1 month salary = 3 months mentoring, professional study of Sun Tzu, martial art in simple language for children 5,10,15 years old, strategic thinking “The Art of War”
T.me/maxim24tthese chapters were written in the 6th century, the point is that they were read, not used, and no one could convey this information to a child of 5 years old. 1 month salary = 3 months mentoring, professional study of Sun Tzu, martial art in simple language for children 5,10,15 years old, strategic thinking “The Art of War”
Chapter I [*]. Preliminary calculations [**]
1. Sun Tzu said: war is a great thing for the state, it is the ground of life and death, it is the path of existence and death. This needs to be understood.
2. Therefore, it is based on [1] five phenomena [it is weighed by seven calculations and this determines the position] [***].
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-X1jjoNVGyfvKVrLN8zH5hAZ5y80cAcf/view?usp=drivesdk
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nK-LD9vDJ64
3. The first is the Path, the second is Heaven, the third is Earth, the fourth is the Commander, the fifth is the Law.
The path is when they reach the point that the thoughts of the people are the same as the thoughts of the ruler [2], when the people are ready to die with him, ready to live with him, when they know neither fear nor doubt [3].
The sky is light and darkness, cold and heat, it is the order of time [4].
The earth is distant and close, uneven and smooth, wide and narrow, death and life [5].
A commander is intelligence, impartiality, humanity, courage, and severity.
Law is military formation, command and supply [6].
There is no commander who has not heard of these five phenomena, but the one who has learned them wins; the one who has not mastered them does not win.
4. Therefore, the war is weighed by seven calculations and in this way the situation is determined.
Which of the sovereigns has the Way? Which commander has talent? Who used Heaven and Earth? Who follows the rules and orders? Who has the stronger army? Whose officers and soldiers are better trained? [7] Who rewards and punishes correctly?
By all this I will know who will be victorious and who will be defeated.
5. If the commander begins to apply my calculations, having mastered them, he will certainly win; I'm staying with him. If the commander begins to apply my calculations without mastering them, he will certainly be defeated; I'm leaving him [8]. If he learns them with benefit in mind, they constitute a power that will help beyond them.
6. Power is the ability to apply tactics [9], in accordance with benefits.
7. War is the path of deception [10]. Therefore, even if you can do something, show your opponent that you cannot; if you use something, show him that you don’t use it; even if you are close, show that you are far away; even if you are far away, show that you are close; lure him with benefits; upset him and take him; if he is full, be ready; if it is strong, avoid it; by arousing anger in him, bring him into a state of frustration; Having assumed a humble appearance, arouse conceit in him; if his strength is fresh, tire him out; if he is friendly, separate him; attack him when he is not ready; perform when he doesn't expect it.
8. All this ensures victory for the warrior; however, nothing can be taught in advance.
9. Whoever - even before the battle - wins by preliminary calculation [11], has many chances; whoever - even before the battle - does not win by calculation has little chance. Whoever has a lot of chances wins; those who have little chance do not win; especially the one who has no chance at all. Therefore, for me - at the sight of this one thing - victory and defeat are already clear.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14NPJw735e5V4QCqRKVuEOj1B6acfWZIS/view?usp=drivesdk
Chapter II. Waging war
1. Sun Tzu said: the rule of warfare is:
2. If you have a thousand light chariots and a thousand heavy ones [1], one hundred thousand soldiers, if provisions must be sent a thousand miles [2], then internal and external expenses, expenses for receiving guests, material for varnish and glue, equipment for chariots and weapons - all this will amount to a thousand gold pieces per day. Only in this case can an army of one hundred thousand be raised.
3. If a war is waged and victory is delayed, the weapon becomes dull and the edges break off; if they besiege a fortress for a long time, their forces are undermined; if the army is left in the field for a long time, the state does not have enough funds.
4. When the weapon becomes dull and the edges break off, the strength is undermined and the means dry up, the princes [*], taking advantage of your weakness, will rise up against you. Even if you have smart servants then, you won’t be able to do anything after that.
5. Therefore, in war we heard about success when it was carried out quickly, even if it was conducted unskillfully, and we have not yet seen success when it was carried out for a long time, even if it was conducted skillfully.
6. It has never happened before that a war lasted for a long time and this would be beneficial to the state. Therefore, anyone who does not fully understand all the harm from war cannot fully understand all the benefits from war.
7. He who knows how to wage war does not recruit twice, does not load provisions three times; he takes equipment from his own state, but takes provisions from the enemy. That's why he has enough food for the soldiers.
8. During a war, the state becomes poorer because provisions are transported far away. When food needs to be transported far away, the people become poorer.
9. Those who are near the army sell at a high price; and when they sell at a high price, the people's funds are exhausted; when funds are depleted, it is difficult to fulfill duties.
10. Strength is undermined, funds are drying up, in our own country the houses are empty [3]; the people's property is reduced by seven tenths; the ruler's property - the war chariots were broken, the horses were exhausted; helmets, armor, bows and arrows, spears and small shields, pikes and large shields, oxen and carts - all this is reduced by six tenths [4].
11. Therefore, a smart commander tries to feed himself at the expense of the enemy. Moreover, one pound of the enemy’s food corresponds to twenty pounds of our own; one pound of the enemy’s bran and straw corresponds to twenty pounds of our own [5].
12. Fury kills the enemy, greed seizes his wealth.
13. If ten or more chariots are captured during a chariot battle, distribute them as a reward to those who captured them first, and change the banners on them. Mix these chariots with yours and ride them. Treat the soldiers well and take care of them. This is called: defeating the enemy and increasing your strength [6].
14. War loves victory and does not like duration.
15. Therefore, a commander who understands war is the ruler of the destinies of the people, is the master of the security of the state.
Chapter III. Strategic attack
1. Sun Tzu said: according to the rules of war, the best thing is to keep the enemy’s state intact, in second place is to crush this state. The best thing is to keep the enemy army intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy brigade intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy battalion intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy company intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy platoon intact, the second best thing is to defeat it [1]. Therefore, fighting a hundred times and winning a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to conquer someone else's army without fighting.
2. Therefore, the best war is to defeat the enemy’s plans; in the next place - to break his alliances; in the next place - defeat his troops. The worst thing is to besiege a fortress. According to the rules of the siege of fortresses, such a siege should be carried out only when it is unavoidable. The preparation of large shields, siege chariots, the construction of embankments, and the preparation of equipment requires three months; however, the commander, unable to overcome his impatience, sends his soldiers to attack like ants; in this case, one third of the officers and soldiers [2] are killed, and the fortress remains untaken. Such are the disastrous consequences of a siege.
3. Therefore, he who knows how to wage war conquers another's army without fighting; takes other people's fortresses without besieging them; crushes a foreign state without holding his army for long. He makes sure to keep everything intact and thereby challenges the power in the Middle Kingdom. Therefore, it is possible to have a benefit without blunting the weapon: this is the rule of strategic attack [3].
4. The rule of war says: if you have ten times more forces than the enemy, surround him on all sides; if you have five times more strength, attack him; if you have twice as much strength, divide it into parts; if the forces are equal, be able to fight him; if you have less strength, be able to defend yourself from him; if you have anything worse at all, be able to evade it. Therefore, those who persist with small forces become prisoners of a strong enemy.
5. A commander for a state is like a fastening [4] on a cart: if this fastening is tightly fitted, the state will certainly be strong; if the fastening is loosened, the state will certainly be weak.
6. Therefore, the army suffers from its sovereign in three cases [5]:
When he did not know that the army should not march, he orders it to march; when he, not knowing that the army should not retreat, orders it to retreat; this means that he binds the army.
When he, not knowing what an army is, applies to its management the same principles that govern the state; then the commanders in the army become confused [6].
When he, not knowing what army tactics are, is guided in appointing a commander by the same principles as in the state; then the commanders in the army become confused [7].
7. When the army becomes confused and confused, trouble comes from the princes. This means: to upset your army and give victory to the enemy.
8. Therefore, they know that they will win in five cases: they win if they know when they can fight and when they cannot; they win when they know how to use both large and small forces; they win where the higher and the lower have the same desires; they win when they themselves are careful and wait for the enemy’s carelessness; Those who have a talented commander, and the sovereign does not lead him, win. These five provisions are the path to knowing victory.
9. That’s why it is said: if you know him and know yourself, fight at least a hundred times, there will be no danger; if you know yourself, but don’t know him, you will win once, another time you will be defeated; If you don’t know either yourself or him, every time you fight, you will be defeated.
Chapter IV. Form
1. Sun Tzu said: in ancient times, the one who fought well first of all made himself invincible and in this state waited until he could defeat the enemy.
Invincibility lies in oneself, the possibility of victory lies in the enemy.
Therefore, one who fights well can make himself invincible, but cannot force his opponent to necessarily allow himself to be defeated.
That is why it is said: “Victory can be known, but it cannot be achieved.”
2. Invincibility is defense; The opportunity to win is an offensive.
When they are on the defensive, it means there is something lacking; when they attack, it means there is everything in abundance.
He who defends himself well hides in the depths of the underworld; he who attacks well acts from the heights of heaven [1].
Therefore, they know how to preserve themselves and at the same time achieve complete victory.
3. He who sees victory no more than other people is not the best of the best. When someone, fighting, wins and the Celestial Empire says: “good,” it will not be the best of the best.
4. When a light feather is lifted [2], this is not considered great force; when the sun and moon are seen, this is not considered acute vision; when thunderclaps are heard, it is not considered fine hearing.
Those who were said in ancient times to be good at fighting won when it was easy to win. Therefore, when a man who fought well won, he had neither the glory of his mind nor the feats of courage.
5. Therefore, when he fought and won, it did not differ from his calculations. It did not diverge from his calculations - this means that everything he undertook was sure to give victory; he was defeating someone who had already been defeated.
6. Therefore, the one who fights well stands on the basis of the impossibility of his defeat and does not miss the opportunity of defeating the enemy. For this reason, an army that is supposed to win first wins and then seeks battle; an army condemned to defeat first fights and then seeks victory.
7. He who wages war well carries out the Way and keeps the Law. Therefore, he can control victory and defeat.
8. According to the "Laws of War", the first is length, the second is volume, the third is number, the fourth is weight, the fifth is victory. Terrain gives birth to length, length gives birth to volume, volume gives birth to number, number gives birth to weight, weight gives birth to victory.
9. Therefore, an army destined to win seems to count kopecks in rubles, and an army doomed to defeat seems to count rubles in kopecks [3].
10. When the victorious fights, it is like accumulated water falling from a height of a thousand fathoms into a valley. This is the form [4].
Chapter V. Power
1. Sun Tzu said: ruling the masses is the same as ruling the few: it’s a matter of parts and numbers [1].
2. Leading the masses into battle is the same as leading a few into battle: it’s a matter of form and name [2].
3. What makes an army invincible when meeting an enemy is correct combat and maneuver.
4. The blow of the army is like hitting an egg with a stone: it is fullness and emptiness.
5. In general, in battle they engage the enemy with proper combat, but win by maneuver. Therefore, one who uses the maneuver well is limitless like heaven and earth, inexhaustible like Huang He and Yangtze Jiang.
6. They end and begin again - such are the sun and the moon; die and are born again - these are the seasons. There are no more than five tones, but it is impossible to hear changes in all of these five tones; there are no more than five colors, but it is impossible to see changes in all of these five colors; There are no more than five tastes, but it is impossible to feel the changes in all of these five tastes. There are only two actions in battle - correct combat and maneuver, but the changes in correct combat to maneuver are impossible to count. Correct combat and maneuver mutually generate each other and this is like a cycle that has no end. Who can exhaust them?
7. That which allows the speed of a stormy stream to carry stones on itself is its power. What allows the speed of a bird of prey to strike its prey is the timing of the blow. Therefore, for someone who fights well, his power is swift [3] and his timing is short.
Power is like drawing a bow, timing a blow is like releasing an arrow.
8. Even if everything gets mixed up and mixed up, and there is a chaotic fight, they still cannot get upset; even if everything bubbles and seethes, and the form is crushed [4], they still cannot suffer defeat.
9. Disorder is born from order, cowardice is born from courage, weakness is born from strength. Order and disorder are numbers; courage and cowardice are power; strength and weakness are form.
10. Therefore, when one who knows how to make an opponent move shows him the form, the opponent is sure to follow him; when something is given to the enemy, he always takes it; They force him to move with benefits, but they meet him with surprise.
11. Therefore, he who fights well seeks everything in power, and does not demand everything from people. Therefore, he knows how to choose people and place them according to their strength.
12. He who positions people according to their strength makes them go into battle just as trees and stones are rolled. The nature of trees and stones is such that when the ground is level they lie quietly; when it is sloping, they begin to move; when they are quadrangular, they lie in place; when they are round they roll.
13. Therefore, the power of someone who knows how to force others to go into battle is the power of a person who rolls a round stone down a thousand fathoms mountain.
Chapter VI. Fullness and Emptiness
1. Sun Tzu said: whoever is first on the battlefield and waits for the enemy is full of strength; whoever then appears on the battlefield late and rushes into battle is already tired. Therefore, one who fights well controls his opponent and does not allow himself to be controlled by him.
2. To be able to force the enemy to come himself means to lure him with benefits; to be able to prevent the enemy from passing means to restrain him by harm. Therefore, it is possible to tire out an opponent even if he is full of strength; you can make even a well-fed person go hungry; You can move even a firmly entrenched one.
3. Having set out where he will certainly go, go himself to where he does not expect. He who walks a thousand miles without getting tired passes through places where there are no people.
4. To attack and at the same time to be sure to take it means to attack a place where he is not defending himself; to defend and at the same time to be sure to hold - this means to defend a place that he cannot attack. Therefore, for someone who knows how to attack, the enemy does not know where to defend himself; For someone who knows how to defend, the enemy does not know where to attack. The finest art! The finest art! - there is not even a form to depict it. Divine art! Divine art! - there are not even words to express it. Therefore, he can become the ruler of the enemy’s destinies.
5. When they go forward and the enemy is unable to prevent it, this means that they are striking into his emptiness; when they retreat and the enemy is unable to pursue, this means that the speed is such that he cannot overtake [1].
6. Therefore, if I want to give battle, even if the enemy builds high redoubts and digs deep ditches, he still cannot help but engage in battle with me. This is because I am attacking a place that he must certainly save. If I don’t want to engage in battle, even if I just take a place and begin to defend it, the enemy will still not be able to engage in battle with me. This is because I turn him away from the path where he is going.
7. Therefore, if I show the enemy some form, but I myself do not have this form, I will maintain integrity, and the enemy will be divided into parts. Maintaining integrity, I will constitute a unit; divided into parts, the enemy will be ten. Then I will attack his unit with my ten. Then there will be many of us, but few of the enemy. The one who knows how to hit a few with a mass, those who fight with him are few, and they are easy to defeat [2].
8. The enemy does not know where he will fight. And since he doesn’t know this, he has many places where he should be ready. If there are many places where he should be ready, those who fight with me are few. Therefore, if he is ready in front, he will have little strength in the rear; if he is ready from behind, he will have little strength in front; if he is ready on the left, he will have little strength on the right; if he is ready on the right, he will have little strength on the left. One cannot help but have little strength who does not have a place where he should not be ready. He who must be ready everywhere has little strength; He who forces another to be ready everywhere has a lot of strength.
9. Therefore, if you know the place of the battle and the day of the battle, you can advance a thousand miles away. If you don’t know the place of the battle, you don’t even know the day of the battle, you won’t be able to protect the right with your left side, you won’t be able to protect the left with your right side, you won’t be able to protect the back with your front, and you won’t be able to protect the front with your back. This is especially true at long distances - several tens of miles, and at close distances - several miles.
10. If you think the way I do, then even though the Yues [3] have a lot of troops, what can this give them for victory? [4] That is why it is said: “victory can be achieved.” Even if the enemy has a lot of troops, you may not give him the opportunity to engage in battle.
11. Therefore, when assessing the enemy, they recognize his plan with its merits and his mistakes [5]; having influenced the enemy, they learn the laws governing his movement and rest; showing him this or that form, they recognize the place of his life and death [6]; when confronted with it, they will know where it is in excess and where it is deficient.
12. Therefore, the limit in giving your army a form is to achieve that there is no form. When there is no form, even a deeply penetrated spy will not be able to spy on anything, even a wise person will not be able to judge anything. Using this form, he entrusts the task of victory to the masses, but the masses cannot know this. All people know the form through which I won, but they do not know the form through which I organized the victory. Therefore, victory in battle is not repeated in the same form; it corresponds to the inexhaustibility of the form itself.
13. The form of an army is like water: the form of water is to avoid heights and strive downwards; The form of the army is to avoid completeness and strike at emptiness. Water sets its course depending on place; the army determines its victory depending on the enemy.
14. Therefore, an army does not have an unchanging power, and water does not have an unchanging form. He who knows how to master changes and transformations depending on the enemy and achieve victory is called deity.
15. Therefore, among the five elements of nature there is no invariably victorious; Among the four seasons there is no one that consistently maintains its position. The sun has brevity and duration, the moon has life and death.
Chapter VII. Fight in the war
1. Sun Tzu said: here is the rule of warfare: the commander, having received a command from the sovereign, forms an army, gathers troops [1] and, having come into contact with the enemy [2], takes a position. There is nothing more difficult than fighting in war.
2. The difficult thing in fighting a war is to turn a roundabout path into a direct one, to turn a disaster into a benefit. Therefore, the one who, taking a movement along such a roundabout route, distracts the enemy with advantage and, having set out later than him, arrives before him, understands the tactics of the roundabout movement.
3. Therefore, fighting in war leads to benefit, fighting in war also leads to danger. If you fight for gain by raising the entire army, you will not achieve your goal; if you fight for gain, abandoning the army, the convoy will be lost.
4. Therefore, when they fight for advantage over a hundred miles, rushing, taking off weapons, without resting either day or night, doubling routes and connecting passages, then the commanders of all three armies are lost as prisoners; The hardy go forward, the weak lag behind, and only one tenth of the entire army makes it. When they fight for advantage fifty miles away, the commander of the advanced army finds himself in a difficult situation, and half of the entire army reaches. When they fight for profit thirty miles away, two-thirds reach it.
5. If the army does not have a convoy, it dies; if there is no food, it dies; if there are no reserves [3], it dies.
6. Therefore, anyone who does not know the plans of the princes cannot enter into an alliance with them in advance; whoever does not know the situation - mountains, forests, cliffs, cliffs, swamps and swamps - cannot lead an army; whoever does not turn to local guides cannot take advantage of the benefits of the area.
7. Therefore, in war they rely on deception, act based on profit, and make changes through divisions and connections.
8. Therefore he is swift as the wind; he is calm and slow, like a forest; it invades and devastates like fire; he is motionless like a mountain; he is as impenetrable as darkness; its movement is like a thunderclap [4].
9. When robbing villages, they divide their army into parts; when seizing land, they occupy advantageous points with their units [5].
10. They move, weighing everything on the scales. Whoever knows in advance the tactics of the direct and roundabout paths wins. This is the law of struggle in war.
11. In “Army Management” it is said: “When they speak, they do not hear each other; that is why they make gongs and drums. When they look, they do not see each other; that is why they make banners and badges.” Gongs, drums, banners and badges connect the eyes and ears of their soldiers. If everyone is focused on one thing, the brave cannot step forward alone, the cowardly cannot retreat back alone. This is the law of mass leadership.
12. Therefore, in night battles they use many lights and drums [6], in daytime battles they use many banners and badges; This deceives the eyes and ears of the enemy. Therefore, an army can be robbed of its spirit, a commander can be robbed of his heart.
13. For this reason, they are cheerful in spirit in the morning, lethargic in the afternoon, and in the evening they think about returning home. Therefore, he who knows how to wage war avoids the enemy when his spirit is cheerful, and attacks him when his spirit is sluggish, or when he is thinking about returning; this is management of the spirit.
14. Being in order, they expect disorder; being calm, they expect unrest; this is heart control.
15. Being close, they wait for those who are far away; being in full strength, they wait for the weary; being full, they wait for the hungry; This is the management of power.
16. Do not go against the enemy’s banners when they are in perfect order; do not attack the enemy’s camp when it is impregnable; this is change management.
17. Therefore, the rules of warfare are: if the enemy is on the heights, do not go straight at him [7]; if there is a hill behind it, do not position yourself opposite it; if he pretends to run away, do not pursue him; if he is full of strength, do not attack him; if he gives you bait, don't take it; if the enemy army goes home, do not stop him; if you surround an enemy army, leave one side open; if it is in a desperate situation, do not press it; these are the rules of war.
Chapter VIII. Nine changes
1. Sun Tzu said: these are the rules of war: [a commander, having received a command from his sovereign, forms an army and gathers troops] [*].
2. Do not set up a camp in off-road areas; in the crossroads area, enter into alliances with neighboring princes; Do not linger in bare and waterless areas; think about the surrounding area; fight in a place of death.
3. There are roads that are not taken; there are armies that are not attacked; there are fortresses over which they do not fight; there are areas over which people do not fight; There are orders from the sovereign that are not carried out.
4. Therefore, a commander who has realized what is beneficial in the “Nine Changes” knows how to wage war. A commander who has not understood what is beneficial in the “Nine Changes” cannot take advantage of the advantages of the terrain, even knowing the shape of the terrain. When he does not know the art of “Nine Changes” when commanding troops, he cannot master the skill of using people even if he knows the “Five Benefits.”
5. For this reason, the thoughtfulness of the actions of an intelligent person lies in the fact that he necessarily combines benefit and harm [1]. When harm is combined with benefit, efforts can lead to results [2]; when benefit is combined with harm, the disaster can be eliminated. Therefore, princes are subjugated by harm, forced to serve themselves by work, forced to rush somewhere for profit [3].
6. The rule of war is not to trust that the enemy will not come, but to rely on what I can meet him with; not to rely on the fact that he will not attack, but to rely on the fact that I will make it impossible for him to attack me.
7. Therefore, a commander has five dangers: if he strives to die at all costs, he may be killed; if he strives to stay alive at all costs, he may be captured; if he is quick to anger, he may be despised; if he is overly sensitive to himself, he may be insulted; if he loves people, he may be weakened [4].
8. These five dangers are the shortcomings of a commander, a disaster in the conduct of war. They defeat an army and kill a commander with these five dangers. This must be understood.
Chapter IX. Hike
1. Sun Tzu said: the disposition of troops and observation of the enemy is as follows.
2. When crossing mountains, lean on the valley; position yourself at heights, depending on where the sunny side is [1]. When fighting an enemy on a hill, do not go straight up [2]. This is the disposition of the army in the mountains.
3. When crossing a river, be sure to stay away from the river [3]. If the enemy crosses the river, do not meet him in the water. In general, it is more profitable to let him cross halfway and then attack him; but if you also want to engage in battle with the enemy, do not meet him near the river; position yourself at a height, taking into account where the sunny side is; don't go against the flow. This is the disposition of troops on the river.
4. When crossing a swamp [4], hurry to leave quickly, do not linger. If, nevertheless, you have to enter into battle among the swamps, position yourself so that you have water and grass, and let there be a forest in your rear. This is the disposition of troops in the swamps.
5. In flat areas, position yourself on level ground, but at the same time let there be hills to your right and behind you; Let your place be low in front and high behind you [5]. This is the disposition of the troops in the plain.
6. These four methods of advantageous deployment of troops ensured Huang Di’s victory over the four emperors [6].
7. In general, if an army loves high places and dislikes low places, it will honor the sunshine and turn away from the shadows; if it takes care of vital things and is located on solid ground [7], then there will be no disease in the army. This means definitely winning.
8. If you are among hills and hills, be sure to position yourself on their sunny side and have them to your right and behind you. This is beneficial for the army; this is help from the locality.
9. If it has rained in the upper reaches of the river and the water is covered with foam, let those who want to cross wait until the river calms down.
10. In general, if in a given area there are steep gorges, natural wells, natural dungeons, natural networks, natural traps, natural cracks [8], be sure to hurry away from them and do not come close to them. Move away from them yourself, and force the enemy to approach them. And when you meet him, make sure that they are in his rear.
11. If in the area where the army is moving there are ravines, swamps, thickets, forests, thickets of bushes, be sure to carefully examine them. These are places where there are ambushes and enemy patrols.
12. If the enemy, being close to me, remains calm, this means that he is leaning on a natural barrier. If the enemy is far from me, but at the same time challenges me to a fight, it means that he wants me to move forward. If the enemy is positioned on level ground, it means he has his own benefits.
13. If the trees moved, it means he’s coming. If there are barriers made of grass, it means he is trying to mislead. If the birds take off, it means there is an ambush hidden there. If the animals are scared, it means someone is hiding there. If the dust rises in a column, it means that chariots are coming; if it spreads low over a wide area, it means infantry is coming; if it rises in different places, it means they are collecting fuel. If it rises here and there, and in small quantities, it means they are setting up a camp.
14. If the enemy’s speeches are humble, and he intensifies his combat preparations, then he is acting. If his speeches are proud and he rushes forward, it means he is retreating. If light war chariots ride forward, and the army is located on their sides, it means that the enemy is forming a battle formation. If he, without being weakened [9], asks for peace, it means he has secret plans. If his soldiers ran in and lined up their chariots, then the time had come. If he advances and then retreats, it means he is luring. If soldiers stand leaning on their weapons, it means they are hungry. If they drink water first when drawing water, it means they are thirsty. If the enemy sees a benefit for himself, but does not act, it means he is tired.
15. If birds gather in flocks, it means there is no one there. If the enemy calls to each other at night, it means they are afraid. If the army is disorganized, it means that the commander is not authoritative. If the banners move from place to place, it means he is in disarray. If his commanders scold, it means the soldiers are tired. If the horses are fed millet, and they themselves eat meat; if they do not hang the wine jugs on the trees and do not go back to the camp, then they are robbers driven to the extreme [10].
16. If a commander speaks kindly and courteously to the soldiers, it means that he has lost his army. If he gives out awards without counting, it means the army is in a difficult situation. If he repeatedly resorts to punishment, it means the army is in a difficult situation. If he is first cruel and then afraid of his troops, this means the height of misunderstanding of the art of war.
17. If the enemy appears, offers hostages and asks for forgiveness, it means he wants a break. If his army, blazing with anger, comes out to meet him, but does not engage in battle for a long timeand doesn’t move away, be sure to watch him closely.
18. The point is not to increase the number of soldiers more and more. You cannot go forward with military strength alone. It is enough to have as much of it as you need in order to cope with the enemy [11] by concentrating your forces and correctly assessing the enemy. Whoever does not reason and treats the enemy with contempt will certainly become his prisoner.
19. If the soldiers are not yet disposed towards you, and you begin to punish them, they will not obey you; and if they do not obey, it will be difficult to use them. If the soldiers are already favorable to you, and no punishments are carried out, you will not be able to use them at all.
20. Therefore, when ordering them, act with the help of the civil principle; forcing them to obey you all as one, act with the help of a military principle.
21. When laws are generally fulfilled, in this case, if you teach something to the people, the people obey you. When the laws are not followed at all, in this case, if you teach something to the people, the people do not obey you. When laws are generally adopted with confidence and are clear, it means that you and the masses have mutually found each other.
