之所以會附英文的翻譯(如果你可以接受它是原文的英譯)，

是想強調讀完原文後並不是每個人一定會有類似的結論，

這種差異在經過翻譯的放大後，讓人乍看簡直不敢相信英文版是原文的翻譯。

兵談

量土地肥墝而立邑，建城稱地，以城稱人，以人稱粟。三相稱，則內可以固守，外可以戰勝。戰勝於外，備主於內，勝備相用，猶合符節，無異故也。

治兵者，若秘於地，若邃於天，生於無，故關之。大不窕，小不恢，明乎禁舍開塞，民流者親之。地不任者任之。夫土廣而任則國富，民眾而制則國治。富治者，民不發軔，甲不出暴，而威制天下。故曰：‘兵勝於朝廷。’不暴甲而勝者，主勝也；陣而勝者，將勝也。

兵起，非可以忿也，見勝則興，不見勝則止。患在百里之內，不起一日之師；患在千里之內，不起一月之師；患在四海之內，不起一歲之師。

將者，上不制於天，下不制於地，中不制於人，寬不可激而怒，清不可事以財。夫心狂、目盲、耳聾，以三悖率人者難矣。

兵之所及，羊腸亦勝，鋸齒亦勝，緣山亦勝，入谷亦勝，方亦勝，員亦勝。重者如山、如林、如江、如河，輕者如炮、如燔、如垣壓之，如雲覆之，令人聚不得以散，散不得以聚，左不得以右，右不得以左。兵如總木，弩如羊角，人人無不騰陵張膽，絕乎疑慮，堂堂決而去。

According to Heavenly Positions, deploying troops with water to the rear is termed as ‘isolated terrain’. Deploying troops facing a long ridge is termed as ‘abandoning the army’. When King Wu attacked King Zhou of Shang, he deployed troops with rear facing the Ji River and facing the ridge. With twenty two thousand five hundred troops, King Wu managed to defeat King Zhou’s army of hundreds of thousands, and destroyed the Shang Dynasty. King Wu did not accord withHeavenly Positions.”

“Chu’s general Gong Zi Xin was about to engage the State of Qi when the comet appears with its tail pointing to the State of Qi. People believed that State of Qi would be victorious, would never be defeated so they refuse to attack the State of Qi. Gong Zi Xin said:’What does a comet know? To fight someone with a broom, of course we use the handle to fight to achieve victory.’ The next day, Gong Zi Xin engaged Qi and achieved resounding victory. The Yellow Emperor said:’Putting spirits and ghost first is not as good as first investigating own’s knowledge.’ This means that the Heavenly Positions are nothing compared to human effort.”

Measures the fertility and barrenness of the earth, to decide where to build cities. Construct the city walls, in accord with the terrain. Size of the cities should be in accord with the size of the population. Size of the population should be in accord with the amount of grain available. When all three have been mutually determined, then internally, one can be solid in defense. And externally, one can be victorious in battle. Being victorious in battle externally is because one is well-prepared internally. Victory and preparations are mutually employed, like the halves of a tally exactly matching each other.

Deployment of the army should be as secretive as the depths of Earth, as obscure as the heights of Heaven, with a weak front but underneath lies great power. When the power is unleashed, one does not feel inadequate when the army is used vastly or one does not feel vast when the army is used in a small manner. One who is enlightened about prohibitions, pardons, education and prevention will attract and settled displaced people and bring more lands under cultivation. When the land is broad and under cultivation, the state will be wealthy; when the people are numerous and well-ordered, the state will be governed. When the state is wealthy and well governed, although the people do not remove the blocks from the chariots nor expose their armor, their awesomeness instills order everywhere. Thus it is said ‘the army’s victory stems from the political measures taken. When one is victorious without exposing his armor, it is the ruler’s victory; when victory comes after deploying the army, it is the general’s victory.

The army cannot be mobilized out of personal anger. If victory can be foreseen, then the troops can be raised. If victory cannot be foreseen, then the mobilization should be stopped. If trouble arises within a hundred li, do not make preparation for a war that last a single day. If trouble arises within a thousand li, do not make preparation for a war that last a single month. If the trouble lies within the country, do not make preparation for a war that last a single year.

As for the commanding general, above he is not governed by Heaven, below he is not controlled by Earth, in the middle he is not governed by men. He should be composed so that he cannot be stimulated to anger. He should be pure so that he cannot be enticed by wealth. Now if the mind is deranged by emotions, the eyes are blind, and the ears are deaf, to lead men with these three perversities is difficult!

Wherever a well-trained army ventures, whether it is along byways that wind about like sheep’s intestines, along roads as bumpy as a saw’s teeth, curling about the mountains, or entering a valley, it will be victorious. Whether deployed in a square formation or deployed in a round formation, it will be victorious.

A sturdy army is like the mountains, like the forests, like the rivers and great streams. A light force is like a roaring fire; like the earthen walls it presses upon them, like clouds it covers them. They cause the enemy’s troops to be unable to disperse and those that are dispersed to be unable to reassemble. Those on the left are unable to rescue those on the right, those on the right are unable to rescue those on the left.

The soldiers should stand like trees, the effects of the crossbows should attack like the goat using its horn. Every man, without exception, morale is high and displays his courage. Casting off all doubts, fervently and determined, they go forth decisively.