The Army on the Move

1. Sun Tzŭ said: We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in the neighbourhood of valleys.

1. Sun Tzu said: We now turn to setting up camp and watching for signs of the enemy. Cross mountains quickly, and stay near valleys.

2. Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for mountain warfare.

2. Camp on high ground, facing the sun. Do not climb uphill to fight. That covers warfare in the mountains.

3. After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.

3. After crossing a river, you should move far away from the river.

4. When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.

4. When an invading army crosses a river on its march, do not move forward to attack in midstream. It is best to let half the army cross, then attack.

5. If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.

5. If you are eager to fight, you should not meet the invader near a river he must cross.

6. Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun. Do not move up-stream to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare.

6. Moor your boats farther upstream than the enemy, facing the sun. Do not move upstream to meet the enemy. That covers river warfare.

7. In crossing salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay.

7. When crossing salt marshes, your only concern should be to get across quickly, without any delay.

8. If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you should have water and grass near you, and get your back to a clump of trees. So much for operations in salt-marshes.

8. If forced to fight in a salt marsh, you should keep water and grass nearby, with trees at your back. That covers operations in salt marshes.

9. In dry, level country, take up an easily accessible position with rising ground to your right and on your rear, so that the danger may be in front, and safety lie behind. So much for campaigning in flat country.

9. In dry, flat country, choose an easily accessible position with higher ground to your right and behind you. Do so that danger may lie ahead and safety behind. That covers campaigning on flat ground.

10. These are the four useful branches of military knowledge which enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.

10. These are the four useful areas of military knowledge. They enabled the Yellow Emperor to defeat four different rulers.

11. All armies prefer high ground to low, and sunny places to dark.

11. All armies prefer high ground to low ground and sunny places to dark ones.

12. If you are careful of your men, and camp on hard ground, the army will be free from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory.

12. If you care for your men and camp on firm ground, the army will be free from all disease. This freedom from disease will lead to victory.

13. When you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the sunny side, with the slope on your right rear. Thus you will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers and utilise the natural advantages of the ground.

13. When you reach a hill or a bank, take the sunny side, with the slope behind you on your right. This position will both benefit your soldiers and let you use the natural advantages of the ground.

14. When, in consequence of heavy rains up-country, a river which you wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you must wait until it subsides.

14. If heavy rains upstream cause a river you want to cross to swell and become speckled with foam, you must wait until the water level falls.

15. Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between, deep natural hollows, confined places, tangled thickets, quagmires and crevasses, should be left with all possible speed and not approached.

15. Leave terrain with steep cliffs and rushing streams between them, deep natural hollows, narrow spaces, dense thickets, bogs, and crevasses. Leave as quickly as possible, and do not approach such terrain.

16. While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy to approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy have them on his rear.

16. While we stay away from such places, we should draw the enemy toward them. While we face these places, we should let the enemy have them at his back.

17. If in the neighbourhood of your camp there should be any hilly country, ponds surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds, or woods with thick undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched; for these are places where men in ambush or insidious spies are likely to be lurking.

17. If there are hills near your camp, search them thoroughly. Do the same for ponds surrounded by water plants, low-lying hollows filled with reeds, or woods with dense undergrowth. These places must be carefully searched because troops waiting in ambush or spies gathering information secretly are likely to hide there.

18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position.

18. When the enemy is nearby and stays quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position.

19. When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious for the other side to advance.

19. When he stays back and tries to provoke a battle, he is eager for the other side to advance.

20. If his place of encampment is easy of access, he is tendering a bait.

20. If his camp is easy to reach, he is offering bait.

21. Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick grass means that the enemy wants to make us suspicious.

21. Movement among the trees in a forest shows that the enemy is advancing. Several screens appearing in thick grass mean the enemy wants to make us suspicious.

22. The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

22. Birds rising into the air are a sign of an ambush. Startled animals indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

23. When there is dust rising in a high column, it is the sign of chariots advancing; when the dust is low, but spread over a wide area, it betokens the approach of infantry. When it branches out in different directions, it shows that parties have been sent to collect firewood. A few clouds of dust moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping.

23. When dust rises in a tall column, chariots are advancing. When dust hangs low but spreads over a wide area, infantry is approaching. When dust branches out in different directions, groups have been sent to gather firewood. A few clouds of dust moving back and forth mean the army is setting up camp.

24. Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.

24. Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Harsh language and pushing forward as if to attack are signs that the enemy will retreat.

25. When the light chariots come out first and take up a position on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy is forming for battle.

25. When light chariots come out first and take positions on the flanks, the enemy is forming for battle.

26. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.

26. Peace offers without a sworn agreement are a sign of a plot.

27. When there is much running about and the soldiers fall into rank, it means that the critical moment has come.

27. When there is a lot of rushing around and soldiers form ranks, the critical moment has arrived.

28. When some are seen advancing and some retreating, it is a lure.

28. When some troops advance and others retreat, the movement is a lure.

29. When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food.

29. When soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are weak from lack of food.

30. If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst.

30. If soldiers sent to fetch water drink first themselves, the army is suffering from thirst.

31. If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted.

31. If the enemy sees an advantage but makes no effort to gain it, the soldiers are exhausted.

32. If birds gather on any spot, it is unoccupied. Clamour by night betokens nervousness.

32. If birds gather in a spot, that spot is unoccupied. Noise at night signals nervousness.

33. If there is disturbance in the camp, the general’s authority is weak. If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the officers are angry, it means that the men are weary.

33. If there is disorder in the camp, the general’s authority is weak. If the banners and flags are moved around, rebellion is brewing. If the officers are angry, the men are exhausted.

34. When an army feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle for food, and when the men do not hang their cooking-pots over the camp-fires, showing that they will not return to their tents, you may know that they are determined to fight to the death.

34. When an army feeds its horses grain and kills its cattle for food, and its soldiers leave their cooking pots off the campfires, the soldiers show they will not return to their tents. You may then know that the soldiers are determined to fight to the death.

35. The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.

35. Men whispering in small groups or speaking quietly are signs of discontent among ordinary soldiers.

36. Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his resources; too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.

36. Rewards given too often show that the enemy has exhausted his resources. Too many punishments reveal that the enemy is in desperate trouble.

37. To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy’s numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.

37. Starting with tough talk but then becoming frightened by the enemy’s numbers shows an utter lack of intelligence.

38. When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.

38. When envoys arrive offering compliments, it is a sign that the enemy wants a truce.

39. If the enemy’s troops march up angrily and remain facing ours for a long time without either joining battle or taking themselves off again, the situation is one that demands great vigilance and circumspection.

39. If enemy troops advance angrily and keep facing ours for a long time without fighting or withdrawing, stay highly alert. In that situation, act with great caution.

40. If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient; it only means that no direct attack can be made. What we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.

40. If our troops do not outnumber the enemy, our numbers are still more than enough. We simply cannot launch a direct attack. All we can do is concentrate all our available strength, watch the enemy closely, and get reinforcements.

41. He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them.

41. Anyone who fails to plan ahead and underestimates his opponents is sure to be captured by them.

42. If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will be practically useless. If, when the soldiers have become attached to you, punishments are not enforced, they will still be useless.

42. If soldiers are punished before they grow attached to you, they will not obey you. Without obedience, they will be practically useless. If punishments are not enforced once the soldiers have grown attached to you, they will still be useless.

43. Therefore soldiers must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This is a certain road to victory.

43. So soldiers must first be treated humanely, but kept under control through strict discipline. This combination is a sure path to victory.

44. If in training soldiers commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well-disciplined; if not, its discipline will be bad.

44. If orders are consistently enforced during soldiers’ training, the army will be well-disciplined. If not, the army will be poorly disciplined.

45. If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.

45. If a general trusts his men but always demands obedience to his orders, both he and his men will benefit.