Chapter 5 of Sunzi

孙Sūn子zǐ曰yuē：凡fán治zhì众zhòng如rú治zhì寡guǎ，分fēn数shù是shì也yě；斗dòu众zhòng如rú斗dòu寡guǎ，形xíng名míng是shì也yě；三sān军jūn之zhī众zhòng，可kě使shǐ必bì受shòu敌dí而ér无wú败bài者zhě，奇qí正zhèng是shì也yě；兵bīng之zhī所suǒ加jiā，如rú以yǐ碫duàn投tóu卵luǎn者zhě，虚xū实shí是shì也yě.

Leading a large army as if it were a small one is a matter of organization and discipline; facing a large army as if it were a small one is a matter of signaling and coordination. Even a large army, despite its size, can confront the enemy without ever being defeated, thanks to the combined use of regular and extraordinary tactics. When an army attacks, its impact should be as decisive as a stone thrown onto an egg, which depends on the skill to exploit weaknesses and strengths.

凡fán战zhàn者zhě，以yǐ正zhèng合hé，以yǐ奇qí胜shèng。故gù善shàn出chū奇qí者zhě，无wú穷qióng如rú天tiān地dì，不bù竭jié如rú江jiāng海hǎi。终zhōng而ér复fù始shǐ，日rì月yuè是shì也yě。死sǐ而ér更gèng生shēng，四sì时shí是shì也yě。声shēng不bù过guò五wǔ，五wǔ声shēng之zhī变biàn，不bù可kě胜shèng听tīng也yě；色sè不bù过guò五wǔ，五wǔ色sè之zhī变biàn，不bù可kě胜shèng观guān也yě；味wèi不bù过guò五wǔ，五wǔ味wèi之zhī变biàn，不bù可kě胜shèng尝cháng也yě；战zhàn势shì不bù过guò奇qí正zhèng，奇qí正zhèng之zhī变biàn，不bù可kě胜shèng穷qióng也yě。奇qí正zhèng相xiāng生shēng，如rú循xún环huán之zhī无wú端duān，孰shú能néng穷qióng之zhī.

In general, in war, one engages the enemy with regular forces, but wins with extraordinary forces. The one who excels at using extraordinary tactics sees his resources extend infinitely like heaven and earth, and never exhaust like rivers and seas. They renew endlessly like the sun and moon, and are reborn like the four seasons. There are only five musical notes, but their combinations are countless and cannot all be heard; there are only five fundamental colors, but their shades are infinite and cannot all be seen; there are only five basic tastes, but their mixtures are countless and cannot all be tasted. In strategy, there are only the regular and the extraordinary, but their variations are infinite and cannot be exhausted. The regular and extraordinary generate each other like an endless circle: who can exhaust its possibilities?

激jī水shuǐ之zhī疾jí，至zhì于yú漂piāo石shí者zhě，势shì也yě；鸷zhì鸟niǎo之zhī疾jí，至zhì于yú毁huǐ折zhé者zhě，节jié也yě。故gù善shàn战zhàn者zhě，其qí势shì险xiǎn，其qí节jié短duǎn。势shì如rú扩kuò弩nǔ，节jié如rú发fā机jī.

Rapid flowing water can carry stones; this is a matter of force. A bird of prey swooping down on its prey with speed can break it; this is a matter of timing. Thus, a good strategist knows how to create a dangerous situation and seize the opportune moment. His strength is like a stretched crossbow, and his timing like the release of its mechanism.

纷fēn纷fēn纭yún纭yún，斗dòu乱luàn而ér不bù可kě乱luàn；浑hún浑hún沌dùn沌dùn，形xíng圆yuán而ér不bù可kě败bài。乱luàn生shēng于yú治zhì，怯qiè生shēng于yú勇yǒng，弱ruò生shēng于yú强qiáng。治zhì乱luàn，数shù也yě；勇yǒng怯qiè，势shì也yě；强qiáng弱ruò，形xíng也yě。故gù善shàn动dòng敌dí者zhě，形xíng之zhī，敌dí必bì从cóng之zhī；予yú之zhī，敌dí必bì取qǔ之zhī。以yǐ利lì动dòng之zhī，以yǐ卒zú待dài之zhī.

In the apparent tumult of battle, there is an order that cannot be disturbed; in the apparent confusion of movements, there is a coherence that cannot be defeated. Disorder arises from order, cowardice from courage, weakness from strength. Order and disorder depend on organization; courage and cowardice depend on the situation; strength and weakness depend on formations. The one who excels at moving the enemy shows him an appearance to which he must respond and offers him bait he cannot but take. He lures the enemy with an advantage and waits for him with ready troops.

故gù善shàn战zhàn者zhě，求qiú之zhī于yú势shì，不bù责zé于yú人rén故gù能néng择zé人rén而ér任rèn势shì。任rèn势shì者zhě，其qí战zhàn人rén也yě，如rú转zhuǎn木mù石shí。木mù石shí之zhī性xìng，安ān则zé静jìng，危wēi则zé动dòng，方fāng则zé止zhǐ，圆yuán则zé行xíng。故gù善shàn战zhàn人rén之zhī势shì，如rú转zhuǎn圆yuán石shí于yú千qiān仞rèn之zhī山shān者zhě，势shì也yě.

A good strategist seeks victory in the situation and does not demand impossible feats from men. The one who knows how to exploit the situation can use his soldiers like rolling stones or logs. The nature of stones and logs is to remain still on level ground and to roll on a slope. Thus, a good strategist can create a situation where his soldiers fight with the force of a stone rolling down a thousand-ren high mountain.