孙子曰：凡治众如治寡，分数是也；

sunzusaid:heconrolofargeforceishesameprincipleasheconrolofafewmen:iismerelyaquesionofdividingupheirnumbers

斗众如斗寡，形名是也；

fighingwihargearmyunderyourcommandisnowisedifferenfromfighingwihasmallone:iismerelyaquesionofinsiuingsignsandsignals

三军之众，可使必受敌而无败者，奇正是也；

oensurehayourwholehosmaywihsandhebrunofheenemy"saackandremainunshakenhisiseffecedbymaneuversdirecandindirec

兵之所加，如以□1投卵者，虚实是也。

haheimpacofyourarmymaybelikeagrindsonedashedagainsanegghisiseffecedbyhescienceofweakpoinsandsrong

凡战者，以正合，以奇胜。

inallfighing,hedirecmehodmaybeusedforjoiningbale,buindirecmehodswillbeneededinorderosecurevicory

故善出奇者，无穷如天地，不竭如江海。终而复始，日月是也。死而更生，四时是也。

indirecacics,efficienlyapplied,areinexhausibleasheavenandearh,unendingasheflowofriversandsreams;likehesunandmoon,heyendbuobeginanew;likehefourseasons,heypassawayoreurnoncemore

声不过五，五声之变，不可胜听也；

herearenomorehanfivemusicalnoes,yehecombinaionsofhesefivegiveriseomoremelodieshancaneverbeheard

色不过五，五色之变，不可胜观也；

herearenomorehanfiveprimarycolors(blue,yellow,red,whie,andbck),yeincombinaionheyproducemorehueshancaneverbeenseen

味不过五，五味之变，不可胜尝也；

herearenomorehanfivecardinalases(sour,acrid,sal,swee,bier),yecombinaionsofhemyieldmorefvorshancaneverbeased

战势不过奇正，奇正之变，不可胜穷也。

inbale,herearenomorehanwomehodsofaackhedirecandheindirec;yehesewoincombinaiongiveriseoanendlessseriesofmaneuvers

奇正相生，如循环之无端，孰能穷之哉！

hedirecandheindirecleadonoeachoherinurniislikemovinginacircleyounevercomeoanendwhocanexhaushepossibiliiesofheircombinaion?

激水之疾，至于漂石者，势也；

heonseofroopsislikeherushofaorrenwhichwillevenrollsonesalonginiscourse

鸷鸟之疾，至于毁折者，节也。

hequaliyofdecisionislikehewellimedswoopofafalconwhichenablesiosrikeanddesroyisvicim

故善战者，其势险，其节短。

hereforehegoodfigherwillbeerribleinhisonse,andprompinhisdecision

势如扩弩，节如发机。

energymaybelikenedohebendingofacrossbow;decision,ohereleasingofarigger

纷纷纭纭，斗乱而不可乱；浑浑沌沌，形圆而不可败。

amidheurmoilandumulofbale,heremaybeseemingdisorderandyenorealdisorderaall;amidconfusionandchaos,yourarraymaybewihouheadorail,yeiwillbeproofagainsdefea

乱生于治，怯生于勇，弱生于强。

simueddisorderposuesperfecdiscipline,simuedfearposuescourage;simuedweaknessposuessrengh

治乱，数也；勇怯，势也；强弱，形也。

hidingorderbeneahhecloakofdisorderissimplyaquesionofsubdivision;concealingcourageunderashowofimidiypresupposesafundofenenergy;maskingsrenghwihweaknessisobeeffecedbyacicaldisposiions

故善动敌者，形之，敌必从之；予之，敌必取之。

husonewhoisskillfulakeepingheenemyonhemovemainainsdeceifulappearances,accordingowhichheenemywillachesacrificessomehing,haheenemymaysnachai

以利动之，以卒待之。

byholdingoubais,hekeepshimonhemarch;henwihabodyofpickedmenheliesinwaiforhim

故善战者，求之于势，不责于人故能择人而任势。

heclevercombaanlooksoheeffecofcombinedenergy,anddoesnorequireoomuchfromindividualshencehisabiliyopickouherighmenanduilizecombinedenergy

任势者，其战人也，如转木石。木石之性，安则静，危则动，方则止，圆则行。

whenheuilizescombinedenergy,hisfighingmenbecomeasiwerelikeunorollinglogsorsonesforiishenaureofalogorsooremainmoionlessonlevelground,andomovewhenonaslope;iffourcornered,ocomeoasandsill,buifroundshaped,ogorollingdown

故善战人之势，如转圆石于千仞之山者，势也。

husheenergydevelopedbygoodfighingmenisashemomenumofaroundsonerolleddownamounainhousandsoffeeinheighsomuchonhesubjecofenergy

【注：】1：“瑕”的“王”旁换“石”旁。