There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army:--
(1) 不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可以退而謂之退,是謂縻軍;
(1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army.
(2) 不知三軍之事而同三軍之政,則軍士惑矣;
(2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.
(3)不知三軍之權(quán)而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。
(3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
三軍既惑且疑,則諸侯之難至矣。是謂亂軍引勝。
But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.
故知勝有五:知可以戰(zhàn)與不可以戰(zhàn)者勝,識眾寡之用者勝,上下同欲者勝,以虞待不虞者勝,將能而君不御者勝。此五者,知勝之道也。
Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: (1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. (2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. (3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. (5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
故曰:知己知彼,百戰(zhàn)不貽;不知彼而知己,一勝一負;不知彼不知己,每戰(zhàn)必敗。
Hence the saying: 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.
【注:】①:[車賁]。②:“溫”字“氵”旁換“車”旁。