Chapter 1 of Sunzi

I.1.

孙sūn子zǐ曰yuē：兵bīng，国guó之zhī大dà事shì，死sǐ生shēng之zhī地dì，存cún亡wáng之zhī道dào，不bù可kě不bù察chá。

Sun Tzu said: Armies are the great concern of the state; upon them depend the life or death of the people, the rise or fall of the empire. Not to ponder them seriously, not to regulate them, is to show great indifference to the preservation or loss of what is most dear, and this should not be found in us.

I.2.

故gù经jīng之zhī以yǐ五wǔ事shì，校jiào之zhī以yǐ计jì，而ér索suǒ其qí情qíng：一yī曰yuē道dào，二èr曰yuē天tiān，三sān曰yuē地dì，四sì曰yuē将jiàng，五wǔ曰yuē法fǎ。
道dào者zhě，令lìng民mín于yú上shàng同tóng意yì，可kě与yǔ之zhī死sǐ，可kě与yǔ之zhī生shēng，而ér不bù危wēi；
天tiān者zhě，阴yīn阳yáng、寒hán暑shǔ、时shí制zhì；
地dì者zhě，远yuǎn近jìn、险xiǎn易yì、广guǎng狭xiá、死sǐ生shēng；
将jiàng者zhě，智zhì、信xìn、仁rén、勇yǒng、严yán；
法fǎ者zhě，曲qū制zhì、官guān道dào、主zhǔ用yòng。
凡fán此cǐ五wǔ者zhě，将jiàng莫mò不bù闻wén，知zhī之zhī者zhě胜shèng，不bù知zhī之zhī者zhě不bù胜shèng。
故gù校jiào之zhī以yǐ计jì，而ér索suǒ其qí情qíng，曰yuē：主zhǔ孰shú有yǒu道dào？将jiàng孰shú有yǒu能néng？天tiān地dì孰shú得dé？法fǎ令lìng孰shú行xíng？兵bīng众zhòng孰shú强qiáng？士shì卒zú孰shú练liàn？赏shǎng罚fá孰shú明míng？吾wú以yǐ此cǐ知zhī胜shèng负fù矣yǐ。

Five principal things must be the constant subject of our meditation and care: doctrine, Heaven, Earth, the general, and discipline. Doctrine will make all of us have uniform feelings; it will inspire us with the same way of living and dying, and will make us equally fearless in misfortune and in death.If we know well the Heaven, we will not ignore the two great principles of yin and yang; we will know the time of their union and mutual collaboration for the production of cold, heat, serenity, or storminess of the air.The Earth is not less worthy of our attention than Heaven; study it well, and we will have knowledge of the high and the low, the far and the near, the wide and the narrow, what endures and what is transient.The doctrine, equity, love for those particularly under our command and for all people in general, knowledge of resources, courage and valor – these are the qualities that should characterize one who holds the dignity of general; necessary virtues for which we must not forget anything, for they alone can put us in a position to march worthily at the head of others.To the knowledge I have just mentioned, we must add that of discipline. To possess the art of arranging troops; to ignore none of the laws of subordination and to enforce them strictly; to be instructed in the particular duties of each subordinate officer; to be able to recognize the different paths that can lead to the same destination; not to disdain entering into an exact detail of all things that can be useful, and to become familiar with each one in particular; all this together forms a body of discipline the practical knowledge of which must not escape the sagacity and attention of a general.You, who the choice of the prince has placed at the head of the armies, base the foundations of your military science on the five principles that I have just established; victory will follow your steps everywhere. You will, on the contrary, experience the most shameful defeats if, by ignorance or presumption, you come to omit or reject them.With the knowledge that I have just indicated, you will know which of the kings who rule the world has the most doctrine and virtues; you will recognize the great generals who may be found in the different kingdoms. If it is in time of war, you will be able to conjecture quite surely which of the rivals will prevail; and if you must enter the fray yourself, you can reasonably hope to become victorious.With these same knowledges, you will not ignore at what time Heaven and Earth will be in accord to favor the departure of the troops to which you will prescribe the routes they must follow, and whose marches you will regulate appropriately. You will never begin or end the campaign out of season; you will know the strong and the weak, both of those entrusted to your care and of the enemies you will have to fight; you will know the quantity and condition of the war and provisions of both armies; you will distribute rewards with liberality, but with discernment, and you will not spare punishments when needed.

Notes: By the word doctrine, one can understand here the morality dictated by the light of reason. By Heaven, the author means the knowledge of purely natural things that Heaven offers to our eyes under different climates, in different seasons, and under different air temperatures. He also means the knowledge of the two principles of yin and yang, by which all natural things are formed and by which the elements receive their different modifications. By Earth, the author probably means the knowledge of the geography and topography of each particular place.

I.3.

将jiàng听tīng吾wú计jì，用yòng之zhī必bì胜shèng，留liú之zhī；将jiàng不bù听tīng吾wú计jì，用yòng之zhī必bì败bài，去qù之zhī。

Admirers of your virtues and good conduct, the general officers will not fail to make it a delicate pleasure, as well as a rigorous duty, to support you. They will enter into all your plans, and their example will inevitably draw that of the subordinates; the simple soldiers will also contribute with all their strength to ensure you the most glorious successes.

I.4.

计jì利lì以yǐ听tīng，乃nǎi为wéi之zhī势shì，以yǐ佐zuǒ其qí外wài。势shì者zhě，因yīn利lì而ér制zhì权quán。

It is also with these knowledges that, being equally informed of what you can and cannot do, you will undertake no enterprise without bringing it to a happy end. You will see what will be far from you as what will happen under your eyes, and what will happen under your eyes as what is farthest from you.

I.5.

兵bīng者zhě，诡guǐ道dào。故gù能néng而ér示shì之zhī不bù能néng，用yòng而ér示shì之zhī不bù用yòng，近jìn而ér示shì之zhī远yuǎn，远yuǎn而ér示shì之zhī近jìn。利lì而ér诱yòu之zhī，乱luàn而ér取qǔ之zhī，实shí而ér备bèi之zhī，强qiáng而ér避bì之zhī，怒nù而ér挠náo之zhī，卑bēi而ér骄jiāo之zhī，佚yì而ér劳láo之zhī，亲qīn而ér离lí之zhī，攻gōng其qí无wú备bèi，出chū其qí不bù意yì。此cǐ兵bīng家jiā之zhī胜shèng，不bù可kě先xiān传chuán。

If your enemies are more powerful and stronger than you, you will not attack them; you will carefully avoid coming to blows with them; you will always hide with extreme care the state in which you find yourself. There will be occasions when you will humble yourself, and others when you will feign fear. At times you will pretend to be weak so that your enemies, opening the door to presumption and pride, either come to attack you at an inopportune time or let themselves be surprised and cut to pieces shamefully. You will ensure that those who are under you can never penetrate your designs. You will keep your troops always alert, always in motion to prevent them from being softened by a shameful rest. You will suffer no dissension among your men; you will forget nothing to keep them in peace, harmony, and union, as if they were all one and the same family.

I.6.

夫fú未wèi战zhàn而ér庙miào算suàn胜shèng者zhě，得dé算suàn多duō；未wèi战zhàn而ér庙miào算suàn不bù胜shèng者zhě，得dé算suàn少shǎo。多duō算suàn胜shèng少shǎo算suàn，而ér况kuàng于yú无wú算suàn乎hū！吾wú以yǐ此cǐ观guān之zhī，胜shèng负fù见xiàn矣yǐ。

Finally, your wise forethought, having estimated how far the consumption of provisions and other daily necessities may go, will always be abundantly supplied with everything, and after the most glorious exploits, you will return to the bosom of your family to enjoy tranquilly the fruit of your victory among the acclamations of your fellow citizens, who will cease to praise you as they are indebted to you for all the advantages of a sweet peace. Such are the general reflections that my own experience has dictated to me, and that I make it my duty to communicate to you.