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Original |
Translation |
| 1 |
孫子曰：凡火攻有五：一曰火人，二曰火積，三曰火輜，四曰火庫，
五曰火隊。
|
Sun Zi 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 |
行火必有因，煙火必素具。 |
In order to carry out an attack, we must have
means available. The material for raising fire should
always be kept in readiness. |
| 3 |
發火有時，起火有日。 |
There is a proper season for making attacks with fire,
and special days for starting a conflagration. |
| 4 |
時者，天之燥也。日者，月在萁、壁、翼、軫也。凡此四宿者，風起之日也
。 |
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 |
凡火攻，必因五火之變而應之。
|
In attacking with fire, one should be prepared
to meet five possible developments: |
| 6 |
火發于內，則早應之于外。 |
(1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp,
respond at once with an attack from without. |
| 7 |
火發而其兵靜者，待而勿攻。 |
(2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's
soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack. |
| 8 |
極其火力，可從而從之，不可從而止。 |
(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 |
火可發于外，無待于內，以時發之。 |
(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 |
火發上風，無攻下風。 |
(5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it.
Do not attack from the leeward. |
| 11 |
晝風久，夜風止。 |
A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long,
but a night breeze soon falls. |
| 12 |
凡軍必知有五火之變，以數守之。 |
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 |
故以火佐攻者明，以水佐攻者強。
|
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 |
水可以絕，不可以奪。 |
By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted,
but not robbed of all his belongings. |
| 15 |
夫戰勝攻取，而不修其功者凶，命曰“費留”。 |
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 |
故曰：明主慮之，良將修之。 |
Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his
plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.
|
| 17 |
非利不動，非得不用，非危不戰。 |
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 |
主不可以怒而興師，將不可以慍而致戰。 |
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 |
合于利而動，不合于利而止。 |
If it is to your advantage, make a forward move;
if not, stay where you are. |
| 20 |
怒可以復喜，慍可以復悅， |
Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may
be succeeded by content. |
| 21 |
亡國不可以復存，死者不可以復生。 |
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 |
故明君慎之，良將警之。此安國全軍之道也。 |
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. |
