1. Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of

attacking with fire.

The first is to burn soldiers in their

camp; the second is to burn stores; the

third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth

is to burn arsenals and magazines; the

fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the

enemy.

2. In order to carry out an attack, we must

have means available.

The material for raising fire should always

be kept in readiness.

3. There is a proper season for making

attacks with fire, and special days for

starting a conflagration.

4. The proper season is when the weather is

very dry; the special days are those when

the moon is in the constellations of the

Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar;

for these four are all days of rising wind.

5. In attacking with fire, one should be

prepared to meet five possible

developments:

6. (1) When fire breaks out inside to

enemy's camp, respond at once with an

attack from without.

7. (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but

the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide

your time and do not attack.

8. (3) When the force of the flames has

reached its height, follow it up with an

attack, if that is practicable; if not,

stay where you are.

9. (4) If it is possible to make an assault

with fire from without, do not wait for it

to break out within, but deliver your

attack at a favorable moment.

10. (5) When you start a fire, be to

windward of it.

Do not attack from the leeward.

11. A wind that rises in the daytime lasts

long, but a night breeze soon falls.

12. In every army, the five developments

connected with fire must be known, the

movements of the stars calculated, and a

watch kept for the proper days.

13. Hence those who use fire as an aid to

the attack show intelligence; those who use

water as an aid to the attack gain an

accession of strength.

14. By means of water, an enemy may be

intercepted, but not robbed of all his

belongings.

15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to

win his battles and succeed in his attacks

without cultivating the spirit of

enterprise; for the result is waste of time

and general stagnation.

16. Hence the saying: The enlightened

ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good

general cultivates his resources.

17. Move not unless you see an advantage;

use not your troops unless there is

something to be gained; fight not unless

the position is critical.

18. No ruler should put troops into the

field merely to gratify his own spleen; no

general should fight a battle simply out of

pique.

19. If it is to your advantage, make a

forward move; if not, stay where you are.

20. Anger may in time change to gladness;

vexation may be succeeded by content.

21. But a kingdom that has once been

destroyed can never come again into being;

nor can the dead ever be brought back to

life.

22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful,

and the good general full of caution.

This is the way to keep a country at peace

and an army intact.