Dixing — the lie of the ground地形篇

道路交達。

Roads cross one another and run through here.

網羅之地，往必掛綴。

It is ground like a net; go in and you are sure to be snagged and held fast.

相持之地。

Ground where the two sides hold out against each other.

兩山通谷之間。

A place where a valley runs through between two mountains.

山川丘陵也。

Mountains, streams, and hills.

此六者，地之形也。

These six are the lie of the ground.

平陸也。

Level open country.

此六地之名，教民居之，得便利則勝也。

These are the names of the six grounds. Teach the people to settle on them, and when you gain ease and advantage you win.

地形有此六者之別也。

In the lie of the ground there are these six distinctions.

謂俱在平陸，往來通利也。

It means that both sides are on level open country, where coming and going runs through freely and easily.

俱在平陸，往來通達。

Both are on level open country, where coming and going runs through and reaches across.

寧致人，無致於人。

Rather draw the enemy to you than be drawn by the enemy.

先之以待敵。

To take your place first and wait for the enemy.

通者，四戰之地，須先據高陽之處，勿使敵人先得，而我後至也。利糧道者，每於津阨或敵人要衝，則築壘或作甬道以護之。

Open ground is ground where you may come to fight on all four sides, so you must take the high sunny place first and not let the enemy get it first and yourself arrive after. To keep the grain road clear means that at every crossing, every narrow neck, and every key spot the enemy aims at, you raise a fort or run a wall around and open a road to hold it.

通形者，無有崗坂，亦無要害，故兩通往來。處高易於望候，向陽視生、通糧道，便易轉運，於此利於戰也。

Open ground has no hills or slopes and no key spots either; it is a place where the two sides come and go through each other. On high ground you see easily; facing the sun you can watch the mountain side; and when the grain road runs through, moving and carrying is easy. In such a place the fight is to your advantage.

寧致人，無致於人。己先據高地，分爲屯守於歸來之路，無使敵絶己糧道也。

Better to draw others to you than to be drawn by others. I take the high ground first, and on the road back I divide my troops to hold it, so that the enemy cannot cut my grain road.

先據高陽，利糧通阨；敵人來至，我戰則利。

Take the high sunny place first and keep grain and the narrow necks running through freely, and then when the enemy comes up it is to my advantage to fight.

王晳《註》同曹操。

Wang Xi's (王晳) note is the same as Cao Cao's (曹操).

何氏同杜佑《註》。

Master He (何氏) is the same as Du You's (杜佑) note.

先處戰地以待敵，則致人而不致於人。我雖居高面陽，坐以致敵，亦慮敵人不來赴戰，故須使糧餉不絶，然後爲利。

Take your place first on the ground where you will fight and wait for the enemy, and you draw others to you and are not drawn by others. Even sitting high and facing the sun and drawing the enemy on, you must reckon that he may not come out to fight; so only after making sure your grain is not cut off is it to your advantage.

掛者，牽掛也。

Snagging means being caught and held.

往不宜返曰挂。

Going where it is not fit to come back from is called snagging.

挂者，險阻之地，與敵共有，犬牙相錯，動有挂礙也。往攻敵，敵若無備，攻之必勝，則雖與險阻相錯，敵人已敗，不得復邀我歸路矣；若往攻敵人，敵人有備，不能勝之，則爲敵人守險阻，邀我歸路，難以返也。

Snagging is when the steep and blocked ground is held together with the enemy, interlocking like dog's teeth, so that in moving you have places where you catch. When you go out to strike him and he is unprepared, you strike and are sure to win: though the steep and blocked ground interlocks, the enemy is already beaten and can no longer block the road of my return. But when you go out to strike him and he is prepared and you do not win, he holds the steep and blocked places and blocks the road of my return, so coming back is hard.

不得已陷在此，則須爲持久之計，掠取敵人之糧，以伺利便而擊之。

If you have fallen into this place and cannot help it, you must lay a plan to hold out long, taking in the enemy's grain while you watch for an easy opening to strike.

敵無備，出攻之勝，可也；有備，不得勝之，則難還返也。

If the enemy is unprepared it is well to go forward and strike and win; but if he is prepared you do not win, and coming back is hard.

出其不意，往則獲利；若其有備，往必受制。

Go forward where he does not look for you and you get an advantage by going; but if the enemy is prepared, going out you are sure to be pressed down.

察知敵情，果爲無備，一舉而勝之，則可矣；若其有備，出而弗克，欲戰則不可留，欲歸則不得返，非所利也。

Look into the enemy's true state, and if he is indeed unprepared it is well to take him at one stroke. But if he is prepared and you go forward and do not win, then wishing to fight you cannot stay, and wishing to go back you cannot return; this is no advantage.

支，久也，俱不便久相持也。

Standoff means long: neither side finds it easy to hold out long against the other.

各守險固，以相支持。

Each holds a steep and firm place, and they hold out against each other.

支者，兩俱不利，如挂之形，故各分其勢。

Standoff ground is where neither side has the advantage, like the lie of snagging ground; each divides off its own position.

支者，我與敵人各守高險，對壘而軍，中有平地，狹而且長，出軍則不能成陳，遇敵則自下禦上，彼我之勢俱不利便。如此，則堂堂引去，伏卒待之。敵若躡我，候其半出，發兵擊之，則利；若敵人先去以誘我，我不可出也。

Standoff is when the enemy and I each hold a high steep place, with forts facing and ranks drawn up, and in between lies a strip of narrow level ground: send out troops and they cannot form ranks, and meeting the enemy you must hold off from below against above, so that the position of his side and of mine alike is without advantage or ease. In such a case draw your troops back openly as if leaving, and set an ambush to wait. If the enemy treads after you, wait until half of him is out and then send out troops and strike; that is to your advantage. If the enemy leaves first to lure me, I must not go out.

此說理繁而語倒。但彼此出軍，地形不便，敵若設利誘我而去，我慎勿追之。我若引去，敵止則已；若來襲我，候其半出，則急擊之。

In this saying the reasoning is tangled and the words turned about. It is simply that when the two sides send out troops the lie of the ground is without ease: so if the enemy dresses up an advantage to lure me and leaves, I must take care not to chase after him; and when I draw my troops back and leave, if the enemy halts, so be it, but if he comes and strikes me I must wait until half of him is out and strike hard.

支者，隔險隘，可以相要截，足得相支持，故不利先出也。

Standoff ground is blocked by steep narrows, where each can cut the other's key spots and each can hold out; and so it is no advantage to go out first.

利，利我也。佯背我去，我無出逐；待其引而擊之，可敗也。

The advantage (利) means what is made to look advantageous to me. If he turns his back on me and leaves in pretense, I must not go out and chase after him; wait for the time he draws his troops back and strike, and he can be broken.

各居所險，先出必敗。利而誘我，我不可愛，僞去引敵，半出而擊。

Each has taken his place in the steep, so whoever goes out first is sure to be beaten. Though he lure me with an advantage, I must not hanker after it; leave in pretense to draw the enemy out, and strike when half of him is out.

敵不肯至，則設奇伏而退，且詭之，令必出。

If the enemy will not come, fall back with a surprise ambush set, and deceive him besides so that he must come out.

利我，謂佯背我去也，不可出攻。我捨險，則反爲所乘，當自引去。敵若來追，伺其半出，行列未定，銳卒攻之，必獲利焉。李靖《兵法》曰︰「彼此不利之地，引而佯去，待其半出而邀擊之。」

To make it advantageous to me means to turn his back on me and leave in pretense; one must not go out and strike. If I give up the steep, he gets the opening on me instead, so I ought to draw back my own troops and leave. When the enemy chases after, watch for the time half of him is out and his lines are not yet settled, strike with keen troops, and you are sure to get the advantage. Li Jing's (李靖) *Art of War* says, "On ground where neither his side nor mine has the advantage, draw your troops back and leave in pretense, then wait until half of him is out and block and strike."

盈，滿也。以兵陳滿隘形，欲使敵不得進退也。

To fill (盈) means to be full. The aim is to fill the narrow ground with the ranks of your troops so that the enemy can neither go forward nor draw back.

隘形者，兩山間通谷也，敵勢不得撓我也。我先居之，必前齊隘口，陳而守之，以出奇也；敵若先居此地，齊口陳，勿從也。卽半隘陳者從之，而與敵共此利也。

Narrow ground is a valley that runs between two mountains, a place where the enemy's formation cannot shake us. If I take it first, I must block the narrow mouth evenly in front, draw up my ranks and hold it, and from there send out surprise attacks. If the enemy has taken this ground first and has blocked the mouth evenly and drawn up his ranks, do not follow him in. If he has blocked only half of it and drawn up his ranks, follow him in and share that advantage with him.

盈，平也。敵先守隘，我去之。趙不守井陘之口，韓信下之；陳豨不守漳水，高祖下之是也。

To fill means to be level. If the enemy holds the narrow ground first, I leave. Zhao (趙) did not hold the mouth of Jingxing (井陘), and so Han Xin (韓信) came down; Chen Xi (陳豨) did not hold the Zhang River (漳水), and so Gaozu (高祖) came down. These are cases of it.

盈者，滿也。言遇兩山之間，中有通谷，則須當山口爲營，與兩山口齊，如水之在器而盈滿也。

To fill is to be full. It means that when you come upon a place where a valley runs through between two mountains, you must take charge of the mountain mouth and make it your camp, level with the mouths of the two mountains, as water goes into a vessel and fills it.

謂齊口，亦滿也。如水之滿器，與口齊也。若我居之，平易險阻皆制在我，然後出奇以制敵。若敵人據隘之半，不知齊口滿盈之道，我則入隘以從之；蓋敵亦在隘，我亦在隘，俱得地形，勝敗在我，不在地形也。夫齊口盈滿之術，非惟隘形獨解有口，譬如平坡迥澤，車馬不通，舟楫不勝，中有一逕，亦須據其路口，使敵不得進也。諸可知矣。

To be level with the mouth is also to be full, like water filling a vessel level with its lip. When I take my place there, both the level easy ground and the steep blocked ground are pressed down by me, and after that I send out surprise troops and press the enemy. If the enemy holds only half the narrow ground and does not know the way of filling it level with the mouth, I go into the narrow ground and follow him. The enemy is in the narrow ground and I am in the narrow ground too, and both have got the lie of the ground, so winning and losing lie with me and not with the lie of the ground. Now the way of filling level with the mouth is not for narrow ground alone to have a mouth. It is like a level hill or a far-stretching marsh, where carts and horses cannot pass and boats cannot cross either, but a single road runs through the middle: there too you must take that neck of road so that the enemy cannot go forward. All the rest may be known from this.

隘口，言陳是也，言營非也。

Of the mouth of narrow ground it is right to speak in terms of ranks, and not right to speak in terms of a camp.

從，逐也。盈，實也。敵若實而滿之，則不可逐討；若虛而無備，則入而討之。

To follow (從) is to pursue, and to fill is to be full. If the enemy is full and filled, you cannot pursue and strike; if he is empty and unprepared, you go in and strike.

梅堯臣同杜牧《註》。

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

王晳同曹操《註》。

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

左右高山，中有平谷，我先至之，必齊滿山口以爲陳，使敵不得進也。我可以出奇兵，彼不能以撓我。敵若先居此地，盈塞隘口而陳者，不可從也。若雖守隘口，俱不齊滿者，入而從之，與敵共此險阻之利。吳起曰︰「無當天竈。天竈者，大谷之口。」言不可迎隘口而居之也。

Where there are high mountains left and right and a level valley in the middle, if I get there first I must fill the mountain mouth level and make it my ranks, so that the enemy cannot go forward. I can send out surprise troops and he cannot shake me. If the enemy has taken his place on this ground first and has blocked the narrow mouth full and drawn up his ranks, I must not follow him in. If he holds the narrow mouth but has not filled it all level, go in and follow him, and share with the enemy the advantage of this steep and blocked ground. Wu Qi (吳起) said, "Do not take charge of the Heavenly Stove. The Heavenly Stove is the mouth of a great valley" — meaning that you must not take your place facing the narrow mouth.

居高陽之地以待敵人；敵人從其下陰而來，擊之則勝。

Take your place on high sunny ground and wait for the enemy. When he climbs up from the shaded place below, strike and you win.

地形險隘，尤不可致於人。

When the ground is steep and narrow, all the more must you not be drawn by the enemy.

若險阻之地，不可後於人。

On steep and blocked ground you must not be later than another.

險者，山峻谷深，非人力所能作爲，必居高陽以待敵。若敵人先據之，必不可以爭，則當引去。陽者，南面之地，恐敵人持久，我居陰而生疾也。今若於崤澠遇敵，則先據北山，此乃是面陰而背陽也。高、陽二者，止可捨陽而就高，不可捨高而就陽。孫子乃統而言之也。

Steep ground is where the mountains are high and the valleys deep, not something men's strength can make; so you must take your place high and sunny and wait for the enemy. If the enemy has taken it first, do not contend for it; you ought to draw back and go. The sunny place is ground that looks south. If you come to face the enemy for long, the fear is that being in the shade will make you sick. Now if you met the enemy between Mount Xiao (崤山) and Mianchi (澠池), you would take the northern mountain first, and this is to look toward the shade with the sun at your back. Between the high and the sunny, you may give up the sun and take the high, but you may not give up the high and take the sun. Sunzi spoke of them together.

地險先據，則不致於人也。

Take the steep ground first and you are not drawn by another.

先得險固，居高就陽，待敵則強；敵苟先之，就戰則殆，引去勿疑。

Get the steep and firm place first, take your place high and follow the sun and wait for the enemy, and you are strong. If the enemy has taken it first and you go forward to fight, you are in danger; do not hesitate to draw back and go.

此亦爭地，若唐太宗先據武牢以待竇建德是也。

This too is contested ground. Tang Taizong (唐太宗) took Wulao (武牢) first and waited for Dou Jiande (竇建德); that is a case of it.

平陸之地，尚宜先據，況險阨之所，豈可以致於人？故先處高陽，以佚待勞，則勝矣。若敵已據此地，宜速引退，不可與戰。裴行儉討突厥，嘗際晚下營，壍壘方周，忽令移就崇岡。將士不悅，以謂不可勞衆。行儉不從，速令徙之。是夜風雨暴至，前設營所，水深丈餘，將吏驚服。以此觀之，居高陽不惟戰便，亦無水澇之患也。

Even level ground ought to be taken first; how much more would you not hand a steep and narrow place over to another? So take your place first on the high sunny side and wait at ease for his toil, and you win. If the enemy has already taken that ground, draw back quickly and do not fight. When Pei Xingjian (裴行儉) attacked the Türks (突厥), he pitched camp at dusk, and just as the ditch and rampart had been run around he suddenly ordered a move to a high hill. His commanders and soldiers were not glad and said the host could not be put to such toil, but Xingjian would not listen and made them move in haste. That night wind and rain drove down, and in the place where they had camped before the water stood more than a fathom deep; his commanders and officers were startled into obedience. From this it is clear that taking your place high and sunny is not only easy for fighting but also free of the fear of being flooded.

挑戰者，延敵也。

To offer battle is to draw the enemy out.

力敵而挑，則利未可知也。

When strength is matched and you offer battle, there is no knowing whether it will be to your advantage.

譬如我與敵壘相去三十里，若我來就敵壘，而延敵欲戰者，是我困敵銳，故戰者不利；若敵來就我壘，延我欲戰者，是我佚敵勞，敵亦不利，故言勢均。然則如何？曰︰欲必戰者，則移相近也。

Say my fort and the enemy's stand thirty li apart. If I go forward to the enemy's fort to draw him out and fight, I am worn and he is keen, so fighting is no advantage. If the enemy comes to my fort to draw me out and fight, I am at ease and he is worn, so it is no advantage to him either. That is why it is said the positions are evenly matched. Then what is to be done? If you must fight, move the two closer to each other.

夫與敵營壘相遠，兵力又均，難以挑戰，戰則不利。故下文云「勢均，以一擊十，曰走」是也。夫挑戰，先須料我兵衆強弱，可以加敵則爲之；不然，則不可輕進，自取敗也。

When you are far from the enemy's camp and the strength of your troops is matched as well, it is hard to offer battle and no advantage to fight. So the text below says, "When the positions are evenly matched and you strike ten with one, that is flight." If you would offer battle, first reckon whether your troops are many or few, strong or weak, and do it if you can press the enemy down; otherwise do not go forward lightly and bring defeat on yourself.

兵勢旣均，我遠入挑，則不利也。

When the positions of the armies are already matched and I go far in to offer battle, it is no advantage.

挑，迎敵也。遠形，去國遠也。地勢均等，無獨便利，先挑之戰，不利也。

To offer battle (挑) is to face the enemy and challenge him. Distant ground is a place far off from the state. The lie of the ground is level and nothing in it is of ease to one side alone, so to offer battle first is no advantage.

勢旣均一，挑戰則勞，致敵則佚。

The positions are already level, so to offer battle is toil and to draw the enemy in is ease.

以遠致我，勞也。

He draws me out over a long road, and so I am worn.

營壘相遠，勢力又均，止可坐以致敵，不宜挑人而求戰也。

When the camps are far apart and the forces are matched as well, simply sit and draw the enemy in; it is not fitting to offer battle to another and seek to contend.

此地形之勢也，將不知者以敗。

This is the position given by the shape of the ground; if the general does not know it he is beaten.

天生地形，可以目察。

The shape of the ground that Heaven has made can be looked at with the eye.

夫地形者，助兵立勝之本，豈得不度也？

The shape of the ground is what helps an army and builds victory; how can it go unweighed?

六地之形，將不可不知。

The shapes of the six grounds are what a general cannot but know.

走、弛、陷、崩、亂、北，皆敗壞大小變易之名也。

Flight, slackness, sinking, collapse, disorder, and rout are all different names for the greater and lesser shapes of falling apart.

凡此六敗，咎在人事。

In all these six defeats the fault lies in what men do.

不料力。

This is failing to weigh one's strength.

不量力也。若得形便之地，用奇伏之計，則可矣。

This is failing to weigh one's strength. If you get a place where the lie of the ground is easy and use the plan of surprise attack and ambush, then it can be done.

夫以一擊十之道，先須敵人與我將之智謀、兵之勇怯、天時地利、飢飽勞佚十倍相懸，然後可以奮一擊十；若勢均力敵，不能自料以我之一擊敵之十，則須奔走，不能返舍復爲駐止矣。

The way to strike ten with one is this: first the enemy's generals and mine must stand ten times apart in wit, the soldiers in bravery or fear, in the season of Heaven and the advantage of the ground, in hunger or fullness, in toil or ease; only then can you rouse one and strike ten. When the positions are evenly matched and strength is equal, and you cannot weigh yourself but strike the enemy's ten with your one, there is nothing for it but flight, and you cannot even return to your ranks and stay.

勢雖均而兵甚寡，以寡擊衆，必走之道也。

The positions are evenly matched but the troops are very few; strike many with few and it is the sure road to flight.

不待鬬而走也。

They cannot even wait for the fight, but flee.

勢均，謂將之智勇、兵之利鈍一切相敵也。夫體敵勢等，自不可輕戰；況奮寡以擊衆，能無走乎？

Evenly matched positions means that the generals' wisdom and courage and the soldiers' keenness and dullness are all equal to each other. When bulk and position are the same you cannot fight lightly to begin with; how much less, if you rouse a few and strike many, can you fail to flee?

吏不能統，故弛壞。

The officers cannot lead them, and so things slacken and fall apart.

言卒伍豪強，將帥懦弱，不能驅率，故弛坼壞散也。國家長慶初，命田布帥魏以伐王延湊。布長在魏，魏人輕易之，數萬人皆乘驢行營，布不能禁。居數月，欲合戰，兵士潰散，布自剄身死。

It means that when the soldiers are rough and the officers soft, they cannot be driven and led, and so things slacken and split and fall apart and scatter. In the early years of the Changqing (長慶) reign, Tian Bu (田布) was set to lead the troops of Wei (魏) and attack Wang Yanzou (王延湊). Bu had grown up in Wei, and the men of Wei made light of him; tens of thousands of them all rode donkeys and shifted camp, and Bu could not stop them. After some months he meant to fight, but his soldiers scattered, and Bu stabbed his own throat and died.

令之不從，威之不服，見敵則亂，不壞何爲？

Give an order and they do not follow; press them with authority and they do not bend; they fall into disorder at the sight of the enemy. What can come of it but falling apart?

吏無統率者，則軍政弛壞。

When the officers cannot lead them, the army's governance slackens and falls apart.

王晳同曹操《註》。

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

言卒伍豪強，將帥懦弱，不能驅領，故弛坼壞散也。

It means that when the soldiers are rough and the officers soft, they cannot be driven and led, and so things slacken and split and fall apart and scatter.

士卒豪悍，將吏懦弱，不能統轄約束，故軍政弛壞也。吳楚相攻，吳公子光曰︰「楚軍多寵，政令不一；帥賤而不能整，無大威命，楚可敗。」果大敗楚師也。

When the soldiers are rough and fierce but the commanders and officers are soft, they cannot be led and held in hand, and so the army's governance slackens and falls apart. When Wu (吳) and Chu (楚) were attacking each other, Prince Guang (光) of Wu said, "In Chu's army there are many whom the ruler favors, so governance and orders are not one; the commanders are lowly and cannot hold the men in hand, and there is no great authority or command — Chu can be broken." And indeed he broke Chu's army badly.

吏強欲進，卒弱輒陷，敗也。

The officers are strong and want to advance, but the soldiers are weak and sink at once — this is defeat.

陷，敗也。卒弱不一，則難以爲戰，是以強陷也。

Sinking is defeat. When the soldiers are weak and are not made one, it is hard to fight, and so even the sturdy sink.

言欲爲攻取，士卒怯弱，不量其力，強進之，則陷没於死地也。

It means that when you wish to strike and take, and the soldiers are afraid and weak, and you do not weigh their strength but force them out, they sink into the ground of death and are buried there.

夫人皆有血氣，誰無鬬敵之心？若將乏刑德，士乏訓練，則人皆懦怯，不可用也。

All men have blood and spirit; who has no heart to fight the enemy? But when the general has neither punishment nor kindness and the soldiers have had no training, men all turn soft and afraid and cannot be used.

士卒皆羸，鼓之不進；吏強獨戰，徒陷其身也。

When the soldiers are all weak and do not advance though the drum beats, while the officers alone are sturdy and fight by themselves, they merely sink their own persons.

吏雖強進，不能激之以勇，故陷於死。

The officers press forward sturdily but cannot rouse the soldiers to courage, and so they sink into death.

爲下所陷。

They sink because of those below.

將吏剛勇欲戰，而士卒素乏訓練，不能齊勇同奮，苟用之，必陷於亡敗。

The commanders and officers are sturdy and brave and wish to fight, but the soldiers have had no training from the first and cannot summon courage together and rouse themselves; force them to be used and they are sure to sink into ruin and defeat.

大吏，小將也。大將怒之，心不壓服，忿而赴敵，不量輕重，則必崩壞。

A senior officer (大吏) is a junior general. The general in chief angers him, so that in his heart he is not held down to obedience; in resentment he rushes at the enemy and does not weigh the light against the heavy, and so he is sure to collapse.

將爲敵所怒，不料強弱，驅士卒如命者，必崩壞。

When the general is angry at the enemy and, without weighing strong against weak, drives his soldiers on as though throwing their lives away, he is sure to collapse.

春秋時，楚子伐鄭，晉師救之。伍參言於楚子曰︰「晉之從政者新，未能行令；其佐先縠剛愎不仁，未肯用命；其三帥者，專行不獲，聽而無上，衆無適從。此行也，晉師必敗。」晉魏錡求公族未得而怒，欲敗晉師。請致師，不許；請使，許之，遂往請戰而還。趙旃求卿未得，請挑戰，不許；召盟，許之。與魏錡皆命而往。郤克曰︰「二憾往矣，弗備必敗。」隨會曰︰「若二子怒楚，楚人乘我，喪師無日矣，不如備之。」先縠曰︰「不可。」隨會使鞏朔、韓穿師七覆於敖前，故上軍不敗，而中軍、下軍果敗。七覆，七處伏兵也。敖，山名也。

In the Spring and Autumn age the ruler of Chu attacked Zheng (鄭), and the army of Jin (晉) came to the rescue. Wu Shen (伍參) said to the ruler of Chu, "The man who holds Jin's government has newly come and cannot yet make his orders run. His aide Xian Hu (先縠) is stubborn and headstrong, not good, and will not follow orders. His three commanders do as they please and still do not get their way, and there is nowhere to hear a word from above, so the host has nothing to follow. On this march Jin's army is sure to be beaten." Wei Qi (魏錡) of Jin sought a place among the ducal kin (公族) and did not get it; in anger he wished to make Jin's army lose. He asked to offer battle and was refused; he asked to go as envoy and was allowed, and so he went, asked for battle, and came back. Zhao Zhan (趙旃) sought a place as minister (卿) and did not get it; he asked to offer battle and was refused, and asked to call the enemy to a covenant and was allowed. He took his orders and went together with Wei Qi. Xi Ke (郤克) said, "Two men with resentment in them have gone; if we do not prepare we are sure to be beaten." Sui Hui (隨會) said, "Those two will anger Chu, and if the men of Chu ride us the day of losing our army is not far off; better to prepare." Xian Hu said, "No." Sui Hui had Gong Shuo (鞏朔) and Han Chuan (韓穿) set ambushes in seven places before Ao (敖), and so the upper army was not beaten, while the center and lower armies were beaten after all. The seven coverts (七覆) are ambushes in seven places. Ao is the name of a mountain.

此大將無理而怒小將，使之心內懷不服，因緣怨怒，遇敵便戰，不顧能否，所以大敗也。

This is when the general in chief is angry at a junior commander without cause and makes him hold a mind that will not obey; riding that resentment and anger, he fights the moment he meets the enemy and does not care whether he is able or not, and so there is a great defeat.

自上墮下曰崩。大吏、小將不相壓伏，崩壞之道；將又不量己之能否，不知卒之勇怯，強與敵鬬，自取賊害，豈非自上而崩乎？

To fall from above to below is called collapse. When the senior officer and the junior commander press each other and neither will bend, that is the road to collapse. And when the general cannot weigh his own ability either, and fights the enemy by force without knowing whether his soldiers are brave or afraid, and so takes harm on himself — how is that not collapsing from the top down?

小將心怒而不服，遇敵怨懟而不顧，自取崩敗者，蓋將不知其能也。

That a junior commander is angry in his heart and will not obey, and on meeting the enemy fights in resentment without care and so brings collapse on himself, is for the most part because the general does not know his abilities.

謂將怒不以理，且不知裨佐之才，激致其兇懟，如山之崩壞也。

It means that the general is angry against reason and does not know his aide's talents either, and so stirs up that ugly resentment — like a mountain falling in.

三軍同力，上下一心，則勝也。

When the three armies join their strength and high and low are of one mind, you win.

大凡百將一心，三軍同力，則能勝敵。今小將恚怒，而不服於大將之令，意欲俱敗，逢敵便戰，不量能否，故必崩覆。晉伐秦，荀偃行令是也。曰︰「雞鳴而駕，唯余馬首是瞻。」欒書怒曰︰「晉國之命，未是有也！」遂棄之歸。又，趙穿惡臾駢而逐秦，魏錡怒晉師而乘楚。

When a hundred commanders are of one mind and the three armies join their strength, the enemy can be beaten. But when a junior commander is angry and will not obey the general in chief's orders and hopes for a shared defeat, and fights the moment he meets the enemy without weighing whether he is able, he is sure to collapse. When Jin attacked Qin (秦), the order Xun Yan (荀偃) gave is a case of this: "At cockcrow yoke the chariots, and look only to my horse's head." Luan Shu (欒書) said in anger, "There has never been such an order in Jin," and in the end he left it and went home. Again, Zhao Chuan (趙穿) hated Yu Pian (臾駢) and chased Qin, and Wei Qi angered Jin's army so that Chu rode the opening.

爲將若此，亂之道也。

When a general acts like this, it is the road to disorder.

將或有一於此，亂之道也。

If the general has even one of these, it is the road to disorder.

言吏卒皆不拘常度，故引兵出陳，或縱或橫，皆自亂之也。

It means that the officers and soldiers are all held to no settled rule, and so when they take the troops out and draw up ranks, they go lengthwise and crosswise and all fall into disorder of themselves.

威令旣不嚴明，士卒則無常禀，如此軍幕，不亂何爲？謂將無嚴令，賞罰不行之故。

When authority and command are not strict and clear to begin with, the soldiers have nothing settled to hold to; what can such a camp be but disordered? This says the reason is that the general has no strict command, so that reward and punishment do not run.

懦而不嚴，則士無常檢；教而不明，則出陳縱橫。不整，亂之道也。

Soft and not strict, and the soldiers have no settled check on them; teaching not clear, and the ranks they draw up scatter lengthwise and crosswise. Not being held in hand is the road to disorder.

亂者不勝其敗。

The disordered cannot bear up under their defeat.

將弱不嚴，謂將帥無威德也；教道不明，謂教閱無古法也；吏卒無常，謂將臣無久任也；陳兵縱橫，謂士卒無節制也。爲將若此，自亂之道。

That the general is weak and not strict means he has neither authority nor kindness. That teaching is not clear means there is no old rule in teaching and inspecting. That officers and men have nothing settled means that commanders and their men have no post they hold for long. That the ranks drawn up are in disorder means the soldiers have no discipline. When the one who is general is like this, it is the road to disorder of itself.

其勢若此，必走之兵也。

When things stand like this, these are troops that are bound to run.

軍敗曰北，不料敵也。

An army's defeat is called rout; it is failing to read the enemy.

衞公李靖《兵法》有戰鋒隊，言揀擇敢勇之士，每戰皆爲先鋒。《司馬法》曰︰「選良次兵，益人之強。」《註》曰︰「勇猛勁捷，戰不得功，後戰必選於前，當以激致其銳氣也。」東晉大將軍謝玄北鎮廣陵時，苻堅強盛，玄多募勇勁。劉牢之、何謙、諸葛侃、高衡、劉軌、田洛、孫無終等，以驍猛應募，玄以牢之領精銳，爲前鋒，百戰百勝，號爲北府兵。敵人畏之，所向必克也。

In the art of war of Li Jing, Duke of Wei (衞公), there is the battle-van company (戰鋒隊): it means picking out bold and brave soldiers and putting them in front at every fight. The *Sima Fa* (司馬法) says, "Pick good soldiers and set them in front, and you add to men's firmness," and its note says, "Even a brave and quick man, if he gains no merit in a fight, is sure to be picked for the front in the next fight, so as to rouse his keen spirit." When Xie Xuan (謝玄), general in chief of the Eastern Jin, was holding Guangling (廣陵) in the north and Fu Jian (苻堅) was growing strong, Xuan gathered many brave and firm men. Liu Laozhi (劉牢之), He Qian (何謙), Zhuge Kan (諸葛侃), Gao Heng (高衡), Liu Gui (劉軌), Tian Luo (田洛), and Sun Wuzhong (孫無終) answered the call for their quickness and fierceness. Xuan had Laozhi lead the picked men in front; they fought a hundred fights and won a hundred, and were called the Northern Headquarters troops (北府兵). The enemy feared them, and wherever they turned they were sure to break through.

兵鋒不選利鈍，士卒不知勇怯，如此用兵，自取背道也。

Not to choose the troops for the van by their keenness or dullness, and to use troops this way without knowing whether the soldiers are brave or afraid, is to take the road of turning your back and fleeing.

不能量敵情，以少當衆；不能選精銳，以弱擊強，皆奔北之理也。

Failing to read the enemy's state so that few must meet many, and failing to pick out the best so that the weak strike the strong — both are the reason for fleeing and losing.

夫士卒疲勇，不可混同爲一；一則勇士不勸，疲兵因有所容，出而不戰，自敗也。故《兵法》曰︰「兵無選鋒曰北。」昔齊以伎擊強，魏以武卒奮，秦以銳士勝，漢有三河俠士、劒客奇材，吳謂之解煩，齊謂之決命，唐謂之跳盪，是皆選鋒之別名也。兵之勝術，無先於此。凡軍衆旣具，則大將勒諸營，各選精銳之士，須趫健出衆、武藝軼格者，部爲別隊，大約十人選一人，萬人選千人，所選務寡，要在必當，擇腹心健將統率，自大將、親兵、前鋒、奇伏之類，皆品量配之也。

Worn-out soldiers and brave soldiers must never be mixed and kept as one. Kept as one, the brave do not put out their strength and the worn-out find a place to hide, so that they go out and do not fight, and defeat comes of itself. So the art of war says, "An army with no picked men for the van is called routed." In old days Qi (齊) was firm by striking with skill, Wei shook men with its wuzu (武卒), Qin won with keen troops, and Han (漢) had the outstanding skill of the gallants and swordsmen of the Three Rivers (三河). In Wu they were called Jiefan (解煩), in Qi Jueming (決命), and in Tang Tiaodang (跳盪); all are other names for picked men chosen for the van. Among the ways an army wins, nothing comes before this. When the army is fully made up, the general in chief takes the several camps in hand and has each pick out its best, setting apart as a separate corps those who are quick and firm, who stand out from the crowd, and whose skill at arms is above the standard. Roughly one man is taken from ten, so a thousand from ten thousand; the taking must be few, and what matters is that it be fitting. Choose a trusty and firm commander to lead them, and reckon out and place them all — the general in chief's own guard, the leading corps, surprise attacks and ambushes alike.

設若奮寡以擊衆，驅弱以敵強，又不選驍勇之士，使爲先鋒，兵必敗北也。凡戰，必用精銳爲前鋒者，一則壯吾志，一則挫敵威也。故《尉繚子》曰︰「武士不選，則衆不強。」曹公以張遼爲先鋒而敗鮮卑，謝玄以劉牢之領精銳而拒苻堅是也。

Rouse a few and strike many, drive the weak against the strong, and do not pick quick and brave soldiers for the van, and the army is sure to be routed. The reason for always putting picked men in the van in a fight is, for one, to make my own will firm, and for another, to break the enemy's authority. So the *Weiliaozi* (尉繚子) says, "If the warriors are not picked out, the host is not firm." Cao Cao put Zhang Liao (張遼) in the van and broke the Xianbei (鮮卑); Xie Xuan had Liu Laozhi lead the picked men and held off Fu Jian. These are cases of it.

一曰不量寡衆，二曰本乏刑德，三曰失於訓練，四曰非理興怒，五曰法令不行，六曰不擇驍果，此名六敗也。

The first is failing to weigh few against many; the second is having no punishment or kindness to begin with; the third is losing training; the fourth is raising anger against reason; the fifth is law and command not running; the sixth is not picking out the quick and bold. These are called the six defeats.

已上六事，必敗之道。

The six matters above are the sure road to defeat.

夫兵之主，在於仁義節制而已；若得地形，可以爲兵之助，所以取勝也。「助」一作「易」。

What is chief in an army lies only in benevolence, righteousness, and restraint. Once you have the lie of the ground, it becomes a help to the army, and by it victory is gained. For "help" (助) some copies have "ease" (易).

天時不如地利。

The seasons of Heaven do not match the advantage of the ground.

地利待人而險。

The advantage of the ground waits upon men before it becomes steepness.

戰雖在兵，得地易勝，故曰︰「兵之易也。」山可障，水可灌，高勝卑，險勝平也。

A fight rests on the troops, but with the ground in hand it is easy to win, and so it was called "what makes the army's work easy." Mountains can be used to block, water can be let in; high ground beats low, and steep ground beats level.

兵道則在人。

The way of war lies in men.

能審地形者，兵之助耳，乃末也；料敵制勝者，兵之本也。

To be able to examine the lie of the ground is only a help to the army, and so it is a branch. To weigh the enemy and make the victory is the army's root.

饋用之費，人馬之力，攻守之便，皆在險阨遠近也。言若能料此以制敵，乃爲將臻極之道。

The cost of feeding and supplying, the strength of men and horses, and the convenience of striking or holding all rest on the steep and blocked places and on the far and the near. He means that if you can weigh these and press the enemy down, you have reached the utmost way of a general.

料敵窮極之情，險阨遠近之利害，此兵道也。

To weigh out the enemy's whole situation and the gain and harm of steep and blocked places and of far and near, this is the way of war.

知敵、知地，將軍之職。

To know the enemy and know the ground is the general's own office.

旣能料敵虛實強弱之情，又能度地險阨遠近之形，本末皆知，爲將之道畢矣。

If he can weigh the enemy's emptiness and fullness, his strength and weakness, and can also judge the ground's steepness and blocking and its far and near, so that he knows both root and branch, then he has exhausted the way of being a general.

謂知險阨遠近也。

He means knowing the steep and blocked places and the far and the near.

將知地形，又知軍政，則勝；不知則敗。

If the general knows the lie of the ground and knows the army's governance as well, he wins; if he does not know them, he loses.

旣知敵情，又知地利，以戰則勝；俱不知之，以戰卽敗。

Know the enemy's situation and know the advantage of the ground, and fighting you win; know neither of them and fight, and you lose.

得戰勝之道，必可戰也；失戰勝之道，必無戰可也。立主人者，發其行也。

If you have the reason for fighting and winning, you must fight; if you have lost the reason for fighting and winning, you must not fight. The ruler is brought in to make plain that it is to be carried out so.

主者，君也。黃石公曰︰「出軍行師，將在自專；進退內御，則功難成。故聖主明王，跪而推轂曰︰閫外之事，將軍裁之。」

"Lord" (主) is the ruler. Huang Shigong (黃石公) said, "When troops are sent out and led, the general holds the charge himself. If going forward and drawing back are handled from within the court, merit is hard to accomplish. So a holy and clear-sighted ruler would kneel and push the chariot wheel, saying, 'What lies outside the gate is for the general to decide.'"

寧違於君，不逆士衆。

Better to go against the ruler than to go against the will of the soldiers.

將在軍，君命在有不受。

When the general is with the host, there are commands of the ruler that he does not accept.

苟有必勝之道，雖君命不戰，可必戰也；苟無必戰之道，雖君命必戰，可不戰也。與其從令而敗事，不若違制而成功。故曰︰「軍中不聞天子之詔。」

If there is a reason for sure victory, then though the ruler orders him not to fight he must fight; if there is no reason that he must fight, then though the ruler orders him to fight he must not. Better to break the rules and accomplish something than to follow the order and ruin the business. So it was said, "With the host one does not even heed the Son of Heaven's edict."

皆忠以爲國也。

All of it is loyalty, acting for the state.

進豈求名也？見利於國家、士民，則進也；退豈避罪也？見其蹙國殘民之害，雖君命使進，而不進，罪及其身不悔也。

How should advancing be a seeking of fame? When he sees gain for the state and the people, he advances. How should falling back be a shrinking from blame? When he sees harm that would shrink the state and hurt the people, he does not advance even though the ruler orders him to, and though the blame reach his own person he does not repent.

進退皆保人，非爲身也。

Both his advance and his retreat are a guarding of the men, not a serving of himself.

進不求戰勝之名，退不避違命之罪也。如此之將，國家之珍寶，言其少得也。

He advances without seeking the name of having fought and won, and falls back without shrinking from the blame of having disobeyed. Such a general is the treasure of the state; he means that such a man is hard to find.

合，猶歸也。

"Suits" (合) has the same sense as "goes to."

寧違命而取勝，勿順命而致敗。

Better to disobey the order and gain the victory than to follow the order and come to defeat.

戰與不戰，皆在保民利主而已矣。

Fighting and not fighting both lie only in guarding the people and benefiting the ruler.

進退違命，非爲己也，皆所以保民命而合主利，此忠臣，國家之寶也。

To disobey the order in going forward or drawing back is not to serve himself. It is all to guard the lives of the people and to suit the ruler's gain; this is a loyal servant and the treasure of the state.

若撫之如此，得其死力也。故楚子一言，三軍之士皆如挾纊也。

Care for them in this way and you get the strength of their dying. So when the ruler of Chu spoke a single word, the soldiers of the three armies all felt as if wrapped in cotton.

戰國時，吳起爲將，與士卒最下者同衣食，卧不設席，行不乘騎，親裹贏糧，與士卒分勞苦。卒有病疽，吳起吮之，其卒母聞而哭之。或問曰︰「子，卒也，而將軍自吮疽，何爲而哭？」母曰︰「往年，吳公吮其父，其父不旋踵而死於敵；今復吮此子，妾不知其死所矣！」

In the age of the Warring States, when Wu Qi was a general, he wore and ate the same as the lowest soldiers; lying down he spread no mat, going about he did not ride, and he packed his own leftover rations and shared the toil with the soldiers. A soldier had a boil, and Wu Qi sucked it for him; the soldier's mother heard of it and wept. Someone asked her, "Your son is a soldier, and the general himself sucked his boil; what are you weeping for?" The mother said, "Last year Lord Wu sucked his father's boil, and his father could not so much as turn his heel before he died at the enemy's hand. Now he has sucked this son's too, and I do not know where this child will die."

撫而育之，則親而不離；愛而勗之，則信而不疑。故雖死與死，雖危與危。

Care for them and rear them and they draw near and do not leave; cherish them and set them to work and they trust and do not doubt. So in a place of death they die together with him, and in a place of danger they share the danger.

以仁恩結人心也。

It is binding men's hearts with benevolence and kindness.

如後漢段熲爲破羌將軍以征西羌，行軍仁愛，士卒傷者，親自瞻省，手爲裹瘡。在邊十餘年，未嘗一日蓐寢，與將士同苦，故皆樂爲死戰也。晉王濬爲巴郡太守，郡邊吳境，兵士苦役，生男多不舉。濬乃嚴其科條，寬其徭課，其産育者皆與休復，所全活者數千人。及後伐吳，先在巴郡之所全活者，皆堪徭役供軍。其父母戒之曰︰「王府君生爾，爾必勉之，無愛死也。」故《吳子》有父子之兵。

Duan Jiong (段熲) of the Later Han, as General Who Breaks the Qiang (破羌將軍), attacked the Western Qiang (西羌). He led his troops with benevolence and love, going himself to look after wounded soldiers and binding their wounds with his own hands. In more than ten years on the frontier he never once spread a mat to sleep on, and he shared the hardship of commanders and men, and so all were glad to fight to the death. Wang Jun (王濬) of Jin became governor of Bajun (巴郡). The commandery touched the border of Wu, and soldiers and people were worn out by the labor service, so that many would not rear the boys they bore. Jun made the statutes strict and eased the labor service and the taxes, and gave rest and exemption to all who bore and reared a child, so that the children saved were some thousands. Later, when Wu was attacked, the children he had saved in Bajun all took up the service and supported the troops. Their parents told them, "Governor Wang (王府君) saved you; you must put out your strength and not spare your death." This is why the *Wuzi* (吳子) speaks of an army like fathers and sons.

將視卒如子，則卒視將如父；未有父在危難，而子不致死。故荀卿曰︰「臣之於君也，下之於上也，如子弟之事父兄、手足之捍頭目也。」夫美酒泛流，三軍皆醉；溫言一撫，士同挾纊。信乎，以恩遇下，古人所重也。故《兵法》曰︰「勤勞之師，將必先己。暑不張蓋，寒不重衣，險必下步，軍井成而後飲，軍食熟而後飯，軍壘成而後舍。」

When a general looks on his soldiers as sons, the soldiers look on the general as a father. There was never a father in danger whose sons did not spend themselves to death. So Xun Qing (荀卿) said, "What the servant does for the ruler and the lower for the higher is like sons and younger brothers serving fathers and elder brothers, and like hands and feet shielding the head and the eyes." Good wine was let flow and the three armies were all drunk with it; a warm word of care was given once, and the soldiers all felt as if wrapped in cotton. Truly the ancients held it weighty to meet those below with kindness. So the art of war says, "With worn troops the general must put his own person first. In heat he raises no shade, in cold he does not double his clothes, at steep places he must get down and walk, he drinks only after the soldiers' wells are finished, he eats only after the soldiers' food is cooked, and he rests only after the soldiers' ramparts are done."

恩不可專用，罰不可獨任。若驕子之喜怒，對目還害，而不可用也。

Kindness alone is not to be used, nor is punishment alone to be relied on. If they are glad and angry as a spoiled son is, then before your very eyes they turn to harm instead and cannot be used.

雖厚愛人，不令如驕子者，有勃逆之心，不可用也。

A man who is generous and fond of his men but cannot command them, so that they become like a spoiled son, has a defiant heart in them and cannot use them.

黃石公曰︰「士卒可下，而不可驕。」夫恩以養士，謙以接之，故曰「可下」；制之以法，故曰「不可驕」。《陰符》曰︰「害生於恩。」吳起曰︰「夫鼓鼙金鐸，所以威耳；旌旗麾章，所以威目；禁令刑罰，所以威心。耳威於聲，不得不清；目威於色，不得不明；心威於刑，不得不嚴。三者不立，必敗於敵。故曰︰將之所撝，莫不從移；將之所指，莫不前死。」衞公李靖曰︰「古之善爲將者，必能十卒而殺其三，次者十殺其一。十殺其三，威振於敵國；十殺其一，令行於三軍。是知畏我者不畏敵，畏敵者不畏我。」善無細而不賞，惡無微而不貶。馬謖軍敗，諸葛亮對泣而行誅；鄉人盜笠，呂蒙垂涕而後斬；馬逸犯禾，曹公割髮而自刑；兩掾辭屈，黃蓋詰問而俱斬。故能威克其愛，雖少必濟；愛加其威，雖多必敗。

Huang Shigong said, "One may humble oneself before the soldiers, but one may not let them grow unruly." Rearing the troops with kindness and meeting them with modesty is what is meant by "one may humble oneself"; governing them by law is what is meant by "one may not let them grow unruly." The *Yinfu* (陰符) says, "Harm is born of kindness." Wu Qi said, "Drums and small drums, gongs and bells are what make the ear afraid; flags and banners and the signs for directing are what make the eye afraid; prohibitions and orders and punishments are what make the heart afraid. If the ear is to fear sound, the sound cannot but be clear; if the eye is to fear color, the color cannot but be bright; if the heart is to fear punishment, the punishment cannot but be strict. Where these three are not established, defeat at the enemy's hand is sure. So it is said that there is none who does not move where the general's hand beckons, and none who does not go to his death first where the general points." Li Jing, Duke of Wei, said, "Those who were good at being generals in old days could put three out of ten soldiers to death, and those next after them put one in ten to death. Put three in ten to death and your authority shakes the enemy's state; put one in ten to death and your orders run through the three armies. From this one sees that the man who fears me does not fear the enemy, and the man who fears the enemy does not fear me." There is no good deed so small that it is not rewarded, and no bad deed so small that it is not cut back. Ma Su (馬謖) brought the army to defeat, and Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮) wept face to face with him and beheaded him; a man of his own village stole a hat, and Lü Meng (呂蒙) let his tears fall and then beheaded him; a horse ran loose and trampled the standing grain, and Cao Cao cut off his own hair as a punishment on himself; two clerks had nothing to say for themselves, and Huang Gai (黃蓋) questioned them closely and then beheaded them all. Therefore where authority presses down his love, even a few are sure to be saved; where love goes beyond his authority, even many are sure to be beaten.

唯務行恩，恩勢已成，刑之必怨；唯務行刑，刑怨已深，恩之不附。必使恩威相參，賞罰並用，然後可以爲將，可以統衆也。

If he works only at showing kindness and the shape of kindness is already set, then even punishment brings sure resentment; if he works only at punishing and the resentment of punishment already runs deep, then even kindness given does not stick. Only when kindness and authority are mixed together and reward and punishment are used side by side can a man be a general and lead a host.

厚養而不使，愛寵而不教，亂法而不治，猶如驕子，安得而用也？

To rear them generously but not set them to work, to cherish and love them but not teach them, to let the law fall into disorder and not govern it, is to have them like a spoiled son; how could they be used?

恩不以嚴，未可濟也。

Where kindness is not followed by strictness, nothing can be saved.

言恩不可純任，純任則還爲己害。

He means that kindness cannot be given the whole charge. Give it the whole charge, and it turns round into harm.

恩不可以專用，罰不可以獨行。專用恩，則卒如驕子而不能使。此曹公所以割髮而自刑，卧龍所以垂泣而行戮，楊素所以流血盈前而言笑自若，李靖所以十殺其三使畏我而不畏敵也。獨行罰，則士不親附而不可用。此古將所以投酒，楚子所以挾纊，吳起所以分衣食，闔閭所以同勞佚也。在《易》之《師》初六曰「師出以律」，謂齊衆以法也；九二曰「師中承天寵」，謂勸士以賞也。以此觀之，王者之兵，亦德刑參任而恩威並行矣。《尉繚子》曰︰「不愛悅其心者，不我用也；不嚴畏其心者，不我舉也。」故善將者，愛與畏而已。

Kindness cannot be used alone, and punishment cannot be carried out by itself. Use kindness only, and the soldiers become like a spoiled son and cannot be set to work. This is why Cao Cao cut off his own hair as a punishment on himself, why the Sleeping Dragon (卧龍) let his tears fall and had the man beheaded, why Yang Su (楊素) spoke and laughed at ease with blood lying thick before him, and why Li Jing put three in ten to death so that they feared him and did not fear the enemy. Carry out punishment only, and the soldiers do not draw near and cannot be used. This is why a general of old poured his wine into the river, why the ruler of Chu made his soldiers feel as if wrapped in cotton, why Wu Qi shared his clothing and food with them, and why Helü (闔閭) shared toil and ease with them. In the *Book of Changes* (周易), under the hexagram of the Host (師卦), the first line says, "In sending out the host, go by the law," which speaks of holding the host firm by law; and the second line says, "In the midst of the host he upholds Heaven's favor," which speaks of setting the soldiers to work by reward. From this one sees that even the ruler's own host mixes virtue and punishment in its charge and carries out kindness and authority together. The *Weiliaozi* says, "If you do not cherish their hearts and give them gladness, they will not be used for you; if you do not make their hearts strict and give them fear, they will not rise up for you." Therefore the man who is good at being a general has only cherishing and fearing.

知己而不知彼，或有勝耳。

Know yourself and not know the other, and you only sometimes win.

可擊者，勇敢輕死也；不可擊者，頓弊怯弱也。

Able to strike means being quick and bold and holding death light; not able to strike means being worn and old, afraid and weak.

此說非也。可擊、不可擊者，所謂「兵衆孰強，士卒孰練，賞罰孰明，」也。

This saying is not right. Able to strike and not able to strike are what is meant by "whose host is firmer, whose soldiers are better trained, whose rewards and punishments are clearer."

知彼而不知己，或有勝耳。

Know the other and not know yourself, and you only sometimes win.

知己不知彼，知彼不知己，皆未可以決勝也。

Know yourself and not the other, or know the other and not yourself, and in neither case can the victory be settled.

或知己而不知彼，或知彼而不知己，則有勝有負也。唐太宗曰︰「吾嘗臨陳，先料敵心與己之心孰審，然後彼可得而知焉；察敵氣與己之氣孰治，然後我可得而知焉。」言料心審治亂，察氣見強弱形也，可戰與不可戰也。

Know yourself and not the other, or know the other and not yourself, and you sometimes win and sometimes lose. Tang Taizong said, "When I came up to the ranks, I first weighed whether the enemy's mind or my own looked more deeply into things, and only then could I know him; and I looked to see whether the enemy's spirit or my own was in better order, and only then could I know myself." He means weighing the mind to see order and disorder, and looking at the spirit to see the shape of strength and weakness, and that from this comes whether one can fight or cannot.

勝之半者，未可知也。

Half a victory means that the outcome is not yet to be known.

地形者，險易遠近，出入迂直也。

The lie of the ground is steepness and levelness, far and near, and the winding or straightness of the roads going out and coming in.

知彼知己，而不知地形，亦或不勝。

Know the other and know yourself, and if you still do not know the lie of the ground you may yet fail to win.

雖知彼己可以戰，然不可虧地利也。

Though you know the other and yourself and can fight, you must not throw away the advantage of the ground.

旣知己而又知彼，但不得地形之助，亦不可全勝。

Know yourself and know the other as well, and if you do not get the help of the lie of the ground you still cannot win whole.

未動未舉，勝負已定，故動則不迷，舉則不窮也。一云「動而不困，舉而不頓」。

Before he moves, before he acts, victory and defeat are already settled, and so he moves without losing his way and acts without coming to a dead end. Some copies have "moves without distress and acts without being broken."

窮者，困也，我若識彼此之動否，量地形之得失，則進而不迷，戰而不困者也。

"Dead end" (窮) is distress. If I know the movements of the other and of myself and weigh the gaining or losing of the lie of the ground, then I go forward without losing my way and fight without distress.

無所不知，則動不迷闇，舉不困窮也。

If there is nothing he does not know, he moves without losing his way in the dark and acts without distress or a dead end.

善計者不迷，善軍者不窮。

One who reckons well does not lose his way; one who uses troops well does not come to a dead end.

不妄動，故動則不誤；不輕舉，故舉則不困。識彼我之虛實，得地形之便利，而後戰也。

He does not move rashly, so when he moves he is not wrong; he does not act lightly, so when he acts he is not distressed. He fights only after he knows the emptiness and fullness of the other and of himself and has the easy advantage of the lie of the ground.

曉攻守之術，則有勝而無危。

Know clearly the ways of striking and of holding, and there is victory and no danger.

人事、天時、地利，三者同知，則百戰百勝。

Know all three, the business of men and the seasons of Heaven and the advantage of the ground, and you fight a hundred fights and win a hundred.

知地之便，知天之時。地之便，依險阻、向高陽也；天之時，順寒暑、法刑德也。旣能知彼知己，又按地形、法天道，勝乃可全，又何難也？

He knows the ease of the ground and knows the seasons of Heaven. The ease of the ground is to lean on steep and blocked places and to face the high and sunny side. The seasons of Heaven are to follow cold and heat and to take punishment and virtue for one's measure. Know the other and know yourself, and examine the lie of the ground as well and take the way of Heaven for your measure, and you can make the victory whole; what then would be hard?

知彼利，知此利，故不危；知天時，知地形，故不極。

He knows the other's advantage and knows his own, and so he is not in danger; he knows the seasons of Heaven and knows the lie of the ground, and so there is no end to it.

王晳同梅堯臣《註》。

Wang Xi's note is the same as Mei Yaochen's.

順天時，得地利，取勝無極。

Follow the seasons of Heaven and get the advantage of the ground, and there is no end to the victories gained.