Art of War 4.16
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Tactical Dispositions 形篇
善用兵者修道而保法故能爲勝敗之政
The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline;
thus it is in his power to control success.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
For 道 and 法, see supra, I. 4 sqq. I think that Chang Yü is wrong in altering their signification here, and taking them as 爲戰之道 and 制敵之法 respectively.
Character glossary
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 修xiūto study; to repair; to decorate; to cul
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 保bǎoto safeguard, to protect, to defend, to
- 法fǎlaw, rule, statute; method, way; French
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 勝shèngvictory; to excel, to truimph
- 敗bàifailure; to decline, to fail, to suffer
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 政zhènggovernment, politics
Passages with shared wording
- Art of War 11.59
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 20
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Art of War 6.21
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 1
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 67
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
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