其用战也胜，久则钝兵挫锐，攻城则力屈，久暴师则国用不足。
A speedy victory is the main object in war.
If this is long in coming, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.
If troops are attacking cities, their strength will be exhausted.
夫钝兵挫锐，屈力殚货，则诸侯乘其弊而起，虽有智者，不能善其后矣。
故兵闻拙速，未睹巧之久也。
When the army engages in protracted campaigns, the resources of the state will fall short.
When your weapons are dulled and ardour dampened, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, the chieftains of the neighbouring states will take advantage of your crisis to act.
In that case, no man, however wise, will be able to avert the disastrous consequences that ensue.
夫兵久而国利者，未之有也。
故不尽知用兵之害者，则不能尽知用兵之利也。
Thus, while we have heard of stupid haste in war, we have not yet seen a clever operation that was prolonged.
For there has never been a protracted war which benefited a country.
Therefore, those unable to understand the evils inherent in employing troops are equally unable to understand the advantageous ways of doing so.
善用兵者，役不再籍，粮不三载；取用于国，因粮于敌，故军食可足也。
Those adept in waging war do not require a second levy of conscripts or more than two provisions.
They carry military equipment from the homeland, but rely on the enemy for provisions.
Thus, the army is plentifully provided with food.
国之贫于师者远输，远输则百姓贫。
近于师者贵卖，贵卖则百姓财竭，财竭则急于丘役。
When a country is impoverished by military operations, it is due to distant transportation; carrying supplies for great distances renders the people destitute.
Where troops are gathered, prices go up.
When prices rise, the wealth of the people is drained away.
力屈、财殚，中原内虚于家。
When wealth is drained away, the people will be afflicted with urgent and heavy exactions.
百姓之费，十去其七；公家之费，破车罢马，甲胄矢弩，戟盾蔽橹，丘牛大车，十去其六。
故智将务食于敌，食敌一钟，当吾二十钟；意秆一石，当吾二十石。
With this loss of wealth and exhaustion of strength the households in the country will be extremely poor and seven-tenths of their wealth dissipated.
As to government expenditures, those due to broken-down chariots, worn-out horses, armour and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantlets, draft oxen, and wagons will amount to 60 percent of the total.
Hence, a wise general sees to it that his troops feed on the enemy, for one zhong of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of one’s own and one shi of the enemy’s fodder to twenty shi of one’s own.
故杀敌者，怒也；取敌之利者，货也。
In order to make the soldiers courageous in overcoming the enemy, they must be roused to anger.
故车战，得车十乘已上，赏其先得者，而更其旌旗，车杂而乘之，卒善而养之，是谓胜敌而益强。
In order to capture more booty from the enemy, soldiers must have their rewards.
Therefore, in chariot fighting when more than ten chariots are captured, reward those who take the first.
Replace the enemy’s flags and banners with your own, mix the captured chariots with yours, and mount them.
Treat the prisoners of war well, and care for them.
故兵贵胜，不贵久。
故知兵之将，生民之司命，国家安危之主也。
This is called ‘winning a battle and becoming stronger’.
Hence, what is valued in war is victory, not prolonged operations.
And the general who understands how to employ troops is the minister of the people’s fate and arbiter of the nation’s destiny.