The Art of War by Sun Tzu — Tactical Dispositions

Sun Tzǔ said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

²To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

³Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

⁴Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

⁵Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.

⁶Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.

⁷The general who is skilled in defence hides in the most secret recesses of the earth;^† he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.

⁸To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.^†

⁹Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, “Well done!”

¹⁰To lift an autumn hair^† is no sign of great strength; to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.

¹¹What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

¹²Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.

¹³He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

¹⁴Hence the skilful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.

¹⁵Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

¹⁶The consummate leader cultivates the moral law,^† and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.

¹⁷In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.^†

¹⁸Measurement owes its existence to Earth;^† Estimation of quantity to Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances.

¹⁹A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound’s weight placed in the scale against a single grain.

²⁰The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.^†