Chapter 7 of Sunzi

孙Sūn子zǐ曰yuē：凡fán用yòng兵bīng之zhī法fǎ，将jiàng受shòu命mìng于yú君jūn，合hé军jūn聚jù众zhòng，交jiāo和hé而ér舍shè，莫mò难nán于yú军jūn争zhēng。军jūn争zhēng之zhī难nán者zhě，以yǐ迂yū为wéi直zhí，以yǐ患huàn为wéi利lì。故gù迂yū其qí途tú，而ér诱yòu之zhī以yǐ利lì，后hòu人rén发fā，先xiān人rén至zhì，此cǐ知zhī迂yū直zhí之zhī计jì者zhě也yě。

Sunzi says: In the art of war, after the general has received his orders from the sovereign, after he has assembled his army and established his camp facing the enemy, nothing is more difficult than the struggle for strategic positions. What makes this struggle difficult is transforming a detour into a direct path and changing a disadvantage into an advantage. Thus, by taking a roundabout path while luring the enemy with bait, one can depart later and arrive first. This is the strategy of those who can turn detours to their advantage.

军jūn争zhēng为wéi利lì，军jūn争zhēng为wéi危wēi。举jǔ军jūn而ér争zhēng利lì则zé不bù及jí，委wěi军jūn而ér争zhēng利lì则zé辎zī重zhòng捐juān。是shì故gù卷juǎn甲jiǎ而ér趋qū，日rì夜yè不bù处chǔ，倍bèi道dào兼jiān行xíng，百bǎi里lǐ而ér争zhēng利lì，则zé擒qín三sān将jiàng军jūn，劲jìng者zhě先xiān，疲pí者zhě后hòu，其qí法fǎ十shí一yī而ér至zhì；五wǔ十shí里lǐ而ér争zhēng利lì，则zé蹶juě上shàng将jiàng军jūn，其qí法fǎ半bàn至zhì；三sān十shí里lǐ而ér争zhēng利lì，则zé三sān分fēn之zhī二èr至zhì。是shì故gù军jūn无wú辎zī重zhòng则zé亡wáng，无wú粮liáng食shí则zé亡wáng，无wú委wěi积jī则zé亡wáng。

The struggle for strategic positions can be advantageous, but it is also dangerous. If the entire army rushes for an advantage, it will not arrive in time; if part of the army is abandoned to chase an advantage, the baggage and supplies will be lost. Thus, if one rolls up the armor and marches day and night, doubling the distance covered, to contest an advantage at one hundred li, the three generals will be captured, for only the most vigorous soldiers will arrive, which is one-tenth of the army. If one contests an advantage at fifty li, the commanding general will be defeated, for only half the troops will arrive. If one contests an advantage at thirty li, only two-thirds of the troops will arrive. An army without baggage is lost, an army without provisions is lost, an army without reserves is lost.

故gù不bù知zhī诸zhū侯hóu之zhī谋móu者zhě，不bù能néng豫yù交jiāo；不bù知zhī山shān林lín、险xiǎn阻zǔ、沮jǔ泽zé之zhī形xíng者zhě，不bù能néng行xíng军jūn；不bù用yòng乡xiāng导dǎo者zhě，不bù能néng得dé地dì利lì。故gù兵bīng以yǐ诈zhà立lì，以yǐ利lì动dòng，以yǐ分fēn合hé为wéi变biàn者zhě也yě。故gù其qí疾jí如rú风fēng，其qí徐xú如rú林lín，侵qīn掠lüè如rú火huǒ，不bù动dòng如rú山shān，难nán知zhī如rú阴yīn，动dòng如rú雷léi震zhèn。掠lüè乡xiāng分fēn众zhòng，廓kuò地dì分fēn利lì，悬xuán权quán而ér动dòng。先xiān知zhī迂yū直zhí之zhī计jì者zhě胜shèng，此cǐ军jūn争zhēng之zhī法fǎ也yě。

He who does not know the plans of the princes cannot make alliances. He who does not know the configuration of mountains, forests, difficult terrain, and marshes cannot move an army. He who does not use local guides cannot take advantage of the terrain. War is based on deception, is motivated by interest, and uses division and concentration as changing tactics. Thus, an army must be swift as the wind, slow as the forest, devastating as fire, immovable as the mountain, unfathomable as the clouds, and moving like thunder. Raid the countryside to divide the enemy forces, occupy the ground to share the advantages, and act after weighing the circumstances. He who knows the strategy of detours and direct paths in advance wins the victory: such is the law of the struggle for strategic positions.

《军jūn政zhèng曰yuē：“言yán不bù相xiāng闻wén，故gù为wéi之zhī金jīn鼓gǔ；视shì不bù相xiāng见jiàn，故gù为wéi之zhī旌jīng旗qí。”夫fú金jīn鼓gǔ旌jīng旗qí者zhě，所suǒ以yǐ一yī民mín之zhī耳ěr目mù也yě。民mín既jì专zhuān一yī，则zé勇yǒng者zhě不bù得dé独dú进jìn，怯qiè者zhě不bù得dé独dú退tuì，此cǐ用yòng众zhòng之zhī法fǎ也yě。故gù夜yè战zhàn多duō金jīn鼓gǔ，昼zhòu战zhàn多duō旌jīng旗qí，所suǒ以yǐ变biàn人rén之zhī耳ěr目mù也yě。

The "Military Regulations" say: "When orders cannot be heard, drums and gongs are used; when signals cannot be seen, flags and banners are used." Drums, gongs, flags, and banners are used to unify the soldiers' senses. Once unified, the brave cannot advance alone, and the cowardly cannot retreat alone: such is the method for leading a crowd. Thus, in night battles, drums and gongs are especially used; in daytime battles, flags and banners are especially used, to change the soldiers' perceptions.

故gù三sān军jūn可kě夺duó气qì，将jiàng军jūn可kě夺duó心xīn。是shì故gù朝zhāo气qì锐ruì，昼zhòu气qì惰duò，暮mù气qì归guī。善shàn用yòng兵bīng者zhě，避bì其qí锐ruì气qì，击jī其qí惰duò归guī，此cǐ治zhì气qì者zhě也yě。以yǐ治zhì待dài乱luàn，以yǐ静jìng待dài哗huá，此cǐ治zhì心xīn者zhě也yě。以yǐ近jìn待dài远yuǎn，以yǐ佚yì待dài劳láo，以yǐ饱bǎo待dài饥jī，此cǐ治zhì力lì者zhě也yě。无wú邀yāo正zhèng正zhèng之zhī旗qí，无wú击jī堂táng堂táng之zhī陈zhèn，此cǐ治zhì变biàn者zhě也yě。

One can break the morale of an entire army, one can shake the determination of its general. In the morning, soldiers are full of vigor; at noon, their energy declines; in the evening, they are exhausted and think of returning. A good leader knows how to avoid the enemy's vigor and attack when their energy declines: this is the mastery of morale. To await disorder with order, to await noise with calm: this is the mastery of psychology. To await from afar an enemy coming from afar, to await rested an enemy tired, to await well-fed an enemy hungry: this is the mastery of strength. Not to intercept a well-aligned banner, not to attack a solid formation: this is the mastery of tactical changes.

故gù用yòng兵bīng之zhī法fǎ，高gāo陵líng勿wù向xiàng，背bèi丘qiū勿wù逆nì，佯yáng北běi勿wù从cóng，锐ruì卒zú勿wù攻gōng，饵ěr兵bīng勿wù食shí，归guī师shī勿wù遏è，围wéi师shī遗yí阙quē，穷qióng寇kòu勿wù迫pò。此cǐ用yòng兵bīng之zhī法fǎ也yě。

Here are the principles of the art of war: do not attack an enemy occupying a height, do not pursue an enemy feigning retreat, do not attack elite troops, do not take the bait, do not block a retreating army, leave an exit for an encircled army, do not corner a desperate enemy. Such are the principles of the art of war.