【正文】 rn. It is like moving in a circle——you never e to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their bination？ 激水之疾 ， 至于漂石者 ， 勢也 ； The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which will even roll stones along in its course. 鷙鳥之疾，至于毀折者，節(jié)也。 The quality of decision is like the welltimed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. 故善戰(zhàn)者，其勢險，其節(jié)短。 Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset， and prompt in his decision. 勢如擴弩 ， 節(jié)如發(fā)機。 Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow； decision， to the releasing of a trigger. 紛紛紜紜，斗亂而不可亂；渾渾沌沌，形圓而不可敗。 Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle， there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all； amid confusion and chaos， your array may be without head or tail， yet it will be proof against defeat. 亂生于治，怯生于勇，弱生于強。 Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline， simulated fear postulates courage； simulated weakness postulates strength. 治亂，數(shù)也；勇怯， 勢也；強弱，形也。 Hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of subdivision； concealing courage under a show of timidity presupposes a fund of latent energy； masking strength with weakness is to be effected by tactical dispositions. 故善動敵者，形之，敵 必從之；予之，敵必取之。 Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances， according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something， that the enemy may snatch at it. 以利動之 ， 以卒待之。 By holding out baits， he keeps him on the march； then with a body of picked men he lies in wait for him. 故善戰(zhàn)者，求之于勢，不責(zé)于人故能擇人而任勢。 The clever batant looks to the effect of bined energy， and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize bined energy. 任勢者，其戰(zhàn)人也，如轉(zhuǎn)木石。木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。 When he utilizes bined energy， his fighting men bee as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground， and to move when on a slope； if fourcornered， to e to a standstill， but if roundshaped， to go rolling down. 故善戰(zhàn)人之勢，如轉(zhuǎn)圓石于千仞之山者，勢也。 Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height. So much on the subject of energy. 虛實第六 VI. Weak Points and Strong 孫子曰 ： 凡先處戰(zhàn)地而待敵者佚 ， 后處戰(zhàn)地而趨戰(zhàn)者勞。 Sun Tzu said： Whoever is first in the field and awaits the ing of the enemy， will be fresh for the fight； whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. 故善戰(zhàn)者，致人而不致于人。 Therefore the clever batant imposes his will on the enemy， but does not allow the enemy39。s will to be imposed on him. 能使敵人自至者，利之也；能使敵人不得至者，害之也。 By holding out advantages to him， he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord； or， by inflicting damage， he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near. 故敵佚能勞之，飽能饑之，安能動之。 If the enemy is taking his ease， he can harass him； if well supplied with food， he can starve him out； if quietly encamped， he can force him to move. 出其所必 趨，趨其所不意。 Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend； march swiftly to places where you are not expected. 行千里而不勞者，行于無人之地也； An army may march great distances without distress， if it marches through country where the enemy is not. 攻而必取者 ， 攻其所不守也。守而必 固者，守其所必攻也。 You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. 故善攻者，敵不知其所守；善守者，敵不知其所攻。 Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend； and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack. 微乎微乎，至于無形；神乎神乎，至于無聲，故能為敵之司命。 O divine art of subtlety and secrecy！ Through you we learn to be invisible， through you inaudible； and hence we can hold the enemy39。s fate in our hands. 進而不可御者，沖其虛也；退而不可追者，速而不可及也。 You may advance and be absolutely irresistible， if you make for the enemy39。s weak points； you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy. 故我欲戰(zhàn)，敵雖高壘深溝，不得不與我戰(zhàn)者，攻其所必救也； If we wish to fight， the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve. 我不欲戰(zhàn)，雖畫地而 守之，敵不得與我戰(zhàn)者，乖其所之也。 If we do not wish to fight， we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way. 故形人而我無形，則我專而敵分。 By discovering the enemy39。s dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves， we can keep our forces concentrated， while the enemy39。s must be divided. 我專為一，敵分為十，是以十攻其一也。 We can form a single united body， while the enemy must split up into fractions. Hence there will be a whole pitted against separate parts of a whole， which means that we shall be many to the enemy39。s few. 則我眾敵寡，能以眾擊寡者，則吾之所與戰(zhàn)者約矣。 And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one， our opponents will be in dire straits. 吾所與戰(zhàn)之地不可知，不 可知則敵所備者多，敵所備者多，則吾所與戰(zhàn)者寡矣。 The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known； for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points； and his forces being thus distributed in many directions， the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few. 故備前則后寡，備后則前寡，備左則右寡，備右則左寡，無所不備，則無所不寡。 For should the enemy strengthen his van， he will weaken his rear； should he strengthen his rear， he will weaken his van； should he strengthen his left， he will weaken his right； should he strengthen his right， he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements everywhere， he will everywhere be weak. 寡者，備人者也；眾者，使人備己者也。 Numerical we