Knowing the battle day

Critical Text

Yinqueshan Text

知戰之日知戰之地千里而戰不知戰日不知戰地前不能救後後不 能救前薵不能救右簥不能救左況遠者數十里近者數里乎。。。 於勝哉故曰勝可樹也適唯眾可毋斗也

Shiyijia zhu Text

瓂知戰之地知戰之日則可千里而會戰不知戰地不知戰日則左不 能救右右不能救左前不能救後後不能救前而況遠者數十里近者 數里乎以吾度之越人之兵雖多亦奚益於勝哉故曰勝可為也敵雖 眾可使無斗

Translation

Knowing the battle day and knowing the battle ground, one can go one thousand li and do battle. Not knowing the battle day and not knowing the battle ground, the front cannot help the rear, the rear cannot help the front, the left cannot help the right, the right cannot help the left. How much more so when the far is several tens of li and the near is several li away! Though by my estimate the military of Yueh is many, how does this further victory? Thus it is said, "Victory can be usurped." Although the enemy is numerous, they can be kept from fighting.

Annotations

Again, the received texts "improve" the original grammar at several points.

The received text has "victory can be made (wei 為)," echoing the chapter 4 passage, "Victory can be known, it cannot be made." The Yinqueshan text says, instead, "Victory can be usurped (shan 擅)." Apparently this medicine was too bitter for later editors.