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Chinese Text Project
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Scope: Tactical Dispositions Request type: Paragraph
Condition 1: Contains text "是故勝兵先勝而後求戰" Matched:1.
Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.

軍形 - Tactical Dispositions

English translation: Lionel Giles [?] Library Resources
[Also known as: 《形》]

3 軍形:
見勝,不過眾人之所知,非善之善者也。戰勝,而天下曰善,非善之善者也。故舉秋毫,不為多力;見日月,不為明目;聞雷霆,不為聰耳。古之善戰者,勝于易勝者;故善戰者之勝也,無智名,無勇功。故其戰勝不忒,不忒者,其措必勝,勝已敗者也。故善戰者,立于不敗之地,而不失敵之敗也。是故勝兵先勝,而後求戰;敗兵先戰,而後求勝。
Tactical Dispositions:...:
To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done!" To 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. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage. He 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. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. Thus 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.

Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.