2. Waging War
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
孙子曰:凡用兵之法,驰车千驷,革车千乘,带甲十万,千里馈粮,则内外之费,宾客之用,胶漆之材,车甲之奉,日费千金,然后十万之师举矣。其用战也,贵胜,久则钝兵挫锐,攻城则力屈,久暴师则国用不足。夫钝兵挫锐,屈力殚货,则诸侯乘其弊而起,虽有智者,不能善其后矣。故兵闻拙速,未睹巧之久也。夫兵久而国利者,未之有也。故不尽知用兵之害者,则不能尽知用兵之利也。
English translation
As a rule, raising a major force means one thousand chariots, another thousand war wagons, and a hundred thousand armored troops, with grain carried far from home. Even before combat, daily costs for supplies, staff, materials, carriage, and equipment can already reach a thousand gold pieces.
Prolonged war erodes sharpness and morale, while sieges especially drain the state. A long campaign exhausts manpower and resources, inviting counter-moves from others. Therefore Sun Tzu prefers quick resolution over protracted brilliance.
Original Chinese text
善用兵者,役不再籍,粮不三载;取用于国,因粮于敌,故军食可足也。
English translation
A good commander does not levy the people repeatedly and does not force grain supply planning for three years. Armies should be provisioned through national means, and whenever possible sustain themselves from enemy stores.
Logistics is an economic strategy. Limiting repeated conscription and prolonged stockpiling protects the state’s resilience during campaigns.
Original Chinese text
国之贫于师者远输,远输则百姓贫;近师者贵卖,贵卖则百姓财竭,财竭则急于丘役。力屈财殚,中原内虚于家。百姓之费,十去其七;公家之费,破车罢马,甲胄矢弩,戟盾蔽橹,丘牛大车,十去其六。
English translation
If a state is poor, long-distance transport for the army makes the population poorer; if the army is nearby, prices rise and private wealth is drained, then households are pressed into urgent labor duty. When force is spent and assets run out, domestic stability erodes.
The text even gives magnitude estimates: much of civilian expense and a large share of public expenditure are consumed. War is therefore an economy-wide cost, not merely a military line item.
Original Chinese text
故智将务食于敌,食敌一钟,当吾二十钟;萁秆一石,当吾二十石。
English translation
Hence a wise commander should supply himself through the enemy. One unit of grain from the enemy can be worth twenty of one’s own, and one stone of their fodder can equal twenty stones of one’s stock.
The principle is operational economy: by turning enemy logistics into your own support source, your army can endure longer with less domestic cost.
Original Chinese text
故杀敌者,怒也;取敌之利者,货也。故车战,得车十乘以上,赏其先得者,而更其旌旗。车杂而乘之,卒善而养之,是谓胜敌而益强。
English translation
Slaying enemy soldiers gives release to anger; capturing enemy material gives durable value. In chariot battle, if more than ten enemy vehicles are taken, reward the first capturers and change their standards/banners, then integrate those vehicles and train crews, caring for the troops.
Victory is measured less by casualties than by the ability gained. Acquiring usable assets converts tactical success into longer-term operational advantage.
Original Chinese text
故兵贵胜,不贵久。故知兵之将,民之司命,国家安危之主也。
English translation
War prizes victory, not duration. A general who understands war is the key holder of the people’s fortunes, the principal guardian of national safety.
This line ties command competence to public consequence. In Sun Tzu’s framing, strategy is governance under risk, not pure battlefield display.