Donghu had made light of Modu and had not prepared. Modu struck and destroyed them. He went on westward to strike the Yuezhi (月氏), southward to take the Loufan (樓煩), the Baiyang (白羊) and Henan (河南), and northward to raid Yan and Dai (代), and he won back all the land that the Qin had taken from the Xiongnu when they sent Meng Tian (蒙恬).

所欲必無所顧恡，子女以惑其心，玉帛以驕其志，范蠡、鄭武之謀也。

Whatever the enemy desires, one must give without grudging it. To bewilder his heart with sons and daughters and to make his purpose proud with jade and silk was the plan of Fan Li and of Duke Wu (武公) of Zheng.

彼其舉國興師，怒而欲進，則當外示屈撓，以高其志；俟惰歸，要而擊之。故王子曰：「善用法者，如狸之與鼠，力之與智，示之猶卑，靜而下之。」

If the other side raises the troops of his whole state and means to come on in anger, show yourself bent and shaken on the outside and so raise up his purpose. Wait until he goes back slack, then block and strike him. So the Prince said, "He who is good at using the law is as the wildcat with the mouse, as strength facing wisdom: he shows himself low and quietly keeps himself down."

示以卑弱，以驕其心。

Show what is low and weak, and so make his heart proud.

示卑弱以驕之，彼不虞我，而擊其間。

Show what is low and weak and make him proud; then the other side does not reckon me, and one strikes at that gap.

或卑辭厚賂，或羸師佯北，皆所以令其驕怠。吳子伐齊，越子率衆而朝，王及列士皆有賂。吳人皆喜，惟子胥懼，曰：「是豢吳也！」後果爲越所滅。楚伐庸，七遇皆北。庸人曰：「楚不足與戰矣！」遂不設備。楚子乃爲二隊以伐之，遂滅庸。皆其義也。

It may be done with low words and thick bribes, or by making one's troops look frail and feigning flight; all of it is to make the other side proud and slack. When the king of Wu struck Qi, the king of Yue came with his host to pay court and gave bribes to the king and to all his officers. The men of Wu were all pleased; only Zixu (子胥) was afraid and said, "This is to fatten Wu!" Afterwards Wu was indeed destroyed by Yue. When Chu struck Yong (庸), it closed with them seven times and fled every time. The men of Yong said, "Chu is no match to fight with!" and in the end they made no preparation. The ruler of Chu then divided his men into two columns and struck, and destroyed Yong at last. All of this is that meaning.

一本作「引而勞之」。

One text has "draw them out and wear them down."

以利勞之。

Use profit as bait to wear them out.

敵佚而我勞之者，善功也。吳伐楚，公子光問計於伍子肯，子胥曰：「可爲三師以肄焉。我一師至，彼必盡衆而出；彼出，我歸，亟肄以疲之，多方以誤之，然後三師以繼之，必大克。」從之。楚於是乎始病吳矣。

When the enemy is at ease and I wear him down, that is good work. When Wu struck Chu, the prince Guang (光) asked Wu Zixu (伍子胥) for a reckoning, and Zixu said, "We can make three armies and harass them in turn. When one army of ours arrives, the other side will surely come out with its whole host. When they come out, we go back; harass them often to wear them down, and lead them into error on many sides. Then let the three armies advance one after another, and we shall surely win greatly." He followed these words. From this Chu first came to find Wu a trouble.

吳公子光問伐楚於伍員，員曰：「可爲三軍以肄焉。我一師至，彼必盡出；彼出，則歸，亟肄以疲之，多方以誤之，然後三師以繼之，必大克。」從之。於是子重一歲七奔命，於是乎始病吳，終入郢。後漢末，曹公既破劉備，備奔袁紹，引兵欲與曹公戰。別駕田豐曰：「操善用兵，未可輕舉，不如以久持之。將軍據山河之固，有四州之地，外結英豪，內修農戰，然後揀其精銳，分爲奇兵，乘虛迭出，以擾河南，救右則擊其左，救左則擊其右，使敵疲於奔命，人不安業，我未勞而彼已困矣。不及三年，可坐克也。今釋廟勝之策，而決成敗於一戰，悔無及也！」紹不從，故敗。

The prince Guang of Wu asked Wu Yuan (伍員) about striking Chu, and Wu Yuan said, "We can make three armies and harass them in turn. When one army of ours arrives, the other side will surely come out in full; when they come out, we go back; harass them often to wear them down, and lead them into error on many sides. Then let the three armies advance one after another, and we shall surely win greatly." He followed these words. So it was that Zizhong (子重) was called out and ran to the field seven times in one year; from this Chu first came to find Wu a trouble, and in the end Ying (郢) fell. At the end of the Later Han, when Cao Cao had already broken Liu Bei, Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao meant to lead his troops and fight Cao Cao. His aide Tian Feng (田豐) said, "Cao Cao is good at using troops and cannot be moved against lightly. It is better to draw it out and stand against him long. My lord holds the firm places of mountain and river and has the land of four provinces; bind yourself without to the heroes and the bold, and within put farming and fighting in order; then choose his finest men, divide them as strange troops, ride upon his empty places and go out by turns to throw Henan into disorder. If he relieves his right, strike his left; if he relieves his left, strike his right, so that the enemy is worn out running about at command and the people cannot be at ease in their callings. Then we shall not yet have labored while the other side is already spent. In less than three years you may sit and win. If you now throw away the reckoning already won at court and settle success and failure in a single battle, you will repent and not overtake it!" Yuan Shao did not follow him and was beaten.

以我之佚，待彼之勞。

With my own ease I wait upon the other side's weariness.

多奇兵也。彼出則歸，彼歸則出；救左則右，救右則左，所以罷勞之也。

This is to use strange troops much. When the other side comes out, go back; when he goes back, come out; when he relieves his left, strike his right; when he relieves his right, strike his left. By this he is worn down.

孫子有治力之法，以佚而待勞。故論敵佚，我宜多方以勞弊之，然後可以制勝。

Sunzi has a law for the ordering of strength: with ease one waits upon the weary. Therefore if the enemy is said to be at ease, I must wear him down and wear him out on many sides, and only then can I win.

我則力全，彼則道敝。若晉楚爭鄭，久而不決，晉知武子乃分四軍爲三部，晉各一動，而楚三來，於是三駕，而楚不能與之爭。又，申公巫臣教吳伐楚，於是子重一歲七奔命是也。

My strength is whole while the other side is worn out on the road. When Jin and Chu contended over Zheng (鄭) and it was long undecided, Zhi Wuzi (知武子) of Jin divided the four armies into three parts, so that for one move of Jin's, Chu came three times. Thus Jin sent out its chariots three times over, and Chu could contend no more. Again, Shen Gong Wuchen (申公巫臣) taught Wu to strike Chu, so that Zizhong was called out and ran to the field seven times in one year. This is it.

以間離之。

Use spies to divide them.

破其行約，間其君臣，而後攻也。昔秦伐趙，秦相應侯間於趙王曰：「我惟懼趙用括耳，廉頗易與也。」趙王然之，乃用括代頗，爲秦所坑卒四十萬於長平，則其義也。

He breaks the bond the enemy has made, sets his ruler and his ministers at odds, and then strikes. Of old, when Qin struck Zhao, the Marquis of Ying (應侯), the chancellor of Qin, set a wedge before the king of Zhao, saying, "We fear only that Zhao will use Zhao Kuo (趙括); Lian Po (廉頗) is easy to deal with." The king of Zhao thought this so and used Zhao Kuo in place of Lian Po, and at Changping (長平) four hundred thousand of his men were buried and killed by Qin. This is just that meaning.

言敵若上下相親，則當以厚利啗而離間之。陳平言於漢王曰：「今項王骨鯁之臣，不過亞父、鍾離昧、龍且、周殷之屬，不過數人。大王誠能捐數萬斤金，間其君臣，彼必內相誅，漢因舉兵而攻之，滅楚必矣。」漢王然之，出黃金四萬斤與平，使之反間。項王果疑亞父，不急擊下滎陽，漢王遁去。

This says that when high and low in the enemy hold close to one another, one must lay a bait of thick profit and so divide them. Chen Ping said to the King of Han, "The hard ministers of King Xiang now are the Second Father and Zhongli Mo (鍾離昧), Long Qie (龍且) and Zhou Yin (周殷) and their like, no more than a few men. If Your Majesty will truly bring out some tens of thousands of catties of gold and set his ruler and ministers at odds, they will surely kill one another within. If Han then raises its troops in that gap and strikes, the destruction of Chu is certain." The King of Han thought this so and brought out forty thousand catties of gold, giving it to Chen Ping to work the wedge. King Xiang did indeed come to doubt the Second Father, and in his haste he struck Xingyang (滎陽) but could not bring it down, and the King of Han got away.

彼恡爵禄，此必捐之；彼嗇財貨，此必輕之；彼好殺罰，此必緩之。因其上下相猜，得行離間之說。由余所以歸秦，英布所以佐漢也。

If the other side grudges office and emolument, this side must give them out; if the other side grudges goods, this side must spend lightly; if the other side is fond of killing and punishing, this side must be slack. Ride upon the mutual mistrust of their high and low, and words that make a wedge can be carried through. This is why You Yu (由余) went over to Qin and Ying Bu (英布) helped Han.

以利誘之，使五間並入，辯士馳說，親彼君臣，分離其形勢，若秦遣反間欺誑趙君，使廢廉頗而任趙奢之子，卒有長平之敗。

Lure him with profit, send in the five kinds of spies together, hurry eloquent gentlemen out to plead, and draw near to the other side's ruler and ministers so as to divide their conformation. It is like Qin sending men to work a wedge and deceiving the ruler of Zhao into putting Lian Po aside and using the son of Zhao She, so that in the end came the defeat at Changping.

梅堯臣同杜牧《註》。

Mei Yaochen's note is the same as Du Mu's.

敵相親，當以計謀離間之。

If the enemy hold close to one another, one ought to divide them with a plan.

或間其君臣，或間其交援，使相離貳，然後圖之。應侯間趙而退廉頗，陳平間楚而逐范增，是君臣相離也。秦晉相合以伐鄭，燭之武夜出，說秦伯曰：「今得鄭，則歸於晉，無益於秦也。不如捨鄭以爲東道主。」秦伯悟而退師，是交援相離也。

One may set ruler and minister at odds, or set allies who help each other at odds, so that they stand apart and bear two hearts, and then one plots against them. The Marquis of Ying making a wedge in Zhao so that Lian Po was put aside, and Chen Ping making a wedge in Chu so that Fan Zeng was driven out, are ruler and minister set at odds. When Qin and Jin were about to strike Zheng together, Zhu Zhiwu (燭之武) went out by night and coaxed the Earl of Qin (秦伯), saying, "If you gain Zheng now it will go to Jin, and there is no gain in it for Qin. It is better to leave Zheng be and make it the host of your eastern road." The Earl of Qin understood and withdrew his troops. This is allies who help each other set at odds.

擊其懈怠，出其空虛。

Strike where they are slack, and come out where they are empty.

擊懈怠，襲空虛。

Strike at the gap of his slackness; fall upon where he is empty.

擊其空虛，襲其懈怠。

Strike where he is empty; fall upon the gap of his slackness.

擊其空虛，襲其懈怠，使敵不知所以備也。故曰：兵者無形爲妙。太公曰：「動莫神於不意，謀莫善於不識。」

Strike where he is empty and fall upon the gap of his slackness, so that the enemy does not know what he should prepare against. Therefore it is said that arms take shapelessness for their subtlety. Taigong said, "Nothing is more wondrous in movement than to be unlooked for, and nothing better in planning than to go unnoticed."

梅堯臣、王晳二《註》同上。

The two notes of Mei Yaochen and Wang Xi are also the same as the above.

攻其無備者，魏太祖征烏桓，郭嘉曰：「胡恃其遠，必不設備，因其無備，卒然擊之，可破滅也。」太祖行至易水，嘉曰：「兵貴神速，今千里襲人，輜重多，難以趨利，不如輕兵兼道以出，掩其不意。」乃密出盧龍塞，直指單于庭，合戰，大破之。唐李靖陳十策以圖蕭銑，總管三軍之任，一以委靖。八月，集兵夔州。銑以時屬秋潦，江水泛漲，三峽路危，必謂靖不能進，遂不設備。九月，靖率兵而進，曰：「兵貴神速，機不可失。今兵始集，銑尚未知，乘水漲之勢，倏忽至城下，所謂疾雷不及掩耳。縱使知我，倉卒無以應敵，此必成擒也。」進兵至夷陵，銑始懼，召兵江南，果不能至。勒兵圍城，銑遂降。出其不意者︰魏末，遣將鍾會、鄧艾伐蜀，蜀將姜維守劍閣，鍾會攻維，未克。艾上言：「請從陰平由邪徑出劍閣，西入成都。奇兵衝其腹心，劍閣之軍必還赴涪，則會方軌而進；劍閣之軍不還，則應涪之兵寡矣。《軍志》云：攻其無備，出其不意。今掩其空虛，破之必矣。」冬十月，艾自陰平行無人之地七百餘里，鑿山通道，造作橋閣，山高谷深，至爲艱險。又糧運將匱，瀕於危殆。艾以氊自裹，推轉而下。將士皆攀木緣崖，魚貫而進。先登至江油，蜀守將馬邈降。諸葛瞻自涪還綿竹，列陳相拒，大敗之，斬瞻及尚書張遵等。進軍至成都，蜀主劉禪降。又，齊神武爲東魏將，率兵伐西魏，屯軍蒲坂，造三道浮橋渡河，又遣其將竇泰趣潼關，高敖曹圍洛州。西魏將周文帝出軍廣陽，召諸將謂曰：「賊今掎吾三面，又造橋於河，示欲必渡，欲綴吾軍，使竇泰得西入耳。久與相持，其計得行，非良策也。且高歡用兵，常以泰爲先驅，其下多銳卒，屢勝而驕。今出其不意，襲之必克。克泰，則歡不戰而自走矣。」諸將咸曰：「賊在近，捨而遠襲，事若蹉跌，悔無可及。」周文曰：「歡前再襲潼關，吾軍不過霸上。今者大來，兵未出郊，賊顧謂吾但自守耳，無遠鬬意；又狃於得志，有輕我心，乘此擊之，何往不克！賊雖造橋，未能徑渡。比五日中，吾取竇泰必矣。公等勿疑。」周文遂率騎六千還長安，聲言欲往隴右。辛亥，潛出軍。癸丑晨，至潼關。竇泰卒聞軍至，惶懼依山爲陳，未及成列，周文擊破之，斬泰，傳首長安。高敖曹適陷洛州，聞泰没，燒輜重，棄城而走。

"Strike where they have made no guard" is thus. When Taizu (太祖) of Wei (魏) struck the Wuhuan (烏桓), Guo Jia (郭嘉) said, "The barbarians trust in the length of the road and will surely make no guard. Ride upon their want of guard and strike them of a sudden, and they can be broken and wiped out." When Taizu reached the Yi (易水), Guo Jia said, "Arms hold swiftness like a spirit's for precious. We are now to fall upon a place a thousand li off, and with many baggage carts it is hard to follow the advantage. It is better to go with light troops by doubled marches and fall upon where he does not expect it." So he went out in secret by the Lulong Pass (盧龍塞), thrust straight at the Chanyu's own camp, closed with him and broke him utterly. Li Jing of the Tang (唐) offered ten plans for dealing with Xiao Xian (蕭銑), and the command of the three armies was given wholly to Li Jing. In the eighth month he gathered his troops at Kuizhou (夔州). Xiao Xian held that it was the season of the autumn rains, the river water high and the road of the Three Gorges (三峽) dangerous, so that Li Jing could not come on, and in the end he made no guard. In the ninth month Li Jing led his troops forward, saying, "Arms hold swiftness like a spirit's for precious, and the chance cannot be lost. Our troops have only now gathered and Xiao Xian does not yet know it. Riding upon the momentum of the swollen water, if we come of a sudden beneath his walls, it is what is called having no time to cover one's ears against a swift thunderclap. Even if he learns of us, he will be too pressed to stand against us, and so he will surely be taken." He brought his troops up to Yiling (夷陵), and Xiao Xian at last grew afraid and called for troops from south of the river, but indeed they did not come. He drove his troops on and ringed the city, and Xiao Xian surrendered at last. "Come out where they do not expect it" is thus. At the end of the Wei, the generals Zhong Hui (鍾會) and Deng Ai (鄧艾) were sent to strike Shu; Jiang Wei (姜維), the general of Shu, held Jiange (劍閣), and Zhong Hui struck Jiang Wei but could not beat him. Deng Ai sent up a word, saying, "I ask leave to go by a crooked road from Yinping (陰平), pass outside Jiange and enter Chengdu (成都) from the west. If with unlooked-for troops I thrust at his belly and breast, the troops at Jiange will surely go back to Fu (涪), and then Zhong Hui will advance with his chariots abreast. If the troops at Jiange do not go back, there will be few troops to block Fu. The *Records of the Army* (軍志) says, 'Strike where they have made no guard, come out where they do not expect it.' If we now fall upon his empty place, the breaking of him is certain." In the winter, in the tenth month, Deng Ai went more than seven hundred li from Yinping through land without men, cutting away the hills to make a road and making bridges and scaffolds. The hills were high and the valleys deep, and it was exceedingly perilous. The army's grain too was near its end, and they came to the edge of ruin. Deng Ai wrapped himself in a felt blanket and rolled down, and the generals and soldiers all held to trees and climbed the cliffs, going on strung out like a skein of fish. He came first to Jiangyou (江油), and Ma Mian (馬邈), the general of Shu who held it, surrendered. Zhuge Zhan (諸葛瞻) came back from Fu to Mianzhu (綿竹), spread his line and stood against him; Deng Ai broke him utterly and beheaded Zhuge Zhan and the master of writing Zhang Zun (張遵) and others. He brought his troops up to Chengdu, and Liu Shan (劉禪), the ruler of Shu, surrendered. Again, Shenwu (神武) of Qi (齊), being a general of the Eastern Wei (東魏), led his troops to strike the Western Wei (西魏); he halted his troops at Puban (蒲坂) and made three floating bridges, meaning to cross the river. He also sent his general Dou Tai (竇泰) to run to the Tong Pass (潼關), while Gao Aocao (高敖曹) ringed Luozhou (洛州). Emperor Wen of Zhou (周文帝), the general of the Western Wei, sent his troops out to Guangyang (廣陽) and called his generals together, saying, "That the enemy now pulls at us on three sides and also bridges the river and makes himself look sure to cross is only to tie our troops down so that Dou Tai may come in from the west. To stand against him long lets his plan come to pass; it is no good reckoning. Moreover Gao Huan (高歡), when he handles troops, always puts Dou Tai in front; under him are many swift men, and winning time after time they are proud. If we now come out where he does not expect it and fall upon him, we shall surely win. Beat Dou Tai, and Gao Huan will flee of himself without fighting." The generals all said, "The enemy is near at hand; to leave him and try to fall upon one far off — if the thing goes awry, we shall repent and not overtake it." Emperor Wen of Zhou said, "When Gao Huan fell upon the Tong Pass twice before, our troops did not pass Bashang (霸上). This time he has come in force and yet our troops have not gone out into the field, so the enemy will hold that we only guard our own bodies and have no will to fight far off. He is also used to getting his way and has a heart that makes light of us. Ride upon this and strike, and where could we go and not win! Though the enemy has bridged the river, he cannot cross at once. Within five days my taking of Dou Tai is certain. Let my lords not doubt." Emperor Wen of Zhou then led six thousand horsemen back toward Chang'an (長安), crying out that he meant to go to Longyou (隴右). On the day xinhai he sent his troops out in secret, and at dawn on the day guichou he came to the Tong Pass. Dou Tai, hearing of a sudden that troops had come, was afraid and leaned on the hills to set his line; but before his ranks were fully made Emperor Wen of Zhou struck and broke him, beheaded Dou Tai and sent his head to Chang'an. Gao Aocao had just brought Luozhou down, but hearing that Dou Tai was dead he burned his baggage carts, left the city and fled.

攻無備者，謂懈怠之處，敵之所不虞者，則擊之。若燕人畏鄭三軍，而不虞制人，爲制人所敗是也。出不意者，謂虛空之地，敵不以爲慮者，則襲之。若鄧艾伐蜀，行無人之地七百餘里是也。

"Strike where they have made no guard" means to strike at the slack place, where the enemy does not reckon. The men of Yan fearing only the three armies of Zheng and not reckoning the troops at Zhi, and so being broken by them, is this. "Come out where they do not expect it" means to fall upon the empty land, the place the enemy does not take for a care. Deng Ai, in striking Shu, going more than seven hundred li through land without men, is this.

傳，猶洩也。兵無常勢，水無常形，臨敵變化，不可先傳也。故料敵在心，察機在目也。

To hand down (傳) is like saying to let leak out. An army has no fixed momentum and water has no fixed shape. One changes with the enemy before one, so it cannot be handed down beforehand. Therefore the measuring of the enemy lies in the mind, and the watching for the first sign lies in the eye.

無備、不意，攻之必勝，此兵之要，祕而不傳也。

Where he has made no guard and does not expect it, strike and you surely win; this is the essential of arms, and so it is kept hidden and not handed down.

傳，言也。此言上之所陳，悉用兵取勝之策，固非一定之制；見敵之形，始可施爲，不可先事而言也。

"Hand down" means to speak. What is set out above is all the plan of handling troops and gaining victory, and is in itself no fixed law. Only when one has seen the enemy's shape can it be put into use, so it cannot be spoken of before the event.

臨敵應變制宜，豈可預前言之？

To meet the enemy and settle what is fitting according to the changes — how could it be spoken of beforehand?

夫校計、行兵，是謂常法；若乘機決勝，則不可預傳述也。

Reckoning and comparing and moving one's troops are called the constant law. But riding upon the chance and settling the victory cannot be handed down and spoken of beforehand.

言上所陳之事，乃兵家之勝策，須臨敵制宜，不可以預先傳言也。

This says that what is set out above is the winning plan of the school of war; since one must meet the enemy and settle what is fitting, it cannot be handed down and spoken of beforehand.

以吾道觀之矣。

This is to see it by the Way I have spoken of.

夫戰者，決勝廟堂，然後與人爭利。凡伐叛懷遠，推亡固存，兼弱攻昧，皆物情之所出。中外離心，如商周之師者，是爲未戰而廟算勝。《太一遁甲》置算之法，因六十算已上爲多算，六十算已下爲少算。客多算臨少算，主人敗；客少算臨多算，主人勝。此皆勝敗易見矣。

Fighting is to contend for advantage with another after the victory has been settled at court. In general, to strike him who turns his back and to cherish the far off, to push what is doomed and make firm what will last, to gather in the weak and strike the dark, all come out of the hearts of men. That within and without should differ in heart, as with the armies of Shang (商) and Zhou (周) — this is to win by the court's reckoning before the fight. The way of casting the reckoning in the *Taiyi dunjia* (太一遁甲) takes more than sixty reckonings for many reckonings and fewer than sixty for few. If the side that comes in with many reckonings meets few reckonings, the side that meets him loses; if the side that comes in with few reckonings meets many reckonings, the side that meets him wins. In all this, victory and defeat show themselves easily.

廟算者，計算於廟堂之上也。

The reckoning at the shrine (廟算) is the reckoning made above in the ancestral shrine of the court.

多算，故未戰而廟謀先勝；少算，故未戰而廟謀不勝。是不可無算矣。

Because the reckonings are many, the court's plan wins first before the fight; because the reckonings are few, the court's plan does not win before the fight. So one cannot be without reckoning.

此懼學者惑不可先傳之說，故復言《計篇》義也。

Here he feared that the learner might be bewildered by the words "it cannot be handed down beforehand," and so he speaks again of the meaning of the chapter on reckoning (計篇).

計有巧拙，成敗繫焉。

In reckoning there is skill and there is clumsiness, and on these hang success and failure.

古者興師命將，必致齋於廟，授以成算，然後遣之，故謂之「廟算」。籌策深遠，則其計所得者多，故未戰而先勝。謀慮淺近，則其計所得者少，故未戰而先負。多計勝少計，其無計者，安得無敗？故曰：勝兵先勝而後求戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。有計無計，勝負易見。

Of old, when troops were raised and a general was set up, they always purified themselves in the ancestral shrine and handed down to him the reckoning that had been made, and only then sent him out; this is why it is called the reckoning at the shrine. When the measuring is deep and far-reaching, what is gained in the reckoning is much, and so one wins first before the fight. When the plan is shallow and near, what is gained in the reckoning is little, and so one loses first before the fight. The side with many reckonings beats the side with few; how then should he who is without reckoning not be beaten? Therefore it is said that the winning army wins first and then seeks battle, while the losing army fights first and then seeks victory. In having reckoning or lacking it, victory and defeat show themselves easily.