Chaos is born from order

Critical Text

Yinqueshan Text

亂生於治怯生於勇弱生於強治亂數也勇怯勢也強。。。也善動適者貙 之適必從毋[予之適必]取之以此動之以卒侍之

Shiyijia zhu Text

亂生於治怯生於勇弱生貙強治亂數也勇怯勢也強弱形也故善動敵者形 藃敵必從之予之敵必取之以利動之以卒待之

Translation

Chaos is born from order. Cowardice is born from bravery. Weakness is born from strength. Order and chaos are a matter of counting. Bravery and cowardice are a matter of shi. Strength and weakness are a matter of form. One skilled at moving the enemy forms and the enemy must follow, offers and the enemy must take. Move them by this and await them with troops.

Annotations

In the military one normally seeks order, bravery and strength. Thus the Shiyijia zhu commentatotrs, and some modern translators, have made this passage say what they would like it to mean, sc. that order is born from chaos, etc. The Sunzi, however, while never denying that possibility, is here making a different point, one that refers us back to the circularity that is present in earlier passages of this chapter. Order and chaos are mutually defined and mutually dependent. They are two poles of an uneasy, ever-shifting balance. If, instead of seeking one pole and avoiding the other, one steps out of the balancing act, one can attain victory. In this case, the text recommends "counting"--the "ordering of the many as if they were few" that opens the chapter.

Here "form," the subject of chapter 4, begins to show its common ground with shi. (We have already noted the strong resemblance between the concluding passages of chapter 4, said to describe form, and the ending of this chapter, on shi.)