▸ 孙子sūn zǐ的de第一dì yī章zhāng，讲jiǎng的de是shì打仗dǎ zhàng以前yǐ qián的de事shì。

Sunzi's first chapter is about what happens before the fighting starts.

▸ 他说tā shuō，战争zhàn zhēng是shì国家guó jiā最zuì大dà的de事shì，不能bù néng随便suí biàn开始kāi shǐ。

War, he says, is the gravest matter a state can face — never begin one lightly.

▸ 开始kāi shǐ以前yǐ qián，聪明cōng ming的de将军jiāng jūn要yào先xiān比较bǐ jiào五wǔ件jiàn事shì。

Before beginning, a wise general first compares five things.

▸ 第一dì yī是shì“道dào”：你的nǐ de人民rén mín支持zhī chí你nǐ吗ma？

The first is the Way: do your people support you?

▸ 大家dà jiā愿意yuàn yì跟gēn你nǐ站zhàn在一起zài yī qǐ，你nǐ才cái有yǒu真正的zhēn zhèng de力量lì liang。

Only when everyone is willing to stand with you do you have real strength.

▸ 第二dì èr是shì“天tiān”：时间shí jiān和hé天气tiān qì对duì你好nǐ hǎo不好bù hǎo？

The second is Heaven: are the timing and the weather on your side?

▸ 冬天dōng tiān太tài冷lěng，夏天xià tiān太tài热rè，士兵shì bīng就jiù没有méi yǒu力气lì qi。

Too cold in winter or too hot in summer, and the soldiers have no strength.

▸ 第dì三sān是shì“地de”：你nǐ了解liǎo jiě那里nà li的de地形dì xíng吗ma？

The third is Earth: do you understand the terrain there?

▸ 高山gāo shān、大河dà hé、路lù的de远近yuǎn jìn，都dōu会huì改变gǎi biàn结果jié guǒ。

Mountains, rivers, and the length of the roads can all change the outcome.

▸ 第dì四sì是shì“将jiāng”：将军jiāng jūn聪明cōng ming吗ma？士兵shì bīng相信xiāng xìn他tā吗ma？

The fourth is the Leader: is the general wise, and do the soldiers trust him?

▸ 第五dì wǔ是shì“法fǎ”：军队jūn duì有没有yǒu méi yǒu清楚qīng chu的de规则guī zé？

The fifth is Method: does the army have clear rules?

▸ 孙子sūn zǐ说shuō，比较bǐ jiào完wán这zhè五wǔ件jiàn事shì，你nǐ就jiù知道zhī dào谁shéi会huì赢yíng。

Compare these five things, says Sunzi, and you will know who is going to win.

▸ 有yǒu这样zhè yàng一个yī ge故事gù shì。

Here is a story about that.

▸ 两位liǎng wèi将军jiāng jūn就要jiù yào打仗dǎ zhàng了le。

Two generals were about to go to war.

▸ 第一dì yī位wèi将军jiāng jūn每天měi tiān研究yán jiū地形dì xíng，看kàn天气tiān qì，问wèn士兵shì bīng的de想法xiǎng fǎ。

The first general studied the terrain every day, watched the weather, and asked his soldiers what they thought.

▸ 第二位dì èr wèi将军jiāng jūn说shuō：“我的wǒ de士兵shì bīng比bǐ他tā多duō，我wǒ一定yī dìng会huì赢yíng。”

The second general said, "I have more soldiers than he does — I am sure to win."

▸ 打仗dǎ zhàng以前yǐ qián，他tā什么shén me都dōu没有méi yǒu准备zhǔn bèi。

Before the battle, he prepared nothing at all.

▸ 结果jié guǒ，第一dì yī位wèi将军jiāng jūn选xuǎn了le一个yī ge下雨xià yǔ的de晚上wǎn shang，从小cóng xiǎo路lù进攻jìn gōng。

In the end, the first general chose a rainy night and attacked along a small path.

▸ 第二位dì èr wèi将军jiāng jūn的de士兵shì bīng又yòu冷lěng又yòu累lèi，很快hěn kuài就jiù失败shī bài了le。

The second general's soldiers were cold and exhausted, and were quickly defeated.

▸ 孙子sūn zǐ还hái讲jiǎng了le一个yī ge重要zhòng yào的de道理dào li：打仗dǎ zhàng的de时候shí hou，可以kě yǐ骗piàn敌人dí rén。

Sunzi teaches one more important idea: in war, you may deceive the enemy.

▸ 你nǐ很hěn强qiáng的de时候shí hou，要yào让ràng敌人dí rén觉得jué de你nǐ很hěn弱ruò。

When you are strong, make the enemy think you are weak.

▸ 你nǐ要yào进攻jìn gōng的de时候shí hou，要yào让ràng敌人dí rén觉得jué de你nǐ在zài休息xiū xi。

When you are about to attack, make the enemy think you are resting.

▸ 敌人dí rén越yuè不bù了解liǎo jiě你nǐ，你的nǐ de机会jī huì就jiù越yuè多duō。

The less the enemy understands you, the more chances you have.

▸ 孙子sūn zǐ说shuō：“兵bīng者zhě，诡guǐ道dào也yě。”意思yì si是shì：战争zhàn zhēng就是jiù shì骗人piàn rén的de艺术yì shù。

Sunzi said, "War is the way of deception." It means: war is the art of misleading your opponent.

▸ 这个zhè ge道理dào li今天jīn tiān也yě有用yǒu yòng：下棋xià qí的de时候shí hou，你nǐ不会bù huì告诉gào sù对手duì shǒu你的nǐ de计划jì huà。

The idea still works today: when you play chess, you don't tell your opponent your plan.

▸ 做zuò大事dà shì以前yǐ qián，先xiān比较bǐ jiào，再zài决定jué dìng——这zhè就是jiù shì孙子sūn zǐ的de第一dì yī课kè。

Before any great undertaking, first compare, then decide — that is Sunzi's first lesson.

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