| 1 | 孙子曰：凡火攻有五：一曰火人，二曰火积，三曰火辎，四曰火库，五曰火队。 | Sun Zi said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy. |
| 2 | 行火必有因，烟火必素具。 | In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness. |
| 3 | 发火有时，起火有日。 | There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for starting a conflagration. |
| 4 | 时者，天之燥也。日者，月在萁、壁、翼、轸也。凡此四宿者，风起之日也。 | The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of rising wind. |
| 5 | 凡火攻，必因五火之变而应之。 | In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet five possible developments: |
| 6 | 火发于内，则早应之于外。 | (1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy’s camp, respond at once with an attack from without. |
| 7 | 火发而其兵静者，待而勿攻。 | (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy’s soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack. |
| 8 | 极其火力，可从而从之，不可从而止。 | (3) When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are. |
| 9 | 火可发于外，无待于内，以时发之。 | (4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for it to break out within, but deliver your attack at a favorable moment. |
| 10 | 火发上风，无攻下风。 | (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward. |
| 11 | 昼风久，夜风止。 | A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a night breeze soon falls. |
| 12 | 凡军必知有五火之变，以数守之。 | In every army, the five developments connected with fire must be known, the movements of the stars calculated, and a watch kept for the proper days. |
| 13 | 故以火佐攻者明，以水佐攻者强。 | Hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show intelligence; those who use water as an aid to the attack gain an accession of strength. |
| 14 | 水可以绝，不可以夺。 | By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted, but not robbed of all his belongings. |
| 15 | 夫战胜攻取，而不修其功者凶，命曰“费留”。 | Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation. |
| 16 | 故曰：明主虑之，良将修之。 | Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources. |
| 17 | 非利不动，非得不用，非危不战。 | Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. |
| 18 | 主不可以怒而兴师，将不可以愠而致战。 | No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. |
| 19 | 合于利而动，不合于利而止。 | If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are. |
| 20 | 怒可以复喜，愠可以复悦， | Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. |
| 21 | 亡国不可以复存，死者不可以复生。 | But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. |
| 22 | 故明君慎之，良将警之。此安国全军之道也。 | Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact. |