59. 夫衆陷於害然後能爲勝敗
For it is precisely when a force has fallen into harm’s way that it is capable of striking a blow for victory.
Danger has a bracing effect.
60. 故爲兵之事在於順詳敵之意
Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose.
Ts‘ao Kung says: 佯愚也 “Feign stupidity”—by an appearance of yielding and falling in with the enemy’s wishes. Chang Yü’s note makes the meaning clear: “If the enemy shows an inclination to advance, lure him on to do so; if he is anxious to retreat, delay on purpose that he may carry out his intention.” The object is to make him remiss and contemptuous before we deliver our attack.
61. 并敵一向千里殺將
By persistently hanging on the enemy’s flank,
I understand the first four words to mean “accompanying the enemy in one direction.” Ts‘ao Kung says: 幷兵向敵 “unite the soldiers and make for the enemy.” But such a violent displacement of characters is quite indefensible. Mei Yao-ch‘ên is the only commentator who seems to have grasped the meaning: 隨敵一向然後發伏出奇. The T‘u Shu reads 并力.
we shall succeed in the long run