LibriVox · The Art of War
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Sun Tzu's strategy classic read by Moira Fogarty — LibriVox's most-downloaded recording of all time. Short, aphoristic sentences: dense ideas, manageable dictation lengths.
From "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, read by Moira Fogarty — a community-favorite LibriVox recording in the public domain.
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01III.
02ATTACK BY STRATEGEM.
03Sun Tzu said, The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken.
04Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.
05Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting.
06He captures their cities without laying siege to them.
07He overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
08Despite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.
09Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force, in the end it must be captured by the larger force.
10I have no idea.
11This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
12But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes.
13This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.
14Thus, we may know that there are five essentials for victory.
151.
16He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
172.
18He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
193.
20He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
214.
22He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
235.
24He will win who has military capacity, and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
25Hence the saying, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
26If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat.
27If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
28End of Part 3 Part 4 Tactical Dispositions Sun Tzu said, The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
29To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
30Thus, the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
31Hence the saying, one may know how to conquer without being able to do it.
32Security against defeat implies defensive tactics.
33Ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.
34Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength.
35Attacking, a superabundance of strength.
36The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the earth.
37He who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven.
38Thus, on the one hand, we have ability to protect ourselves.
39On the other, a victory that is complete.
40To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
41Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer, and the whole empire says, Well done!
42To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength.
43To see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight.
44To hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.
45What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.
46Hence, his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.
47He wins his battles by making no mistakes.
48Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
49Hence, the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.
50Thus 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.
51The consummate leader cultivates the moral law and strictly adheres to method and discipline.
52Thus it is in his power to control success.
53In respect of military method, we have, firstly, measurement, secondly, estimation of quantity, thirdly, calculation, fourthly, balancing of chances, fifthly, victory.
54Measurement owes its existence to earth.
55Estimation of quantity to measurement, calculation to estimation of quantity, balancing of chances to calculation, and victory to balancing of chances.
56A victorious army opposed to a routed one is as a pound's weight placed in the scale against a single grain.
57The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.
58End of Part 4 Recorded in Toronto, Ontario by Moira Fogarty October 2006 and the onrush of a conquering force is like the
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