1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general

receives his commands from the sovereign,

collects his army and concentrates his

forces

2. When in difficult country, do not

encamp.

In country where high roads intersect, join

hands with your allies.

Do not linger in dangerously isolated

positions.

In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to

stratagem.

In desperate position, you must fight.

3. There are roads which must not be

followed, armies which must be not

attacked, towns which must not be besieged,

positions which must not be contested,

commands of the sovereign which must not be

obeyed.

4. The general who thoroughly understands

the advantages that accompany variation of

tactics knows how to handle his troops.

5. The general who does not understand

these, may be well acquainted with the

configuration of the country, yet he will

not be able to turn his knowledge to

practical account.

6. So, the student of war who is unversed

in the art of war of varying his plans,

even though he be acquainted with the Five

Advantages, will fail to make the best use

of his men.

7. Hence in the wise leader's plans,

considerations of advantage and of

disadvantage will be blended together.

8. If our expectation of advantage be

tempered in this way, we may succeed in

accomplishing the essential part of our

schemes.

9. If, on the other hand, in the midst of

difficulties we are always ready to seize

an advantage, we may extricate ourselves

from misfortune.

10. Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting

damage on them; and make trouble for them,

and keep them constantly engaged; hold out

specious allurements, and make them rush to

any given point.

11. The art of war teaches us to rely not

on the likelihood of the enemy's not

coming, but on our own readiness to receive

him; not on the chance of his not

attacking, but rather on the fact that we

have made our position unassailable.

12. There are five dangerous faults which

may affect a general: (1) Recklessness,

which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice,

which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper,

which can be provoked by insults; (4) a

delicacy of honor which is sensitive to

shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men,

which exposes him to worry and trouble.

13. These are the five besetting sins of a

general, ruinous to the conduct of war.

14. When an army is overthrown and its

leader slain, the cause will surely be

found among these five dangerous faults.

Let them be a subject of meditation.