《孙子》（The Art of War）首篇，纲领全文。其核心是两点：一是“庙算”，军事上的战略运筹，对未来胜负条件的基本估计。一是“诡道十二法”，实际战场态势中的指挥原则。“诡道”十二法可分为两类，一类是“示形”以机诈取胜；一类是“权变”，各种情况下的不同作战原则。
孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。
孙子说：战争是一个国家的头等大事，关系到军民的生死，国家的存亡，是不能不慎重周密地观察、分析、研究。
Sun Tzu said:The art of waris of vital importance to the State. It isa matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.
故经之以五事，校之以七计，而索其情。
因此，必须通过敌我双方五个方面的分析，七种情况的比较，得到详情，来预测战争胜负的可能性。
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
注解：“五事”指的是《始计》下面的“道天地将法”，“七计”指的是“主孰有道，将孰有能，天地孰得，法令孰行，兵众孰强，士卒孰练，赏罚孰明”。
一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰将，五曰法。
道者，令民于上同意，可与之死，可与之生，而不畏危也。
天者，阴阳、寒暑、时制也。
地者，高下，远近、险易、广狭、死生也。
将者，智、信、仁、勇、严也。
法者，曲制、官道、主用也。
凡此五者，将莫不闻，知之者胜，不知之者不胜。
一是道，二是天，三是地，四是将，五是法。
道，指君主和民众目标相同，意志统一，可以同生共死，而不会惧怕危险。
天，指昼夜、阴晴、寒暑、四季更替。
地，指地势的高低，路程的远近，地势的险要、平坦与否，战场的广阔、狭窄，是生地还是死地等地理条件。
将，指将领足智多谋，赏罚有信，对部下真心关爱，勇敢果断，军纪严明。
法，指组织结构，责权划分，人员编制，管理制度，资源保障，物资调配。
对这五个方面，将领都不能不做深刻了解。了解就能胜利，否则就不能胜利。
These are:The Moral Law;Heaven;Earth;The Commander;Method and discipline.
The Moral Lawcauses the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
Heavensignifies night and day, cold and heat,times and seasons.
Earthcomprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes;thechances of life and death.
The Commanderstands for the virtues of wisdom,sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.
Bymethod and disciplineare to be understoodthe marshaling of the armyin its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.
These five heads should be familiar to every general:he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.
故校之以七计，而索其情。
曰：主孰有道？将孰有能？天地孰得？法令孰行？兵众孰强？士卒孰练？赏罚孰明？
吾以此知胜负矣。
所以，要通过对双方各种情况的考察分析，并据此加以比较，从而来预测战争胜负。
哪一方的君主是有道明君，能得民心？哪一方的将领更有能力？哪一方占有天时地利？哪一方的法规、法令更能严格执行？哪一方资源更充足，装备更精良，兵员更广大？哪一方的士兵训练更有素，更有战斗力？哪一方的赏罚更公正严明？
通过这些比较，我就知道了胜负。
Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison,in this wise:
Which of the two sovereignsis imbued with the Moral law? Which of the two generals has most ability? With whom liethe advantages derived from Heaven and Earth? On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? Whicharmyis stronger? On which side areofficersandmenmore highly trained? In which army is therethe greater constancyboth in reward and punishment?
By means ofthese seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.
将听吾计，用之必胜，留之；将不听吾计，用之必败，去之。
计利以听，乃为之势，以佐其外。
势者，因利而制权也。
将领听从我的计策，任用他必胜，我就留下他；将领不听从我的计策，任用他必败，我就辞退他。
听从了有利于克敌制胜的计策，还要创造一种势态，作为协助我方军事行动的外部条件。
势，就是按照我方建立优势、掌握战争主动权的需要，根据具体情况采取不同的相应措施。
The general thathearkens tomy counseland acts uponit, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it,will suffer defeat: let such a one be dismissed!
While heading the profit of my counsel,avail yourself also ofany helpful circumstancesover and beyond the ordinary rules.
According as circumstances are favorable,one should modify one's plans.
avail: to be of use or advantage; to produce or result in as a benefit or advantage
-Our best efforts did not avail.
- His efforts availed him nothing.
avail oneself of..: or less commonlyavail of, meaning
to make use of or to take advantage of
-They availed themselves of his services.
兵者，诡道也。
故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，近而示之远，远而示之近。
利而诱之，乱而取之，实而备之，强而避之，怒而挠之，卑而骄之，佚而劳之，亲而离之，攻其无备，出其不意。
此兵家之胜，不可先传也。
用兵作战，就是诡诈。
因此，有能力而装做没有能力，实际上要攻打而装做不攻打，欲攻打近处却装做攻打远处，攻打远处却装做攻打近处。
对方贪利就用利益诱惑他，对方混乱就趁机攻取他，对方强大就要防备他，对方暴躁易怒就可以撩拨他怒而失去理智，对方自卑而谨慎就使他骄傲自大，对方体力充沛就使其劳累，对方内部亲密团结就挑拨离间，要攻打对方没有防备的地方，在对方没有料到的时机发动进攻。
这些都是军事家克敌制胜的诀窍，不可先传泄于人也。
All warfare is based on deception.
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away,we must make him believe we are near.
Hold out baits toenticethe enemy.Feign disorder,and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.If he is in superior strength,evadehim. If your opponent is ofcholerictemper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
Thesemilitary devices, leading to victory,must not bedivulgedbeforehand.
1）entice: tempt;to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire
2）feign: to give a false appearance of; to induce as a false impression.
eg:feign death
3）evade:to slip away;to avoid facing up to
4）choleric:easily moved to often unreasonable or excessive anger : hot-tempered
5）divulge:to make public(archaic);to make known (something, such as a confidence or secret)
东汉末年，曹操打败了袁绍，平定了北方，高干在并州据地称王，河东卫固、范先表面要求任太守，实际与高干暗通，曹操没有让他们任太守，由杜畿担任河东太守。杜畿说自己孤身前去赴任，让卫固感到出乎意料，然后分化他们来巩固地位。
——《出其不意典故》
夫未战而庙算胜者，得算多也；未战而庙算不胜者，得算少也。
多算胜，少算不胜，而况于无算乎！
吾以此观之，胜负见矣。
在未战之前，经过周密的分析、比较、谋划，如果结论是我方占据的有利条件多，有八、九成的胜利把握；或者如果结论是我方占据的有利条件少，只有六、七成的胜利把握，则只有前一种情况在实战时才可能取胜。
如果在战前干脆就不做周密的分析、比较，或分析、比较的结论是我方只有五成以下的胜利把握，那在实战中就不可能获胜。
仅根据庙算的结果，不用实战，胜负就显而易见了。
Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought.The general who loses a battle makes but few calculationsbeforehand.
Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all!
It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.
beforehand: in articipation, in advance
thus do..at all:With more careful calculations, one can win; with less, one cannot. How much less chance of victory has one who makes no calculations at all!