1.故曰：知彼知己者，百战不殆；不知彼而知己，一胜一负；不知彼不知己，每战必殆。【白话文】所以说，既了解敌人，又了解自己，百战都不会有危险；不了解敌人而了解自己，胜与负的可能各有一半，不了解敌人也不了解自己的，每次用兵都会有失败的危险。
【英译】Therefore, my advice is: If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will be safe in every battle; if you do not know your enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning and losing will be equal; if you are ignorant of both your enemy and yourself, you will be endangered in every encounter.
2.孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。故经之以五事，校之以计，而索其情：一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰将，五曰法。【白话文】孙子说：战争是国家的大事，是军民生死的主宰，关乎国家的存亡，不能不认真地考察研究。因此，必须通过对敌我五个方面情况去分析，从敌我七个方面的得失去比较，来取得对战争情势的正确认识。这五个方面一是道，二是天，三是地，四是将，五是法。
【英译】Sunzi said: War is a matter of the utmost importance to the state. Life or death hinges on it; it is the road to survival or extinction. It is something that must definitely not be neglected.To do this, it is necessary to examine each war situation from five angles to be taken into account in one's strategic deliberations: Morale, Weather, Terrain, Leadership and Discipline.
3.孙子曰：昔之善战者，先为不可胜，以待敌之可胜。不可胜在己，可胜在敌。故善战者，能为不可胜，不能使敌之可胜。故曰：胜可知，而不可为。【白话文】孙子说：从前善于用兵打仗的人，先要创造条件使自己立于不败之地，然后捕捉时机战胜敌人。不会被敌人战胜的主动权掌握在自己手中，能否战胜敌人则取决于敌人是否有隙可乘。所以，善于作战的人，能够创造不被敌人战胜的条件，但却不一定能够做到必定战胜敌人，所以说，胜利可以预知，但是不可强求。【英译】Sunzi said: The skilled warriors of old first made themselves invincible, and then waited for the enemy to bring defeat upon himself. Invincibility depends on oneself, but the enemy’s vulnerability depends upon the enemy himself. Consequently, those skilled in warfare can make themselves invincible, but cannot make the enemy vulnerable. So it can be said that the way to victory can be known in advance, but victory itself cannot be assured.4.孙子曰：凡治众如治寡，分数是也；斗众如斗寡，形名是也；三军之众，可使必受敌而无败者，奇正是也；兵之所加，如以碫投卵者，虚实是也。【白话文】孙子说：管理大部队如同管理小部队一样，这属于军队的组织编制问题；指挥大部队作战如同指挥小部队作战一样，这属于指挥号令问题；整个部队遭到敌人的进攻而没有溃散，这属于“奇正”战术的变化问题；军队对敌实施打击，如同以石击卵一样，这属于“避实击虚”原则的正确运用问题。【英译】Sunzi said: In principle, managing a large force is the same as managing a small one; it is a matter of organization. Fighting against a large force is no different from fighting against a small one; it is a matter of command signals. An army should be able to repulse any all-out attack, by a combination of 'surprise and expectation.' Your men should advance like a millstone crushing an egg. That is how the weak overcome the strong.5.孙子曰：凡先处战地而待敌者佚，后处战地而趋战者劳。故善战者，致人而不致于人。【白话文】孙子说：通常作战时，率先占据战地，就从容不迫，以逸待劳；假若后进入战地，则仓促应战，疲劳被动。所以善于指挥作战的人，总是能够调动敌人而不被敌人所调动。【英译】Sunzi said: He who arrives first at the field of combat may await the enemy relaxed and prepared. He who arrives later and has to rush into battle is weary. Therefore, one who is skilled in warfare draws the enemy to him, and does not allow the enemy to draw him to an engagement.6.孙子曰：凡用兵之法：将受命于君，合军聚众，交和而舍，莫难于军争。军争之难者，以迂为直，以患为利。故迂其途，而诱之以利，后人发，先人至，此知迂直之计者也。
【白话文】孙子说：大凡用兵的法则，将帅接受国君的命令，从征集民众、组编军队直到同敌人对阵，在这过程中没有比争夺制胜条件更为困难的。而争夺制胜条件最困难的地方，在于要把迂回的弯路变为直路，要把不利条件转化为有利条件。所以，要使敌人的近直之利变为迂远之患，并用小利引诱敌人，这样就能在比敌人后出动的情况下而抢先抵达必争的战略要地。这就是懂得以迂为直的方法。【英译】Sunzi said: The normal way of maneuvering an army in wartime is for the commander, having received orders from his sovereign, to assemble his men and then place them in a favorable position. In the course of this, nothing is more difficult than maneuvering [to seize an advantageous location]. What is difficult about maneuvering is that it must make the roundabout direct and turn difficulties into advantages. So you make the enemy take a roundabout route, enticing him on with lures. You set out after him, but arrive before him. This is knowing the art of deviation.7.孙子曰：凡用兵之法，将受命于君，合军聚众，圮地无舍，衢地合交，绝地无留，围地则谋，死地则战。
【白话文】孙子说：大凡用兵的法则是：将帅接受国君的命令，征集民众，组织军队，出征时在“圮地”上不可驻扎，在“衢地”上应结交邻国，在“绝地”上不要停留，遇上“围地”则要巧设计谋，陷入“死地”则要殊死奋战。
【英译】Sunzi said: When war is resorted to, the commander receives orders from his sovereign, assembles his troops and gathers his supplies. He must not make camp on ground difficult of access. On ground intersected by roads he must coordinate with his allies. He must not linger on ground easy to isolate. When surrounded, he must resort to stratagem, and only as a last resort fight a last-ditch battle.8.辞卑而益备者，进也；辞强而进驱者，退也。轻车先出，居其侧者，陈也；无约而请和者，谋也；奔走而陈兵车者，期也；半进半退者，诱也。
【白话文】敌人使者措辞谦卑而又加紧战备的，这是企图向我进攻；敌人使者措辞强硬而军队又做出前进姿态的，这是准备撤退；敌人战车先出动，部署在两翼的，这是在布列阵势；敌人尚未受挫而主动前来讲和的，必定另有阴谋；敌人兵卒奔走并摆开兵车列阵的，是期待同我决战；敌人半退半进的，是企图引诱我军。
【英译】If the enemy's envoys speak humbly, yet his war preparations continue, he is planning to advance. If their words are aggressive and provocations increase, he is planning to withdraw. If his light chariots move out first, and take up positions on the flanks, the enemy is forming for battle. If he asks for peace talks although in no apparent difficulty, he is plotting something. If the enemy's army; both men and chariots, moves rapidly into formation, he has fixed a time for battle. If half his force advances and half retreats, the enemy is trying to decoy you.9.视卒如婴儿，故可以与之赴深溪；视卒如爱子，故可与之俱死。厚而不能使，爱而不能令，乱而不能治，譬若骄子，不可用也。【白话文】将帅对待士卒就像对待婴儿一样，士卒就可以同他共赴患难；将帅对待士卒就像对待爱子一样，士卒就可以与他同生共死。如果对士卒厚待而不能使用，溺爱而不能教育，违法而不能惩治，那么，士卒就如同娇惯坏了的儿子一样，是不可以用来作战的。【英译】 If a general treats his men like a doting parent they will follow him into the deepest ravine. If he treats them as if they were his own sons they will follow him even to death. If, however, he is indulgent toward his men to the extent that he cannot discipline them, kindly to the extent that he cannot get them to obey his commands, and lenient to the extent that he cannot bring them to proper order, then the men will become like spoilt children, useless for practical purposes.10.所谓古之善用兵者，能使敌人前后不相及，众寡不相恃，贵贱不相救，上下不相收，卒离而不集，兵合而不养。合于利而动，不合于利而止。敢问：敌众整而将来，待之若何？曰：先夺其所爱，则听矣。兵之情主速，乘人之不及，由不虞之道，攻其所不戒也。【白话文】从前善于指挥作战的人，能够使敌人前后部队不能相互策应，主力和小部队无法相互依靠，官兵之间不能相互救援，上下之间无法聚集合拢，士卒溃散难以集中，对阵交战阵形也不整齐。对我有利时就打，对我不利就停止行动。试问：“敌军兵员众多且阵势严整向我发起进攻，那该用什么办法对付它呢？”回答是：“先夺取敌人的要害之地，这样它就不得不听从我们摆布了。”用兵之理，贵在神速，要趁敌人猝不及防的时机，走敌人所意料不到的道路，攻击敌人没有戒备的地方。【英译】In ancient times those said to be skilled in warfare ensured that the enemy's front and rear were kept apart, that his main force and his separate detachments could not rely on each other, that his officers and men could not support each other, that his troops in superior positions could not keep in contact with those in inferior positions, that dispersed enemy troops could not regroup, and that regrouped enemy troops could not fight in formation.If the situation was advantageous, they took action; if not, they made no move. You may ask, 'When an enemy superior in number and in perfect formation advances against us, how should we react?' I would reply, 'Get ahead of him and seize something he cannot afford to lose. Then, he will be forced to follow your deployments.' Speed is vital in war. Get to positions the enemy is aiming at before he does. Follow routes he is neglecting, and attack him where he is unprepared.11.孙子曰：凡火攻看五：一曰火人，二曰火积，三曰火辎，四曰火库，五曰火队。
【白话文】孙子说：火攻的形式通常有五种，一是焚烧敌军人马，二是焚烧敌军粮草，三是焚烧敌军辎重，四是焚烧敌军仓库，五是焚烧敌军粮道。
【英译】Sunzi said: There are five targets of incendiary attacks: the enemy's men, his stores, his baggage wagons, his arsenals and his logistics lines.12.故三军之事，莫亲于间，赏莫厚于间，事莫密于间。非圣智不能用间，非仁义不能使间，非微妙不能得间之实。微哉微哉！无所不用间也。间事未发而先闻者，间与所告者皆死。【白话文】所以，在军队人员中，没有比间谍更为亲近的了；在物质待遇上，没有比间谍更为优厚的了；在军机要务上，没有比间谍更为保密的了。不是睿智聪明的人不能任用间谍；不是仁慈慷慨的人不能指使间谍；不是谋虑精细的人不能明辨间谍提供情报的真假。微妙呀，微妙呀！无时无处不可以使用间谍！间谍的工作还未开展，而秘密却已泄露在外，那么间谍和听到秘密的都要处死。【英译】Hence, of all the members of an army no one should have more direct access to the commander than the spy, no one should be more lavishly rewarded than the spy, and no one should be guaranteed greater confidentiality than the spy. It takes great wisdom to make proper use of spies; it takes humanity and generosity to handle them; and it takes delicacy and subtlety to get the truth out of them. It is a meticulous task indeed! There is no situation in which spies cannot be put to good use. If the details of spying operations are leaked beforehand, the spies involved and all those they have spoken to should be put to death.
