The skilful surgeon does not operate a patient for the second time

The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice. Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs. Poverty of the State exchequer causes an army to be maintained by contributions from a distance. Contributing to maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished.

From "Sun Tzu on the Art of War - The Oldest Military Treatise in the World"

Translated from the Chinese By Lionel Giles, M.A. (1910)

Discussion:

The concept of "foraging on the enemy" requires careful consideration in translation. As the philosophy of Sun Tzu was acquiring the whole capacity of the enemy to enlarge your own advantage rather than destroying it, "foraging on the enemy" would never mean an outright plunder which would eventually cause rebels against invaders and make the control over the territory difficult. The main point is that the shift of resources from being used up by the enemy to supporting the friendly army. Thus it can be translated to shifting the resource from used up by inefficient management of care to supporting innovations of healthcare delivery.

Translation:

The skilful surgeon does not operate a patient for the second time, neither are his supply-wagons for an operation loaded more than twice. Fund operational expenses from capitation, but fund extras on innovations in efficiency and effectiveness. Thus the hospital will have capacity enough for increasing health needs. Poverty of the State exchequer causes a hospital to be maintained by contributions from the general public not directly benefiting from healthcare. Contributing to maintain an hospital not servicing them directly causes the people to be impoverished.

Ray Murakami