Art of War 9.5
The Art of War (孫子兵法), The Army On The March 行軍篇
欲戰者無附於水而迎客
If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
For fear of preventing his crossing. Capt. Calthrop makes the injunction ridiculous by omitting 欲戰者.
Character glossary
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 戰zhànwar, fighting, battle
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 附fùnearby; to adhere to, to attach; to rely
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 水shuǐwater, liquid, lotion, juice
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 迎yíngto welcome, to receive, to greet
- 客kèguest, traveller; customer
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 5B.2
- Art of War 6.11
- Art of War 6.12
- Zhuangzi Mountain Trees
- Zhuangzi Contingencies
- Mencius 7B.23
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.