Chapter 9 of Sunzi

孙Sūn子zǐ曰yuē：凡fán处chǔ军jūn相xiàng敌dí，绝jué山shān依yī谷gǔ，视shì生shēng处chǔ高gāo，战zhàn隆lóng无wú登dēng，此cǐ处chǔ山shān之zhī军jūn也yě。

When camping near mountains, position yourself on the sunny side, at a high location, and avoid climbing the heights to fight. These are the rules for camping in the mountains.

绝jué水shuǐ必bì远yuǎn水shuǐ，客kè绝jué水shuǐ而ér来lái，勿wù迎yíng之zhī于yú水shuǐ内nèi，令lìng半bàn渡dù而ér击jī之zhī利lì，欲yù战zhàn者zhě，无wú附fù于yú水shuǐ而ér迎yíng客kè，视shì生shēng处chǔ高gāo，无wú迎yíng水shuǐ流liú，此cǐ处chǔ水shuǐ上shàng之zhī军jūn也yě。

To cross a river, distance yourself from the watercourse. If the enemy is crossing a river, do not confront them in the water, but wait until they have crossed halfway to attack. If you want to engage in battle, do not position yourself facing the current. These are the rules for camping near water.

绝jué斥chì泽zé，唯wéi亟qì去qù无wú留liú，若ruò交jiāo军jūn于yú斥chì泽zé之zhī中zhōng，必bì依yī水shuǐ草cǎo而ér背bèi众zhòng树shù，此cǐ处chǔ斥chì泽zé之zhī军jūn也yě。

If you cross salt marshes, leave them quickly. If you must camp there, position yourself near the water and grass, and turn your back to the groves. These are the rules for camping in salt marshes.

平píng陆lù处chǔ易yì，右yòu背bèi高gāo，前qián死sǐ后hòu生shēng，此cǐ处chǔ平píng陆lù之zhī军jūn也yě。凡fán此cǐ四sì军jūn之zhī利lì，黄Huáng帝dì之zhī所suǒ以yǐ胜shèng四sì帝dì也yě。

On flat terrain, choose an easily accessible spot, with a height to the right and an exit behind. These four camping rules are those that allowed Huangdi to defeat the four emperors.

凡fán军jūn好hào高gāo而ér恶wù下xià，贵guì阳yáng而ér贱jiàn阴yīn，养yǎng生shēng而ér处chǔ实shí，军jūn无wú百bǎi疾jí，是shì谓wèi必bì胜shèng。

In general, an army prefers heights and hates lowlands, appreciates light and avoids shade, seeks to preserve its vitality and occupy solid positions. An army without diseases is invincible.

丘qiū陵líng堤dī防fáng，必bì处chǔ其qí阳yáng而ér右yòu背bèi之zhī，此cǐ兵bīng之zhī利lì，地dì之zhī助zhù也yě。

On hills and dikes, position yourself on the sunny side and turn its back to the right. This is a military advantage provided by the terrain.

上shàng雨yǔ水shuǐ流liú至zhì，欲yù涉shè者zhě，待dài其qí定dìng也yě。

If after rain the waters flow abundantly and you must cross, wait until they calm down.

凡fán地dì有yǒu绝jué涧jiàn、天tiān井jǐng、天tiān牢láo、天tiān罗luó、天tiān陷xiàn、天tiān隙xì，必bì亟qì去qù之zhī，勿wù近jìn也yě。吾wú远yuǎn之zhī，敌dí近jìn之zhī；吾wú迎yíng之zhī，敌dí背bèi之zhī。

Quickly avoid impassable ravines, natural wells, depressions, marshes, crevasses, and fissures. If you are far from them and the enemy is close, or if you face them while they turn their back on you, it is to your advantage.

军jūn旁páng有yǒu险xiǎn阻zǔ、潢huáng井jǐng、蒹jiān葭jiā、山shān林lín、蘙yì荟huì者zhě，必bì谨jǐn覆fù索suǒ之zhī，此cǐ伏fú奸jiān之zhī所suǒ处chǔ也yě。

If near your camp there are obstacles, ponds, reeds, forests, or thick grass, inspect them carefully, for these are places where the enemy can hide.

敌dí近jìn而ér静jìng者zhě，恃shì其qí险xiǎn也yě；远yuǎn而ér挑tiǎo战zhàn者zhě，欲yù人rén之zhī进jìn也yě；其qí所suǒ居jū易yì者zhě，利lì也yě；众zhòng树shù动dòng者zhě，来lái也yě；众zhòng草cǎo多duō障zhàng者zhě，疑yí也yě；鸟niǎo起qǐ者zhě，伏fú也yě；兽shòu骇hài者zhě，覆fù也yě；尘chén高gāo而ér锐ruì者zhě，车chē来lái也yě；卑bēi而ér广guǎng者zhě，徒tú来lái也yě；散sàn而ér条tiáo达dá者zhě，樵qiáo采cǎi也yě；少shǎo而ér往wǎng来lái者zhě，营yíng军jūn也yě；辞cí卑bēi而ér备bèi者zhě，进jìn也yě；辞cí强qiáng而ér进jìn驱qū者zhě，退tuì也yě；轻qīng车chē先xiān出chū居jū其qí侧cè者zhě，陈zhèn也yě；无wú约yuē而ér请qǐng和hé者zhě，谋móu也yě；奔bēn走zǒu而ér陈zhèn兵bīng者zhě，期qī也yě；半bàn进jìn半bàn退tuì者zhě，诱yòu也yě；杖zhàng而ér立lì者zhě，饥jī也yě；汲jí而ér先xiān饮yǐn者zhě，渴kě也yě；见jiàn利lì而ér不bù进jìn者zhě，劳láo也yě；鸟niǎo集jí者zhě，虚xū也yě；夜yè呼hū者zhě，恐kǒng也yě；军jūn扰rǎo者zhě，将jiàng不bù重zhòng也yě；旌jīng旗qí动dòng者zhě，乱luàn也yě；吏lì怒nù者zhě，倦juàn也yě；粟sù马mǎ肉ròu食shí者zhě，军jūn无wú悬xuán缻fou，不bù返fǎn其qí舍shè者zhě，穷qióng寇kòu也yě；谆zhūn谆zhūn翕xī翕xī，徐xú与yú人rén言yán者zhě，失shī众zhòng也yě；数shuò赏shǎng者zhě，窘jiǒng也yě；数shuò罚fá者zhě，困kùn也yě；先xiān暴bào而ér后hòu畏wèi其qí众zhòng者zhě，不bù精jīng之zhī至zhì也yě；来lái委wěi谢xiè者zhě，欲yù休xiū息xī也yě。

If the enemy is close but remains calm, it is because he relies on his advantageous position. If he is far and seeks to provoke, it is because he wants to lure you. If he occupies an easily accessible terrain, it is because he benefits from it. If the trees move, it is because he is approaching. If the grass is stirred, it is because there are ambushes. If the birds fly away, it is because there are hidden soldiers. If the animals are startled, it is because there is a surprise attack. If the dust is high and sharp, it is because chariots are coming. If it is low and wide, it is because infantry are coming. If it is scattered, it is because they are gathering firewood. If it is light and comes and goes, it is because they are setting up camp. If he sees an advantage but does not advance, it is because he is tired. If the birds gather, it is because the camp is empty. If he shouts at night, it is because he is afraid. If there is agitation in the camp, it is because the general lacks authority. If the flags move, it is because there is disorder. If the officers are irritable, it is because they are exhausted. If he feeds the horses with grain and the soldiers with meat, if he does not return to his quarters, it is because he is cornered. If he speaks with kindness and gentleness, it is because he has lost the support of his troops. If he rewards often, it is because he is in a difficult situation. If he punishes often, it is because he is in distress. If he is first brutal and then fears his own troops, it is because he is at his worst. If he sends envoys to apologize, it is because he wants a truce.

兵bīng怒nù而ér相xiàng迎yíng，久jiǔ而ér不bù合hé，又yòu不bù相xiàng去qù，必bì谨jǐn察chá之zhī。

If the troops face each other with anger but do not engage and do not retreat, one must observe carefully.

兵bīng非fēi贵guì益yì多duō也yě，惟wéi无wú武wǔ进jìn，足zú以yǐ并bìng力lì料liào敌dí取qǔ人rén而ér已yǐ。夫fú惟wéi无wú虑lǜ而ér易yì敌dí者zhě，必bì擒qín于yú人rén。

It is not the number that makes the strength of an army, but the absence of haste and the ability to assess the enemy to defeat him. He who underestimates the enemy without thought will be captured.

卒zú未wèi亲qīn而ér罚fá之zhī，则zé不bù服fú，不bù服fú则zé难nán用yòng。卒zú已yǐ亲qīn附fù而ér罚fá不bù行xíng，则zé不bù可kě用yòng。故gù合hé之zhī以yǐ文wén，齐qí之zhī以yǐ武wǔ，是shì谓wèi必bì取qǔ。令lìng素sù行xíng以yǐ教jiào其qí民mín，则zé民mín服fú；令lìng素sù不bù行xíng以yǐ教jiào其qí民mín，则zé民mín不bù服fú。令lìng素sù行xíng者zhě，与yǔ众zhòng相xiàng得dé也yě。

If you punish your soldiers before they are attached to you, they will not obey you and will be difficult to employ. If you do not punish your soldiers once they are attached to you, they will not be usable. Therefore, unite them with kindness and discipline them with rigor. If orders are usually followed, the soldiers will obey. If orders are not usually followed, the soldiers will not obey. Orders that are usually followed show that you have won the confidence of your troops.