Chapter 10 of Sunzi

孙Sūn子zǐ曰yuē：地dì形xíng有yǒu通tōng者zhě、有yǒu挂guà者zhě、有yǒu支zhī者zhě、有yǒu隘ài者zhě、有yǒu险xiǎn者zhě、有yǒu远yuǎn者zhě。

Sun Tzu said: There are six types of terrain: open ground, suspended ground, support ground, narrow ground, dangerous ground, and distant ground.

我wǒ可kě以yǐ往wǎng，彼bǐ可kě以yǐ来lái，曰yuē通tōng。通tōng形xíng者zhě，先xiān居jū高gāo阳yáng，利lì粮liáng道dào，以yǐ战zhàn则zé利lì。

A terrain is called "open" when one can go there and the enemy can come to it. On open ground, one must first occupy the sunlit heights and secure the supply lines to derive advantage in battle.

可kě以yǐ往wǎng，难nán以yǐ返fǎn，曰yuē挂guà。挂guà形xíng者zhě，敌dí无wú备bèi，出chū而ér胜shèng之zhī，敌dí若ruò有yǒu备bèi，出chū而ér不bù胜shèng，难nán以yǐ返fǎn，不bù利lì。

A terrain is called "suspended" when one can go there but it is difficult to return. On suspended ground, if the enemy is not prepared, one can advance and defeat him; if he is prepared, advancing without victory makes return difficult, which is unfavorable.

我wǒ出chū而ér不bù利lì，彼bǐ出chū而ér不bù利lì，曰yuē支zhī。支zhī形xíng者zhě，敌dí虽suī利lì我wǒ，我wǒ无wú出chū也yě，引yǐn而ér去qù之zhī，令lìng敌dí半bàn出chū而ér击jī之zhī利lì。

A terrain is called "support" when neither we nor the enemy can take advantage by advancing. On support ground, even if the enemy tries to lure us, one must not advance; one must feign retreat to lure the enemy to advance half-way and then attack him with advantage.

隘ài形xíng者zhě，我wǒ先xiān居jū之zhī，必bì盈yíng之zhī以yǐ待dài敌dí。若ruò敌dí先xiān居jū之zhī，盈yíng而ér勿wù从cóng，不bù盈yíng而ér从cóng之zhī。

A terrain is called "narrow" when it is advantageous to occupy it first and fill it to wait for the enemy. If the enemy occupies it first and fills it, do not follow; if he does not fill it, follow him.

险xiǎn形xíng者zhě，我wǒ先xiān居jū之zhī，必bì居jū高gāo阳yáng以yǐ待dài敌dí；若ruò敌dí先xiān居jū之zhī，引yǐn而ér去qù之zhī，勿wù从cóng也yě。

A terrain is called "dangerous" when one must occupy it first and position oneself on the heights to wait for the enemy. If the enemy occupies it first, withdraw and do not follow him.

远yuǎn形xíng者zhě，势shì均jūn难nán以yǐ挑tiǎo战zhàn，战zhàn而ér不bù利lì。

A terrain is called "distant" when forces are equal and it is difficult to provoke a battle, which would then be unfavorable.

凡fán此cǐ六liù者zhě，地dì之zhī道dào也yě，将jiàng之zhī至zhì任rèn，不bù可kě不bù察chá也yě。

These six types of terrain are fundamental principles for a general, who cannot afford not to study them.

凡fán兵bīng有yǒu走zǒu者zhě、有yǒu驰chí者zhě、有yǒu陷xiàn者zhě、有yǒu崩bēng者zhě、有yǒu乱luàn者zhě、有yǒu北běi者zhě。凡fán此cǐ六liù者zhě，非fēi天tiān地dì之zhī灾zāi，将jiàng之zhī过guò也yě。

There are six causes of defeat for an army: flight, disorganization, collapse, disorder, panic, and defeat. These six situations are not natural disasters, but errors of the general.

夫fú势shì均jūn，以yǐ一yī击jī十shí，曰yuē走zǒu；卒zú强qiáng吏lì弱ruò，曰yuē驰chí；吏lì强qiáng卒zú弱ruò，曰yuē陷xiàn；大dà吏lì怒nù而ér不bù服fú，遇yù敌dí怼duì而ér自zì战zhàn，将jiàng不bù知zhī其qí能néng，曰yuē崩bēng；将jiàng弱ruò不bù严yán，教jiào道dào不bù明míng，吏lì卒zú无wú常cháng，陈zhèn兵bīng纵zòng横héng，曰yuē乱luàn；将jiàng不bù能néng料liào敌dí，以yǐ少shǎo合hé众zhòng，以yǐ弱ruò击jī强qiáng，兵bīng无wú选xuǎn锋fēng，曰yuē北běi。

When forces are equal but we attack with one-tenth of the men, that is flight. When the soldiers are strong and the officers weak, that is disorganization. When the officers are strong and the soldiers weak, that is collapse. When senior officers, angry and disobedient, engage the enemy on their own initiative without the general knowing their abilities, that is collapse. When the general is weak and not strict, orders are unclear, officers and soldiers are undisciplined, and ranks are disorderly, that is disorder. When the general does not assess the enemy, commits few against many or weak against strong, and lacks elite troops, that is defeat.

凡fán此cǐ六liù者zhě，败bài之zhī道dào也yě，将jiàng之zhī至zhì任rèn，不bù可kě不bù察chá也yě。

These six situations lead to defeat; a general cannot afford not to study them.

夫fú地dì形xíng者zhě，兵bīng之zhī助zhù也yě。料liào敌dí制zhì胜shèng，计jì险xiǎn隘ài远yuǎn近jìn，上shàng将jiàng之zhī道dào也yě。知zhī此cǐ而ér用yòng战zhàn者zhě必bì胜shèng，不bù知zhī此cǐ而ér用yòng战zhàn者zhě必bì败bài。

Terrain is a helper for the army. Assessing the enemy and planning according to dangers, narrow passes, distances, and proximities is the way of the great general. He who knows these principles and applies them in battle will win; he who does not know them and ignores them will be defeated.

故gù战zhàn道dào必bì胜shèng，主zhǔ曰yuē无wú战zhàn，必bì战zhàn可kě也yě；战zhàn道dào不bù胜shèng，主zhǔ曰yuē必bì战zhàn，无wú战zhàn可kě也yě。

If the way to victory is certain, even if the sovereign orders not to fight, one can fight. If the way to victory is uncertain, even if the sovereign orders to fight, one must not fight.

故gù进jìn不bù求qiú名míng，退tuì不bù避bì罪zuì，唯wéi民mín是shì保bǎo，而ér利lì于yú主zhǔ，国guó之zhī宝bǎo也yě。

Thus, advancing without seeking glory, retreating without fearing blame, while protecting the people and serving the interests of the sovereign, that is the treasure of the state.

视shì卒zú如rú婴yīng儿ér，故gù可kě以yǐ与yǔ之zhī赴fù深shēn溪xī；视shì卒zú如rú爱ài子zǐ，故gù可kě与yǔ之zhī俱jù死sǐ。厚hòu而ér不bù能néng使shǐ，爱ài而ér不bù能néng令lìng，乱luàn而ér不bù能néng治zhì，譬pì若ruò骄jiāo子zǐ，不bù可kě用yòng也yě。

Treat the soldiers like babies, and they will be ready to follow their general into the deepest valleys; treat them like beloved sons, and they will be ready to die with him. But if they are spoiled and undisciplined, loved without firmness, or if disorder reigns without remedy, they will be like spoiled children and useless.

知zhī吾wú卒zú之zhī可kě以yǐ击jī，而ér不bù知zhī敌dí之zhī不bù可kě击jī，胜shèng之zhī半bàn也yě；知zhī敌dí之zhī可kě击jī，而ér不bù知zhī吾wú卒zú之zhī不bù可kě以yǐ击jī，胜shèng之zhī半bàn也yě；知zhī敌dí之zhī可kě击jī，知zhī吾wú卒zú之zhī可kě以yǐ击jī，而ér不bù知zhī地dì形xíng之zhī不bù可kě以yǐ战zhàn，胜shèng之zhī半bàn也yě。

Knowing the capabilities of one's own troops but not the weaknesses of the enemy is to have only half the chances of victory. Knowing the weaknesses of the enemy but not the capabilities of one's own troops is also to have only half the chances of victory. Knowing the capabilities of one's troops and the weaknesses of the enemy, but ignoring the unfavorable conditions of the terrain, is still to have only half the chances of victory.

故gù知zhī兵bīng者zhě，动dòng而ér不bù迷mí，举jǔ而ér不bù穷qióng。故gù曰yuē：知zhī彼bǐ知zhī己jǐ，胜shèng乃nǎi不bù殆dài；知zhī天tiān知zhī地dì，胜shèng乃nǎi可kě全quán。

A true strategist acts without hesitation and without exhaustion. Therefore it is said: "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will not fear the result of a hundred battles; know heaven and earth, and your victory will be complete."