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The Art of War
By Sun Tzu
Translated by Lionel Giles
The Art of War (Chinese: 孙子兵法; pinyin: Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ) is a Chinese military treatise that was written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC, during the Spring and Autumn period. (Some scholars believe it was written during the later Warring States period.) Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and still one of the basic texts.《孙子兵法》，简称《孙子》，又称《孙武兵法》和《吴孙子兵法》，是中国古代的兵书，作者为春秋末年的齐国人孙武（字长卿）。一般认为，《孙子兵法》成书于前515至前512年，全书为十三篇，是孙武初次见面赠送给吴王的见面礼。事见司马迁《史记》：“孙子武者，齐人也，以兵法见吴王阖闾。阖闾曰：子之十三篇吾尽观之矣”。The Art of War is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy. It has had an influence on Eastern military thinking, business tactics, and beyond. Sun Tzu suggested the importance of positioning in strategy and that position is affected both by objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective opinions of competitive actors in that environment. He thought that strategy was not planning in the sense of working through an established list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions. Planning works in a controlled environment, but in a changing environment, competing plans collide, creating unexpected situations.有个别观点曾认为今本《孙子》应是战国中晚期孙膑及其弟子的作品，但是银雀山出土的汉简（同时在西汉墓葬中出土《孙子兵法》、《孙膑兵法》各一部）已基本否定此说。The book was translated into the French language in 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, and into English by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Baron Antoine-Henri Jomini, and General Douglas MacArthur have claimed to have drawn inspiration from the work. The Art of War has also been applied to business and managerial strategies. 《孙子兵法》是世界上最早的兵书之一。在中国被奉为兵家经典，后世的兵书大多受到它的影响，对中国的军事学发展影响非常深远。它也被翻译成多种语言，在世界军事史上也具有重要的地位。
VIII. Variation in TacticsSun Tzu said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forcesWhen in difficult country, do not encamp. In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies. Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions. In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem. In desperate position, you must fight.泛地无舍，衢地合交，绝地无留，围地则谋，死地则战， There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must be not attacked, towns which must be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.途有所不由，军有所不击，城有所不攻，地有所不争，君命有所不受。The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of war of varying his plans, even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages, will fail to make the best use of his men.Hence in the wise leader's plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together. If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes. If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.是故智者之虑，必杂于利害， 杂于利而务可信也， 杂于害而患可解也。Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them; and make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged; hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.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.故用兵之法，无恃其不来，恃吾有以待之；无恃其不攻，恃吾有所不可攻也。There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.故将有五危，必死可杀，必生可虏，忿速可侮，廉洁可辱，爱民可烦。These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.来源网络，仅供英语学习。