9月25日

《孫子兵法》選 ─ 虛實篇
春秋 孫武 ( 約 545~470 B.C.E. )

夫兵形象水，水之形，避高而趨下，兵之形，避實而擊虛。
水因地而制流，兵因敵而制勝。故兵無常勢，水無常形。
能因敵變化而取勝者，謂之神。故五行無常勝，四時無
常位，日有短長，月有死生。

──選自《孫子兵法》

September 25

Selections from the Art of War - Weak Points and Strong
Sunzi (Approx. 545 BCE - 470 BCE , Spring and Autumn Period)
English translation: Lionel Giles

Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs
away from high places and hastens downwards. So in war, the way is
to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. Water shapes its
course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the
soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.
Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there
are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation
to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a
heaven-born captain. The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal,
earth) are not always equally predominant; the four seasons make way
for each other in turn. There are short days and long; the moon has its
periods of waning and waxing.

── from Sunzi Bingfa (The Art of War)