III. ATTACK BY STRATAGEM
1. Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.
2. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
3. Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.
4. The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war, will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more.
5. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.
6. Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
7. With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire, and thus, without losing a man, his triumph will be complete. This is the method of attacking by stratagem.
8. It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two.
9. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.
10. Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force, in the end it must be captured by the larger force.
11. Now the general is the bulwark of the State; if the bulwark is complete at all points; the State will be strong; if the bulwark is defective, the State will be weak.
12. There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army:--
13. (1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army.
14. (2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.
15. (3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
16. But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.
17. Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
1. He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
2. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
3. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
4. He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
5. He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
18. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
IV. TACTICAL DISPOSITIONS
1. Sun Tzu said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
2. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
3. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
4. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.
5. Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.
6. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.
7. The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.
8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
9. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done!"
10. To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength; to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.
11. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.
12. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.
13. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
14. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.
15. Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
16. The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.
17. In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.
18. Measurement owes its existence to Earth; Estimation of quantity to Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances.
19. A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound's weight placed in the scale against a single grain.
20. The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.
三 謀攻篇
孫子曰：
夫用兵之法，全國為上，破國次之；全軍為上，破軍次之；全旅為上，破旅次之；全卒為上，破卒次之；全伍為上，破伍次之。
是故百戰百勝，非善之善也；不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。故上兵伐謀，其次伐交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。攻城之法，為不得已。修櫓□①□②，具器械，三月而後成；距堙，又三月而後已。將不勝其忿而蟻附之，殺士卒三分之一，而城不拔者，此攻之災也。故善用兵者，屈人之兵而非戰也，拔人之城而非攻也，毀人之國而非久也，必以全爭於天下，故兵不頓而利可全，此謀攻之法也。
故用兵之法，十則圍之，五則攻之，倍則分之，敵則能戰之，少則能逃之，不若則能避之。故小敵之堅，大敵之擒也。
夫將者，國之輔也。輔周則國必強，輔隙則國必弱。故君之所以患於軍者三：不知軍之不可以進而謂之進，不知軍之不可以退而謂之退，是謂縻軍；不知三軍之事而同三軍之政，則軍士惑矣；不知三軍之權而同三軍之任，則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑，則諸侯之難至矣。是謂亂軍引勝。
故知勝有五：知可以戰與不可以戰者勝，識眾寡之用者勝，上下同欲者勝，以虞待不虞者勝，將能而君不禦者勝。此五者，知勝之道也。故曰：知己知彼，百戰不貽；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼不知己，每戰必敗。
【注：】
①：［車賁］。
②：“溫”字“氵”旁換“車”旁。
三、謀攻篇譯文
【原文】孫子曰：夫用兵之法，全國為上，破國次之，全軍為上，破軍次之；全旅為上，破旅次之；全卒為上，破卒次之；全伍為上，破伍次之。是故百戰百勝，非善之善者也；不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。
【譯文】孫子說：大凡用兵的原則，使敵舉國不戰而降是上策，擊破敵國使之降服是次一等用兵策略；使敵全軍不戰而降是上策，擊破而取勝是次一等用兵策略；使敵全旅不戰而降是上策，擊破敵旅而取勝是次一等用兵策略；使敵全卒不戰而降是上策，擊破敵卒使之降服是次一等策略；使敵全伍不戰而降是上策，擊破敵伍而取勝是次一等策略。因此，百戰百勝，並非好的用兵策略中最好的，不交戰而使敵屈服，才是用兵策略中最好的。
【原文】故上兵伐謀，其次伐交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。修櫓轒轀，具器械，三月而後成，距堙，又三月而後已。將不勝其忿而蟻附之，殺士三分之一而城不拔者，此攻之災也。
【譯文】因而，最好的用兵策略是以謀略勝敵，其次是以外交手段勝敵，再其次是通過野戰交兵勝敵，最下等的是攻城。攻城是在不得已的情況下才采取的（辦法）。為了攻城，修造望樓車、車，準備各種攻城器械，三個月才能完成；堆積攻城的土丘，又需三個月才能完成。這時，將帥們已焦躁忿怒異常了，驅趕著士兵像螞蟻一樣去爬城，士卒傷亡三分之一而城還不能攻下，這便是攻城的災害啊！
【原文】故善用兵者，屈人之兵而非戰也，拔人之城而非攻也，毀人之國而非久也，必以全爭於天下。故兵不頓而利可全，此謀攻之法也。
【譯文】因此，善於用兵的人，使敵軍屈服而不用野戰交兵的辦法，奪取敵城不用蟻附攻城的辦法，消滅敵國而不采用長久用兵的辦法。一定本著不訴諸兵刃就使敵完整地屈服的原則爭橫天下，做到軍隊不受挫而勝利可全得，這便是謀攻的原則。
【原文】故用兵之法，十則圍之，五則攻之，倍則分之，敵則能戰之，少則能逃之，不若則能避之。故小敵之堅，大敵之擒也。
【譯文】根據用兵規律，有十倍於敵人的兵力就包圍殲滅敵人，有五倍於敵人的兵力就猛烈進攻敵人，有多一倍於敵人的兵力就分割消滅敵人，有與敵相當的兵力則可以抗擊，比敵人兵力少時就擺脫敵人，不如敵人兵力強大就避免與敵爭鋒。小股兵力如果頑固硬拚，就會被強大的對方俘獲。
【原文】夫將者，國之輔也。輔周，則國必強；輔隙，則國必弱。
【譯文】將帥，是國君的輔佐。輔佐得周密，國家就強盛；輔佐有疏漏，國家必然衰弱。
【原文】故君之所以患於軍者三：不知軍之不可以進而謂之進，不知軍之不可以退而謂之退，是謂“縻軍”；不知三軍之事，而同三軍之政者，則軍士惑矣；不知三軍之權，而同三軍之任，則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑，則諸侯之難至矣，是謂“亂軍引勝”。
【譯文】君主對軍隊造成危害的情況有三個方麵：不懂得軍隊不可以前進而命令他們前進，不懂得軍隊不可以後退而命令他們後退，這叫束縛、羈縻軍隊；不懂軍中事務卻幹涉軍中行政管理，那麽，軍士就會迷惑；不知軍中權謀之變而參與軍隊指揮，那麽將士就會疑慮。如果三軍將士既迷惑又疑慮，諸侯乘機起而攻之的災難就到來了。這就叫自亂其軍而喪失了勝利。
【原文】故知勝有五：知可以戰與不可以戰者勝，識眾寡之用者勝，上下同欲者勝，以虞待不虞者勝，將能而君不禦者勝。此五者，知勝之道也。
【譯文】預測勝負有五條：懂得什麽條件下可以戰，什麽條件下不可以戰的，勝；懂得眾與寡的靈活運用的，勝；上下一心，同仇敵愾的，勝 以有準備之師擊無準備之敵的，勝 將領富於才能而君主又不從中幹預牽製的，勝。這五條就是預知勝負的途徑。
【原文】故曰：知彼知己者，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負，不知彼，不知己，每戰必殆。
【譯文】因此，可以說：了解對方也了解自己的，百戰不敗；不了解對方而了解自己的，勝負各半；不了解對方，也不了解自己的，每戰必敗。
四 軍形篇
孫子曰：
昔之善戰者，先為不可勝，以待敵之可勝。不可勝在己，可勝在敵。故善戰者，能為不可勝，不能使敵之必可勝。故曰：勝可知，而不可為。不可勝者，守也；可勝者，攻也。守則不足，攻則有餘。善守者藏於九地之下，善攻者動於九天之上，故能自保而全勝也。見勝不過眾人之所知，非善之善者也；戰勝而天下曰善，非善之善者也。故舉秋毫不為多力，見日月不為明目，聞雷霆不為聰耳。古之所謂善戰者，勝於易勝者也。故善戰者之勝也，無智名，無勇功，故其戰勝不忒。不忒者，其所措勝，勝已敗者也。故善戰者，立於不敗之地，而不失敵之敗也。是故勝兵先勝而後求戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。善用兵者，修道而保法，故能為勝敗之政。
兵法：一曰度，二曰量，三曰數，四曰稱，五曰勝。地生度，度生量，量生數，數生稱，稱生勝。故勝兵若以鎰稱銖，敗兵若以銖稱鎰。
稱勝者之戰民也，若決積水於千仞之溪者，形也。
四、軍形篇譯文
【原文】孫子曰：昔之善戰者，先為不可勝，以待敵之可勝。不可勝在己，可勝在敵。故善戰者，能為不可勝，不能使敵之可勝。故曰：勝可知，而不可為。
【譯文】孫子說：古代善於指揮作戰的人，總是先創造條件使自己處於不可戰勝的地位，然後等待敵人能被我戰勝的時機。做到不可戰勝，關鍵在於自己創造充分的條件；可以戰勝敵人，關鍵在於敵人出現可乘之隙。因而，善於作戰的人，能做到自己不可戰勝，不能使敵人一定被我戰勝。所以說，勝利可以預測，但不可強求。
【原文】不可勝者，守也；可勝者，攻也。守則不足，攻則有餘（竹簡為：守則有餘，攻則不足）。善守者，藏於九地之下，善攻者，動於九天之上，故能自保而全勝也。
【譯文】有了不可戰勝的條件，就可以守；敵方出現了可勝之隙，就可以攻。守，應依靠自己不可戰勝，力有裕如；攻，要針對敵方弱點、不足，舉兵必克。善於防守的人，如同深藏於地底，使敵人無形可窺；善於進攻的人，如同神兵自九天而降，使敵措手不及。因而，既能有效地保全自己，又能獲取全麵的勝利。
【原文】見勝不過眾人之所知，非善之善者也；戰勝而天下曰善，非善之善者也。故舉秋毫不為多力，見日月不為明
目，聞雷霆不為聰耳。古之所謂善戰者，勝於易勝者也。故善戰者之勝也，無智名，無勇功。故其戰勝不忒，不忒者，其所措必勝，勝已敗者也。故善戰者，立於不敗之地，而不失敵之敗也。是故勝兵先勝而後求戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。善用兵者，修道而保法，故能為勝敗之政。
【譯文】預見勝利不超過一般人的見識，不算高明中最高明的 經過力戰而勝，天下人都說好，也不算好中最好的。就像舉起秋毫不算力大，看見太陽、月亮不算眼明，聽見雷霆不算耳聰一樣。古代善戰的人，總是取勝於容易戰勝的敵人。因而，這些善戰者的勝利，既沒有智謀的名聲，也沒有勇武的功勞。他所進行的戰爭的勝利是不會有絲毫誤差的，之所以沒有誤差，是因為他們所進行的戰鬥舉動是必勝的，是戰勝那已處於失敗地位的敵人。善於作戰的人，總是自己先立於不敗之地，而不放過任何一個打敗敵人的時機。因此，勝利之師是先具備必勝條件然後再去交戰，失敗之師總是先同敵人交戰，然後期求從苦戰中僥幸取勝。善於用兵的人，總是注意修明政治，確保治軍法度，所以能成為戰爭勝負的主宰。
【原文】兵法：一曰度，二曰量，三曰數，四曰稱，五曰勝。地生度，度生量，量生數，數生稱，稱生勝。故勝兵若以鎰稱銖，敗兵若以銖稱鎰。勝者之戰民也，若決積水於千仞之溪者，形也。
【譯文】用兵必須注意：一是土地幅員，二是軍賦物資，三是部隊兵員戰鬥實力，四是雙方力量對比，五是勝負優劣。度產生於土地幅員的廣狹，土地幅員決定軍賦物資的多少，軍賦物資的多少決定兵員的質量，兵員質量決定部隊的戰鬥力，部隊的戰鬥力決定勝負優劣。所以勝利之師如同以鎰對銖，是以強大的軍事實力取勝於弱小的敵方，敗亡之師如同以銖對鎰，是以弱小的軍事實力對抗強大的敵方。高明的人指揮部隊作戰，就像決開千仞之高的山澗積水一樣，一瀉萬丈，這就是強大軍事實力啊！
