晉侯獲於韓，楚子玉、得臣敗於城濮，蔡不待敵而眾潰。
However vast in territory and rich in population a state may be, however sturdy its armor and sharp its weapons, however fierce and awesome its generals, it still cannot win battles and enjoy success unless its officers and men are closely bound to each other.
故語曰：「文玉不能使不附之民，先軫不能戰不教之卒，造父、王良不能以弊車不作之馬趨疾而致遠，羿、逢蒙不能以枉矢弱弓射遠中微。
The marquis of Jin was taken captive at Hán; Ziyu of Chu was defeated at Chengpu; and the forces of Cai did not wait for the enemy to appear before collapsing.
故強弱成敗之要，在乎附士卒、教習之而已。」
So, as the proverb says, “Even a Wen-wang18 cannot lead people who do not adhere to him; even a Xian Zhen19 cannot wage war with troops that are uninstructed; even Zao Fu and Wang Liang20 cannot drive swiftly or travel far with broken-down carriages and spiritless horses; and even Yi and Feng Meng21 cannot shoot tiny objects in the distance with crooked arrows and weak bows.” Thus, we can see that the essential factor in strength and weakness, success and failure lies purely in the bond between officers and men and in the training that they receive.