Verse 3-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 5
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Verse 3-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 5
English
One who is unsure of victory, should not rush into battle. One who is unsure of capturing a city, should not launch an assault on the city. Otherwise, their punishments and rewards were not sufficiently trusted. Credibility must be established before the moment of need; affairs must be managed before the first signs appear. Thus the masses, when once assembled, should not be dismissed. When the army has set forth, it should not return empty-handed. They will seek the enemy as if searching for a lost son; they will attack the enemy as if rescuing a drowning man, with haste.
Modern
作战没有必胜的把握，就不可以轻言作战，攻城没有必取的把握，就不可以轻言攻城。否则，即使采取严刑重赏也是不足以令人信服的。威信在于平素树立，事变要在事前预见。所以兵员一经集中，就不能随便解散，军队一经出动，就不能无功而返。寻求敌人要象寻找丢失的孩子那样志在必得，进攻敌人务象抢救落水的人那样奋不顾身地迅速行动。
Original
战不必胜，不可以言战，攻不必拔，不可以言攻。不然，虽刑赏不足信也。信在期前，事在未兆。故众已聚不虚散，兵已出不徒归。求敌若求亡子，击敌若救溺入。
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From: Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 5