Art of War 1.21
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Laying Plans 計篇
實而備之强而避之
If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
The meaning of 實 is made clear from chap. VI, where it is opposed to 虛 “weak or vulnerable spots.” 强, according to Tu Yu and other commentators, has reference to the keenness of the men as well as to numerical superiority. Capt. Calthrop evolves an extraordinarily far-fetched translation: “If there are defects, give an appearance of perfection, and awe the enemy. Pretend to be strong, and so cause the enemy to avoid you”!
Character glossary
- 實shíreal, true; honest, sincere
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 備bèito prepare; to get ready, to equip; read
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 强qiángstrong, powerful, energetic
- 避bìto avoid, to turn away; to escape, to hi
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Zhuangzi Language
- Art of War 9.24
- Art of War 3.9
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.