Chapter 7. Military Manoeuvere,军争 explains the dangers of direct conflict and how to win those confrontations when they are forced upon you.

Difficulties in Troops Manoeuvere - Sun Tzu

English: Sun Tzu said: In any military campaign, the general will first receive orders from his ruler. He then assembles the troops and mobilise the people. He must harmonize these diverse groups and build their relationships and comradeships. However, none of these are more difficult than military maneuvers. The difficulty about the art of maneuver is to convert difficult and torturous routes into direct accesses, and to turn disastrous circumstances into advantage situations.

Modern: 孙子说：一般用兵法则是，将帅从君主领命，招募士卒，组织与训练一支军队，和部署建立同生共死的关系等等。但这些并不难，而最难的是争取有利战机。争取有利战机的困难在于把迂回的路变为直路，把不利条件变为有利。

Original: 孙子曰：凡用兵之法，将受命于君，合军聚众，交合而舍，莫难于军争。军争之难者，以迂为直，以患为利。

Reaching Battlefield Earlier - Sun Tzu

English: Thus, advance by using indirect routes, and lure the enemy by offering gains as bait. As such, while you may set off later than your enemy but you will be able to arrive earlier than him. The one who knows how to do this understands the use of direct and indirect strategies.

Modern: 用迂回的道路前进，并用利来引诱敌人，这样一来即使比敌人晚出发，也还能先到达战场。这就是懂得弯路和直路的道理。

Original: 故迂其途，而诱之以利，后人发，先人至，此知迂直之计者也。

Difficulty in Equipping Army - Sun Tzu

English: In maneuvering there are advantages to be gained and dangers and calamities as well. One who attempts to mobilize a complete and fully equipped army so as to go after advantages and gains will be late in seizing them. One who sends a lightly equipped army to go after advantages and gains is likely to suffer severe losses of stores and supplies.

An army may bundle up and keep the armor wear, in order to rush its movement forward through nights and days without rest so that double the distance can be covered. It can travel 100 miles to contend for advantages against the enemy. However, such an army is likely to risk having the generals of its three divisions captured. This is because the stronger and fitter men will be in front while the weaker ones are far behind. As a result, only one tenth of it will reach the destination. It can travel 50 miles to contend for advantages against the enemy. In this case, the general of the vanguard will be humiliated and defeated. This is because only half the troops will arrive at the destination. It can travel 30 miles to contend for advantages against the enemy, but only two thirds of the troops will arrive at the destination.

It follows that an army without heavy equipment and supplies will perish. An army without sufficient food and grain will die. An army without sufficient stockpiles and reserves will not survive.

Modern: 军争有其有利的一面，也有其危险的一面。如果携带所有辎重与敌争利，则赶不上。若放弃所有辎重与敌争利，则辎重损失。因此，卷起盔甲，昼夜不停，加速赶 路，走上一百里与敌争利，三军将领有可能被俘虏，体力好的士卒在前，体力不好的在后，一般只有十分之一的部队会抵达；若是五十里与敌争利，则上将军受折 损，一般只有二分之一的部队会抵达；若是三十里与敌争利，一般只有三分之二的部队会抵达。所以军队没有足够辎重就会灭亡，没有足够粮食就会灭亡，没有足够 物资积蓄就会灭亡。

Original: 故军争为利，军争为危。举军而争利，则不及；委军而争利，则辎重损。是故卷甲而趋，日月不处，倍道兼行，百里而争利，则擒三将军，劲者先，疲者后，其法十 一而至；五十里而争利，则蹶上将军，其法半至；三十里而争利，则三分之二至。故军无辎重则亡，无粮食则亡，无委积则亡。

Critical Information for Manoeuvering - Sun Tzu

English: Thus, if the schemes and ploys of the neighboring warlords are not known, one should not be keen to enter into any alliances with them. Those who do not know the conditions of the forested mountains, the dangerous terrain of mountain paths, and the treacherous nature of swamps and marshes will not be able to conduct the movement of troops. Those who do not use local guides will not be able to gain the advantages of the terrain.

Modern: 所以，如果不知各诸侯的打算，则不可与之结交；如果不掌握地形，则不可行军；如果不用乡导，则不能得地利。

Original: 故不知诸侯之谋者，不能豫交；不知山林，险阻，沮泽之形者，不能行军；不用乡导者，不能得地利。

Art of Manoeuvering - Sun Tzu

English: Thus, war is based on who applies deception best. Move when there is advantages. Create changes in situations through the dispersion and concentration of forces. Thus, when in movement, be as swift as the wind. When in slow marches, be as majestic as the forest. When raiding, be as ferocious as the fire. When not in movement, be as steady as the mountains. When in concealment, be as inscrutable as the darkness. When attacking, be as overwhelming as the roar of thunder and merciless as the strike of lightning. When looting and plundering the villages, share the bounty with the troops. When occupying conquered territories, share the gains. Consider and deliberate carefully before deciding on any action. Those who can master beforehand the skill of using the indirect and direct approaches, strategies and schemes will win. Such is the art of maneuvering military forces.

Modern: 所以用兵打战要靠权变才能成功，有利可图则动，以分散或集中军队为变换战术。军队行动应该，快如疾风，慢如森林，掳掠如火，不动如山，不可窥测如阴暗，攻 击冲锋如雷电；掳掠乡邑，所得分发给兵众；扩张领土，分发所得之利；权衡利害得失而后动。预先得知迂直之计能得胜。此乃军争之法。

Original: 故兵以诈立，以利动，以分合为变者也。故其疾如风，其徐如林，侵略如火，不动如山，难知如阴，动如雷震。掠乡分众，廓地分利，悬权而动。先知迂直至计者胜，此军争之法也。

Importance of Unity in Manoeuvering - Sun Tzu

English: According to the Book on Military Administration, “In battles, as verbal communication cannot be heard clearly, cymbals and drums are used as commands” As visual communication and eye contact are hampered, banners and flags are used as signals. Now the purpose of using cymbals, drums, flags and banners is to draw attention of the troops and focus them for combat under the direction of the commander. Once the troops are united as one body, the courageous ones will not advance forward by themselves and the cowardly ones will not retreat by themselves. This is the art of directing larges forces in battles.

Modern: <<军政>> 说：“作战中用口令指挥无效，所以应该用金鼓；因为看不见，所以应该用。” 金鼓和金鼓，是用来统一全军行动的。全军统一，则勇者不会擅自前进，怯懦者不会擅自后退。这就是指挥军队的方法。

Original: 军政曰：┌言不相闻，故为金鼓；视不相见，故为旌旗┘ 夫金鼓旌旗者，所以一人之耳目也；人既专一，则勇者不得独进，怯者不得独退，此用众之法也。

Uniting Troops during Manoeuvere - Sun Tzu

English: For battles at night, use more torches and drums. For battles in the day, use more banners and flags. These different means of communication can be designed to influence the judgement of the enemy.

Modern: 夜战多用金鼓和火把指挥，白天作战则多用旌旗指挥军队，也可用它们误导敌人。

Original: 故夜战多用火鼓，昼战多旌旗，所以变人之耳目也。

Controlling Morale - Sun Tzu

English: Thus, they serve to destroy the morale of the enemy’s army. With regard to the generals of the enemy, they serve to rob them off their decisiveness. At the beginning of a military campaign, the fighting spirits of the forces are high. As the campaign progresses, the spirit of the forces become sluggish and tiredness comes in. Towards the end of the campaign, thoughts of returning home will set in. Therefore, the adept at warfare avoids engaging the enemy when the spirits are high. Only attacks them when their spirits are sluggish and the soldiers are homesick. This is control of morale factor.

Modern: 所以可以使三军士气衰歇，可是将军决心动摇。在早晨士气旺盛，中午士气低落，傍晚士气衰歇。善于用兵者，避敌人旺盛锐气，待敌人士气衰歇才攻击，此乃掌握士气用兵之法。

Original: 故三军可夺气，将军可夺心。是故朝气锐，昼气惰，暮气归。故善用兵者，避其锐气， 击其惰气，此治气者也。

Handling Psychological Factor - Sun Tzu

English: Use orderliness and stability to confront chaos and disorder. Use calmness and steadfastness to deal with noisiness and clamour. This is control of the psychological factor.

Modern: 用自己的整齐对待敌人的混乱，用自己的冷静对待敌人的喧哗，这是掌握用兵时的心理方面。

Original: 以治待乱，以静待哗，此治心者也。

Managing Physique Factor - Sun Tzu

English: Use proximity to battlefield to counter enemies that come from afar. Use well rested troops to counter tired and exhausted enemies. Use well fed troops to counter enemies that are hungry. This is control of the physical factor.

Modern: 以自己的近对待敌人的远，以自己的安逸对待敌人的疲劳，以自己的饱食对待敌人的饥饿，这就是掌握用兵时体力的方面。

Original: 以近待远，以佚待劳，以饱待饥，此治力者也。

Managing Change Factor - Sun Tzu

English: Never engage an approaching enemy who displays orderly flags and banners. Never engage an advancing enemy which shows an impressive and organized formation. This is control of the change factor.

Modern: 不拦截旗帜整齐的敌军部队，不攻击阵容强大的敌军部队，这就是掌握机动变化。

Original: 无邀正正之旗，无击堂堂之阵，此治变者也。

Manoeuvering & Deploying of Troops-Sun Tzu

English: Thus the art of applying military maneuvers includes the following:

Do not advance against an enemy who is encamped on high grounds.

Do not engage an enemy who is assaulting downwards from high ridges.

Do not pursue an enemy who pretends to retreat in desperation.

Do not attack the agile and motivated elite force of the enemy.

Do not fall for bait offered by the enemy.

Do not intercept an enemy who is returning to his home country.

In surrounding an enemy, always leave him an escape route.

Do not pursue a desperate enemy relentlessly.

These are the ways and art of maneuvering and deploying troops.

Modern: 用兵之方法是： 敌人在高处，不可攻击；不要迎战背后有高地依恃的敌人；不要追击假装撤退的敌人；不要攻击气势正盛的敌人；不要捡拾敌人以利诱我的饵食；不要截阻或追击想回家的敌军；包围敌人时，应该留一个逃生活口；敌人被困时，不可过度施压。

Original: 故用兵之法，高陵勿向，背丘勿逆，佯北勿从，锐卒勿攻， 饵兵勿食，归师勿遏， 围师必阙，穷寇勿追，此用兵之法也。

Sumber : http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Sun_Tzu_Art_of_War_Chapter_7