Friday 3 January 2014

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
(1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
(3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
(4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
(5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

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

Discussion:

The last paragraph is the famous one and would not need any modifications or explanations. Most of the rest can be translated straightforward by simply matching corresponding concepts. However, the aspect of preparations for the both sides would require some consideration. You may discuss about antibiotic resistance, however, more simple care plan initiative is discussed here.

Translation:

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for healthcare excellence:
(1) He will win who knows when to treat and when not to treat.
(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior symptoms.
(3) He will win whose health team is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
(4) He will win who, prepared care plans, waits to take actions before the conditions deteriorate.
(5) He will win who has healthcare capacity and is not interfered with by the politics.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Ray Murakami


No comments:

Post a Comment