孙子曰:凡治众如治寡,分数是也。
        Sun  Tzu  said,‘  The  management  of  a  large  force  is
    the  same  as  the  management  of  a  small  force.  It  is  only  a
    matter  of  organization.
        斗众如斗寡,形名是也。
        Whether  one  fights  against  a  large  force  or  a  small
    force  the  guiding  principle  is  the  same.  It  is  a  matter  of
    using  arrays  and  signals.
        三军之众,可使必受敌而无败者,奇正是
    也。
        In  order  to  ensure  the  success  of  meeting  the  attacks
of  the  enemy,  the  fighting  forces  should  be  judiciously
divided  into  regulars  and  reservists.
        兵之所加,如以瑕投卵者,虚实是也。
        when  one  delivers  attacks  on  the  enemy  the  impact
should  be  forcible  like  a  grindstone  crushing  eggs.  In
order  to  be  able  to  do  thus  he  must  ascertain  the  strength
and  weakness  of  the  enemy.
        凡战者,以正合,以奇胜。
        In  every  battle  the  regulars  should  be  used  at  the
commencement  of  fighting  but  only  a  judicious  use  ofthereservists  can  ensure  victory.
        故善出奇者,无穷如天地,不竭如江河。
    终而复始,日月是也。死而复生,四时是也。
        The  adept  in  marshaling  the  reservists  is  as  re-
sourceful  as  heaven,  earth  and  rivers;  as  versatile  as  sun
and  moon;  and  as  perennial  as  the  four  seasons.
        声不过五,五声之变,不可胜听也。
        There  are  not  more  than  five  musical  notes  yet
combinations  of  these  notes  produce  an  endless  number
of  melodies.
        色不过五,五色之变,不可胜观也。
        There  are  not  more  than  five  colours  yet  com-
binations  of  these  colours  produce  an  endless  number  of
beautiful  objects.
        味不过五,五味之变,不可胜尝也。
    There  are  not  more  than  five  flavours  yet  com-
binations  of  these  flavours  produce  an  endless  number  of
palatable  food.
        战势不过奇正,奇正之变,不可胜穷也。
    奇正相生,如循环之无端。孰能穷之?
    Similarly  in  delivering  attacks  one's  choice  is  con-
fined  to  using  either  the  regulars  or  the  reservists,  yet  the
variation  is  endless.  One  may  lead  to  the  other  like  mov-
    ing  in  a  circle  and  never  reaching  the  end.Indeed  who
    can  know  all  possible  variatoins?
        激水之疾,至于漂石者,势也。鸷鸟之疾,
    至于毁折者,节也。
        It  is  the  sudden  push  that  enables  rushing  torrents  to
    move  stones.  It  is  the  correct  timing  that  enables  flying
    falcons  to  pounce  upon  preys。
        是故善战者,其势险,其节短。势如  弩,
    节如发机。
        Similarly  the  adept  in  warfare  attacks  with  terrific
    speed  and  perfect  timing.  His  readiness  to  stage  a  push  is
    like  a  taut  bow  and  his  timing  is  like  releasing  a  trigger.
        纷纷纭纭,斗乱而不可乱也;浑浑沌沌,
    形圆而不可败也。
        The  movements  of  the  troops  may  have  the  ap-
    pearance  of  confusion  and  disorder  but  in  reality  every-
    thing  is  done  accordibg  to  rule  and  order.
        乱生于治,怯生于勇,弱生于强。
        To  be  able  to  simulate  disorder  one  must  possess  dis-
    cipline.  To  be  able  to  simulate  fear  one  must  possess
    courage.  To  be  able  to  simulate  weakness  one  must  possess
    strength.
        治乱,数也;勇怯,势也;强弱,形也。
        Order  or  disorder  depends  on  organization;  Courage
    or  fear  depends  on  the  manner  an  advance  is  being
    pushed.  Strength  or  weakness  depends  on  appearance.
        故善动敌者,形之,敌必从之;予之,敌必
    取之;以利动之,以卒待之。
        He  who  knows  how  to  weary  the  enemy  keeps  them
    chasing  about  by  deceitful  appearances.  He  would  pur-
    posely  give  away  something  which  the  enemy  are  eager
    to  accept.  He  would  make  them  leave  their  position  by
    holding  out  baits  so  that  his  men  could  ambush  them.
        故善战者,求之于势,不责于人。故能择
    人而任势。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。
        The  adept  in  warfare  always  seeks  victory  from  an
    opportune  situation,  and  relies  little  on  the  efforts  of  the
    individuals.  He  chooses  men  to  fit  the  situation.  In  this
    his  action  is  comparable  to  moving  logs  and  stones.  It  is
    the  nature  of  logs  and  stones  that  when  they  are  placed
    on  a  secure  base  they  tend  to  remain  firm;when  they  are
    placed  on  an  insecure  base  they  tend  to  shift  about;  when
    they  are  cornered  they  tend  to  stand  still;  and  when  they
    are  round  they  tend  to  roll  about.
        故善战人之势,如转圆石于千仞之山者,势
    也。
        The  adept  in  warfare  is  able  to  push  his  army  in  a
    manner  comparable  to  the  onrush  of  round  stones  rolling
    down  from  a  mountain  slope  of  thousands of  feet  high-
    due  to  momentum.'
                 译文
    孙子说:要做到管理人数多的军队,如同管
理人数少的军队一样容易,这是组织、编制的问
题。要做到指挥人数众多的军队作战,如同指挥
人数少的军队一样容易,这是通讯、指挥的问
题。全国军队之多,要使其一旦遭受敌人袭击而
不致失败,这是「奇正」的战术变化问题。军队
进攻敌人,要能像以石击卵那样,所向无敌,这
是「避虚就实」的正确运用问题。大凡作战,一
般都是以正兵当敌,以奇兵取胜(注一)。所以
善于出奇制胜的将帅,其战法如天地那样变化无
穷,像江何那样奔流不竭。入而复出,就像日月
运行一样;过去了又再来,就像四季更替一般。
乐音不过五个音阶,可是五个音阶的变化,却听
不胜听;颜色不过五种,可是五种颜色的变化,
却看不胜看;味道不过五种,可是五种味道的变
化,却尝不胜尝。作战的态式不过「奇」、「
正」,可是奇正的变化(注二),却是不可穷尽
的。奇正相互转化,就像顺著圆环旋转那样,无
始无终,谁能穷尽它呢?湍急的流水,飞快地奔
流,以致能漂移石块,这是由於水势强大的缘
故;凶猛的飞鸟,以飞快的速度搏击,以致能捕
杀鸟兽,这是由於节奏恰当的关系。所以善於指
挥作战的人,他所造成的态势是险峻的,他所掌
握的节奏是短促的(注三)。这种态势,就像张
满的弓弩;这种节奏,犹如触发弩机。在旌旗纷
纷、人马纭纭的混乱状态中作战,必须使自己的
部队不发生混乱;在浑沌不清的情况下打仗,必
须把部队部署得四面八方都能应付自如,使敌人
无法败我。「示敌混乱,战前必须有严格的训
练;示敌怯懦,战前必须有勇敢的素质;示敌弱
小,战前必须有强大的兵力」。「治乱」是组织
指挥的问题;「勇怯」,是态势的优劣问题;「
强弱」是军事力量的表现问题(注四)。所以,
善於调动敌人的将帅,伪装假像迷惑敌人,敌人
必乌其调动;予敌以刮,敌人必为其所诱。以小
利去调动敌人,以伏兵待机掩击敌人。所以,善
於作战的人,要依靠有利的态势取胜,而不从人
身上苛求责任。因而他就能选到适当人材,利用
有利的形势。善於「任势」的人,他指挥将士作
战,就像转动木头和石头一样。木头和石头的特
性,放在平坦的地方比较稳定,放在陡斜的地方
就容易滚动;方的呆板不动,圆的滚动灵活。所
以善於指挥作战的人所造成的有利态势,就像把
圆石从八百丈的高山上飞滚下来那样。这就是所
谓的「势」!

(注一)这里的“分数”是组织编制的意思。因为
      制定编制,把军队组织起来,所以管理
      就容易了。“形名”就是旌旗、金鼓等指
      挥记号。约好了讯号,指挥多数人作战
      就像指挥少数人一样容易了。“奇正”就
      是军队部署问题。因为把军队区分成了“
      奇兵”和“正兵”,即区分成担任警戒的
      部队和集中机动的部队,这样纵然遭到
      敌人突然的袭击,也有保障不至於失
      败,而能灵活地应付情况。“虚实”就是
      强弱的意思,因为集中我们主要的优势
      力量(实),去打敌人的弱点(虚),自
      然就像用石头去打鸡蛋那样容易了。
(注二):“以正合,以奇胜”的意思是:用次要的
      箝制部队从正面去抓住敌人,用主要的
      突击部队出敌不意从侧后去打击敌人的
      弱点。中国古代所谓“五音”即宫、商、
      角、徵、羽,加上两个变音,实际上和现
      代的七个音阶完全相同。“五色”即:
      红、黄、蓝、白、黑。“五味”即:咸、
      酸、苦、辣、甜。孙子用五音、五色和五
      味的变化无穷、来形容“奇”“正”的变
      化,也是无穷无尽的。
(注三)这里“其节短”的意思是集中兵力,做好
      准备,把部队隐蔽地接近敌人,缩短突
      击距离,这样,进攻就能非常迅速而突
      然,使敌人来不及作有效的抵抗。
(注四)这一段意思是说:本来严整的军队,如
      果骄傲松懈,管理不严,号令不明,就会
      变成混乱;本来勇敢的官兵,如杲轻敌
      冒进遭到失败,士气受挫,就会变成怯
      懦;本来优势的军队,如果犯了严重的
      错误,就会被削弱变成劣势的。这里,孙
      子指出:治、乱、勇、怯、强、弱等对立
      的范畴,是能相互推移转化的。转化的
      关键,在於将帅主观的能动性;要使军
      队严整,就要有严密的组织和纪律;要
      使军队勇敢作战,就要造成一种有利的
      态势;要使敌弱我强,就要使我军处於
      有利的地位,迫使敌人陷於不利的形势
      中。