Maneuvering

1. Sun Tzŭ said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign.

1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general receives orders from the ruler.

2. Having collected an army and concentrated his forces, he must blend and harmonise the different elements thereof before pitching his camp.

2. After gathering an army and bringing his forces together, he must unite the different groups before setting up camp.

3. After that, comes tactical manœuvering, than which there is nothing more difficult. The difficulty of tactical manœuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.

3. After that comes tactical maneuvering. Nothing is more difficult. The challenge is to turn indirect routes into direct ones, and misfortune into an advantage.

4. Thus, to take a long and circuitous route, after enticing the enemy out of the way, and though starting after him, to contrive to reach the goal before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation.

4. Take a long, roundabout route after luring the enemy out of the way. Though you start after the enemy, find a way to reach the goal first. Doing so shows that you understand the tactic of deviation.

5. Manœuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.

5. Maneuvering with an army offers advantages. But maneuvering with an undisciplined crowd is extremely dangerous.

6. If you set a fully equipped army in march in order to snatch an advantage, the chances are that you will be too late. On the other hand, to detach a flying column for the purpose involves the sacrifice of its baggage and stores.

6. If you march a fully equipped army to seize an advantage, you will probably arrive too late. On the other hand, sending a fast-moving unit ahead for that purpose means leaving behind its baggage and supplies.

7. Thus, if you order your men to roll up their buff-coats, and make forced marches without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a stretch, doing a hundred li in order to wrest an advantage, the leaders of all your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy.

7. Thus, consider what happens if you order your men to roll up their leather armor and make forced marches. Your men march day and night without stopping, covering twice the usual distance at a stretch. If your men cover a hundred li to gain an advantage, the enemy will capture the leaders of all three divisions.

8. The stronger men will be in front, the jaded ones will fall behind, and on this plan only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.

8. The stronger men will be at the front, and the exhausted men will fall behind. With this plan, only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.

9. If you march fifty li in order to outmanœuver the enemy, you will lose the leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal.

9. If you march fifty li to outmaneuver the enemy, you will lose your first division’s leader. If you do, only half your force will reach the goal.

10. If you march thirty li with the same object, two-thirds of your army will arrive.

10. If you march thirty li for the same purpose, two-thirds of your army will arrive.

11. We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost; without provisions it is lost; without bases of supply it is lost.

11. We may conclude, then, that an army without its supply wagons is lost. Without provisions, the army is lost. Without supply bases, the army is lost.

12. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbours.

12. We cannot form alliances until we know our neighbors' plans.

13. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country—its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.

13. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we know the terrain. That includes its mountains and forests, hidden pits and cliffs, marshes and swamps.

14. We shall be unable to turn natural advantages to account unless we make use of local guides.

14. We cannot make use of natural advantages unless we use local guides.

15. In war, practise dissimulation, and you will succeed. Move only if there is a real advantage to be gained.

15. In war, use deception, and you will succeed. Move only if there is a real advantage to gain.

16. Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by circumstances.

16. Whether you keep your troops together or split them up must depend on the circumstances.

17. Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.

17. Move as swiftly as the wind. Stay as tightly packed as a forest.

18. In raiding and plundering be like fire, in immovability like a mountain.

18. When raiding and plundering, be like fire. When standing firm, be like a mountain.

19. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.

19. Keep your plans as dark and impossible to read as night. And when you move, strike like a thunderbolt.

20. 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.

20. When you plunder the countryside, divide the spoils among your men. When you capture new territory, divide the land into plots for the soldiers’ benefit.

21. Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

21. Think carefully before you make a move.

22. He will conquer who has learnt the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of manœuvering.

22. Whoever has mastered the skill of taking indirect routes will win. This is the art of maneuvering.

23. The Book of Army Management says: On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough: hence the institution of gongs and drums. Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough: hence the institution of banners and flags.

23. The Book of Army Management says: On the battlefield, voices cannot carry far enough, so armies use gongs and drums. Ordinary objects cannot be seen clearly enough, so armies use banners and flags.

24. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focussed on one particular point.

24. Gongs and drums, banners and flags can focus the army’s eyes and ears on a single point.

25. The host thus forming a single united body, is it impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone. This is the art of handling large masses of men.

25. With the army united as one body, neither the brave can advance alone nor the cowardly retreat alone. This is the art of managing large numbers of soldiers.

26. In night-fighting, then, make much use of signal-fires and drums, and in fighting by day, of flags and banners, as a means of influencing the ears and eyes of your army.

26. So when fighting at night, make heavy use of signal fires and drums. When fighting by day, use flags and banners. Use these signals to guide your army through what soldiers hear and see.

27. A whole army may be robbed of its spirit; a commander-in-chief may be robbed of his presence of mind.

27. An entire army may be robbed of its morale. A commander-in-chief may be robbed of his ability to think clearly.

28. Now a soldier’s spirit is keenest in the morning; by noonday it has begun to flag; and in the evening, his mind is bent only on returning to camp.

28. A soldier’s spirit is strongest in the morning. By noon, his spirit has begun to fade. In the evening, he thinks only of returning to camp.

29. A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods.

29. A clever general therefore avoids an army when its morale is high. But he attacks when the army is sluggish and wants to return home. This is the art of reading moods.

30. Disciplined and calm, to await the appearance of disorder and hubbub amongst the enemy:—this is the art of retaining self-possession.

30. Stay disciplined and calm while waiting for disorder and confusion to appear among the enemy. This is the art of maintaining your composure.

31. To be near the goal while the enemy is still far from it, to wait at ease while the enemy is toiling and struggling, to be well-fed while the enemy is famished:—this is the art of husbanding one’s strength.

31. Be near the goal while the enemy is still far away. Wait at ease while the enemy works and struggles. Be well-fed while the enemy is starving. These are the ways to conserve your strength.

32. To refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in perfect order, to refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array:—this is the art of studying circumstances.

32. Do not intercept an enemy whose banners are in perfect order. Do not attack an army standing in calm, confident formation. Such restraint is the art of assessing circumstances.

33. It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to oppose him when he comes downhill.

33. A basic military rule is never to advance uphill against the enemy. Nor should you confront the enemy when they come downhill.

34. Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight; do not attack soldiers whose temper is keen.

34. Do not chase an enemy who pretends to retreat. Do not attack soldiers who are eager to fight.

35. Do not swallow a bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.

35. Do not take the enemy's bait. Do not interfere with an army returning home.

36. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

36. When you surround an army, leave a way out. Do not push a desperate enemy too hard.

37. Such is the art of warfare.

37. This is the art of war.