Chapter 4 of Sunzi

IV. 军形 Jūn Xíng — On the appearance of troops

孙Sūn子zǐ曰yuē：昔xī之zhī善shàn战zhàn者zhě，先xiān为wéi不bù可kě胜shèng，以yǐ待dài敌dí之zhī可kě胜shèng。不bù可kě胜shèng在zài己jǐ，可kě胜shèng在zài敌dí。故gù善shàn战zhàn者zhě，能néng为wéi不bù可kě胜shèng，不bù能néng使shǐ敌dí之zhī必bì可kě胜shèng。故gù曰yuē：胜shèng可kě知zhī，而ér不bù可kě为wéi。

Sun Tzu said: Formerly, those who excelled at the art of war first made themselves invincible, then waited for the enemy to be vulnerable. Being invincible depends on oneself; the enemy's vulnerability depends on them. Thus, those who excel at the art of war can make themselves invincible, but cannot always make the enemy vulnerable. Therefore, it is said: victory can be known in advance, but cannot be forced.

不bù可kě胜shèng者zhě，守shǒu；可kě胜shèng者zhě，攻gōng。守shǒu则zé不bù足zú，攻gōng则zé有yǒu余yú。善shàn守shǒu者zhě藏cáng于yú九jiǔ地dì之zhī下xià，善shàn攻gōng者zhě动dòng于yú九jiǔ天tiān之zhī上shàng，故gù能néng自zì保bǎo而ér全quán胜shèng。

Those who cannot be defeated defend; those who can defeat attack. Defending means lacking strength; attacking means having surplus strength. Those who excel in defense hide as if under the earth; those who excel in attack move as if above the heavens. Thus, they can preserve themselves and win a complete victory.

见jiàn胜shèng不bù过guò众zhòng人rén之zhī所suǒ知zhī，非fēi善shàn之zhī善shàn者zhě；战zhàn胜shèng而ér天tiān下xià曰yuē善shàn，非fēi善shàn之zhī善shàn者zhě。故gù举jǔ秋qiū毫háo不bù为wéi多duō力lì，见jiàn日rì月yuè不bù为wéi明míng目mù，闻wén雷léi霆tíng不bù为wéi聪cōng耳ěr。

Seeing victory as everyone does does not make you an excellent strategist; winning victory and being praised by all does not make you an excellent strategist. Lifting a fall leaf does not prove great strength; seeing the sun and moon does not prove keen vision; hearing thunder does not prove sharp hearing.

古gǔ之zhī所suǒ谓wèi善shàn战zhàn者zhě，胜shèng于yú易yì胜shèng者zhě。故gù善shàn战zhàn者zhě之zhī胜shèng，无wú智zhì名míng，无wú勇yǒng功gōng，故gù其qí战zhàn胜shèng不bù忒tè。不bù忒tè者zhě，其qí所suǒ措cuò胜shèng，胜shèng已yǐ败bài者zhě。故gù善shàn战zhàn者zhě，立lì于yú不bù败bài之zhī地dì，而ér不bù失shī敌dí之zhī败bài。是shì故gù胜shèng兵bīng先xiān胜shèng而ér后hòu求qiú战zhàn，败bài兵bīng先xiān战zhàn而ér后hòu求qiú胜shèng。

Formerly, those called excellent in the art of war defeated an already vulnerable enemy. Thus, those who excel in the art of war have neither reputation for wisdom nor deeds of valor, because their victories leave no flaws. Their victories are won over already defeated enemies. Therefore, those who excel in the art of war first place themselves in an invincible position, then wait for the enemy to be vulnerable. A victorious army seeks victory first, then engages in battle; a defeated army engages in battle first, then seeks victory.

善shàn用yòng兵bīng者zhě，修xiū道dào而ér保bǎo法fǎ，故gù能néng为wéi胜shèng败bài之zhī政zhèng。

Those who know how to use their troops cultivate the way and preserve the law, therefore they can determine victory or defeat.

兵bīng法fǎ：一yī曰yuē度dù，二èr曰yuē量liàng，三sān曰yuē数shù，四sì曰yuē称chèn，五wǔ曰yuē胜shèng。地dì生shēng度dù，度dù生shēng量liàng，量liàng生shēng数shù，数shù生shēng称chèn，称chèn生shēng胜shèng。故gù胜shèng兵bīng若ruò以yǐ镒yì称chēng铢zhū，败bài兵bīng若ruò以yǐ铢zhū称chēng镒yì。称chèn胜shèng者zhě之zhī战zhàn民mín，若ruò决jué积jī水shuǐ于yú千qiān仞rèn之zhī溪xī，形xíng。

The principles of war are: first, measurement; second, estimation; third, calculation; fourth, comparison; fifth, victory. The terrain produces measurement, measurement produces estimation, estimation produces calculation, calculation produces comparison, comparison produces victory. Thus, a victorious army is like a balance where a yi weighs against a zhu, while a defeated army is like a balance where a zhu weighs against a yi. Those who win victory command their troops like releasing accumulated water from a height of a thousand ren; this is a matter of positioning.