Excerpt from Energy (兵勢) in The Art of War (兵法)

故善戰者，求之于勢，不責于人，故能擇人任勢；任勢者，其戰人也，如轉木石，木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。故善戰人之勢，如轉圓石于千仞之山者，勢也。

孫子

"The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy. When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become 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 four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped, to go rolling down. 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."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Energy (兵勢) in The Art of War (兵法)

凡戰者，以正合，以奇勝。故善出奇者，無窮如天地，不竭如江河，終而復始，日月是也；死而復生，四時是也。聲不過五，五聲之變，不可勝聽也。色不過五，五色之變，不可勝觀也。味不過五，五味之變，不可勝嘗也。戰勢不過奇正，奇正之變，不可勝窮也。奇正相生，如循環之無端，孰能窮之哉！

孫子

"In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes (sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter), yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack - the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers. The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle - you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?"

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Attack by Stratagem (虛實) in The Art of War (兵法)

知彼知己，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼，不知己，每戰必敗。

孫子

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Tactical Dispositions (軍形) in The Art of War (兵法)Citação de Disposições Táticas (始計) da Arte da Guerra (兵法)

昔之善戰者，先為不可勝，以待敵之可勝，不可勝在己，可勝在敵。故善戰者，能為不可勝，不能使敵必可勝。

孫子

"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

"Os bons guerreiros de antigamentes se colocavam fora da possibilidade de derrota, e em seguida esperavam por uma oportunidade para derrotar o inimigo. Nos assegurar contra derrotas está em nossas próprias mãos, a oportunidade de derrotar o inimigo é fornecida por ele mesmo. Assim, o bom guerreiro pode se proteger contra a derrota, mas não pode ter certeza de derrotar o inimigo."

Traduzido a partir de Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Laying Plans (始計) in The Art of War (兵法)Citação de Fazer Planos (始計) da Arte da Guerra (兵法)

兵者，詭道也。故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，近而示之遠，遠而示之近。利而誘之，亂而取之，實而備之，強而避之，怒而撓之，卑而驕之，佚而勞之，親而離之。攻其無備，出其不意，此兵家之勝，不可先傳也。

孫子

"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

"Todo conflito é baseado em artifícios. Assim, quando capaz de atacar é preciso parecer incapaz; quando usando nossas forças é preciso parecer inativo; quando se está próximo é preciso fazer o inimigo acreditar que estamos longe; e quando longe, fazê-lo acreditar que estamos próximos. Apresente iscas para induzir o inimigo. Finja desordem e destrua-o. Se ele proteger todos os pontos, esteja preparado para ele. Se ele for superior em força, recue. Se o oponente for de temperamento colérico, irrite-o. Finja ser fraco, ele pode se tornar arrogante. Se ele estiver se repousando, não dê descanso. Se suas forças estiverem unidas, separe. Ataque-o quando ele estiver despreparado, apareça quando não for esperado. Estes artifícios que levam à vitória não podem ser descobertos antecipadamente."

Traduzido a partir de Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Weak and Strong Points (謀攻) in The Art of War (兵法)

夫兵形象水，水之形，避高而趨下：兵之形，避實而擊虛；水因地而制流，兵因敵而制勝。故兵無常勢，水無常形；能因敵變化而取勝，謂之神。故五行無常勝，四時無常位，日有短長，月有死生。

孫子

"Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards. So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain. The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) are not always equally predominant; the four seasons make way for each other in turn. There are short days and long; the moon has its periods of waning and waxing."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Manoeuvering (軍爭) in The Art of War (兵法)

故兵以詐立，以利動，以分合為變者也，故其疾如風，其徐如林，侵掠如火，不動如山，難知如陰，動如雷霆。掠鄉分眾，廓地分利，懸權而動，先知迂直之計者勝，此軍爭之法也。

孫子

"In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by circumstances. Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest. In raiding and plundering be like fire, is immovability like a mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men; when you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit of the soldiery. Ponder and deliberate before you make a move. He will conquer who has learnt the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Variations in Tactics (九變) in The Art of War (兵法)

故用兵之法，無恃其不來，恃吾有以待之；無恃其不攻，恃吾有所不可攻也。

孫子

"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Weak and Strong Points (謀攻) in The Art of War (兵法)

凡先處戰地而待敵者佚，後處戰地而趨戰者勞。故善戰者，致人而不致于人。能使敵人自至者，利之也；能使敵不得至者，害之也。

孫子

"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him. 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."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Excerpt from Attack by Stratagem (虛實) in The Art of War (兵法)

不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。

孫子

"Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project