Verse 2-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 5

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Verse 2-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 5

English

Now the troops will not fear the enemy and their general at the same time. If they fear us then they will despise the enemy; if they fear the enemy they will despise us. The general who is despised will be defeated; the general who establishes his awesomeness will be victorious. In general, when the general is able to establish awesomeness, his commander will fear him. When the commander fear their general, the troops will fear their commanders. When the troops fear their commanders, then the enemy will fear the troops. For this reason, those who would know the Way of victory and defeat, must first figure out the relationship between fearing and despising. Now one who is gained the goodwill of the troops through love, he cannot use the troops; one who is not respected and feared in the minds of his troops, he cannot use the troops. Love make the troops follow orders, awesomeness is established from above. If they love their general they will not have divided minds; if they are awestruck by their general they will not be rebellious. Thus excelling at generalship is merely a question of exercising love and awesomeness.

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Modern

士卒是不会既畏惧敌人又畏惧自己将帅的。畏惧自己的将帅就会蔑视敌人，畏惧敌人就会蔑视自己的将冲。将帅被士卒蔑视，作战就会失败；将帅在士卒个有威信，作战就能胜利。凡将帅能掌握运用这个原则，军吏就会畏惧将帅；军吏畏惧将帅，士卒就会畏惧军吏；士卒畏惧军吏，敌人就会畏惧我军士卒。因此，要知道胜败的道理，首先就要懂得畏惧与蔑视两者的相互关系。如果不能以爱使士卒悦服、士卒就不会为我所用；如果不能以威信使士卒畏成，士卒就不会听我指挥。爱抚在于使下级驯服；威信在于上级自己树立。爱抚能使士卒不怀二心；威信能使下级不敢违令。所以善于带兵的人，就要善于掌握爱与威的运用。

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