These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.

覆军杀将，必以五危，不可不察也。
When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.


行军第九
IX. The Army on the March

孙子曰：凡处军相敌，绝山依谷，
Sun Tzu said: We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in the neighborhood of valleys.

视生处高，战隆无登，此处山之军也。
Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for mountain warfare.

绝水必远水，
After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.

客绝水而来，勿迎之于水内，令半渡而击之利，
When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.

欲战者，无附于水而迎客，
If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.

视生处高，无迎水流，此处水上之军也。
Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun. Do not move up-stream to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare.

绝斥泽，唯亟去无留，
In crossing salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay.

若交军于斥泽之中，必依水草而背众树，此处斥泽之军也。
If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you should have water and grass near you, and get your back to a clump of trees. So much for operations in salt-marches.

平陆处易，右背高，前死后生，此处平陆之军也。
In dry, level country, take up an easily accessible position with rising ground to your right and on your rear, so that the danger may be in front, and safety lie behind. So much for campaigning in flat country.