孙武 By Sun Tzu

　　Translated by Lionel Giles

　　始计第一Laying Plans

　　孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。

　　Sun Tzu said：The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death，a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

　　故经之以五事，校之以计，而索其情：一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰将，五曰法。

　　The art of war，then，is governed by five constant factors，to be taken into account in one's deliberations， when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are：（1）The Moral Law； （2）Heaven； （3）Earth； （4）The Commander； （5）Method and discipline.

　　道者，令民于上同意，可与之死，可与之生，而不危也；The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler， so that they will follow him regardless of their lives， undismayed by any danger.

　　天者，阴阳、寒暑、时制也；Heaven signifies night and day，cold and heat，times and seasons.

　　地者，远近、险易、广狭、死生也；Earth comprises distances，great and small；danger and security；open ground and narrow passes； the chances of life and death.

　　将者，智、信、仁、勇、严也；The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom，sincerely，benevolence， courage and strictness.

　　法者，曲制、官道、主用也。

　　By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions，the graduations of rank among the officers，the maintenance of

　　roads by which supplies may reach the army，and the control of military expenditure.

　　凡此五者，将莫不闻，知之者胜，不知之者不胜。

　　These five heads should be familiar to every general：he who knows them will be victorious；he who knows them not will fail.

　　故校之以计，而索其情，曰：主孰有道？