The Dao has degrees and measuremesuperior virtue has already declinednts, so the divine can be communicated with; things have mutual overcoming relationships, thus water and fire can be used; east, west, south, and north exist, therefore forms and names can be trusted. The Five Emperors were before, the Three Kings came after; superior virtue has already declined, and warfare and knowledge both arose. The Yellow Emperor fought a hundred battles, Chiyou seventy-two; Yao attacked You Tang, Yu subdued the You Miao. Heaven does not alter its constancy, Earth does not change its principles, Yin and Yang do not disorder their qi, life and death do not lower their positions, the three lights do not change their functions, and the divine do not shift their laws. Success and failure cannot coexist; victory and defeat cannot stand together. What is called virtue or lack thereof has been the same throughout ancient and modern times. A gentleman does not become idle, a true person does not grow lazy; do not assume that poverty and low status will last forever, but hold fast to simplicity. Yi Yin was a wine steward, Tai Gong slaughtered oxen, Guan Zi made leather goods, and Bai Li Xi served as an official slave. Within the seas, chaos and disorder prevailed; he was established as a teacher for the world. None could rival him in heaven and earth; his strategies matched the sun and moon. Ceasing not, success came; through diligent practice of the four seasons' patterns, he resembled a deity. Who would say such ability exists? His functions were already perfected, and he knew beforehand the reasons behind things. Tang was able to overthrow Jie with a territory of seventy li, and King Wu attacked Zhou with a hundred li. Knowing one principle is not complicated; though there may be thousands of methods and myriad twists, what matters is the harmony in their application. The path to victory is not singular. Those who understand calculate for completeness; wise generals do not forsake opportunity or abandon advantage due to time constraints; brave warriors do not fear death nor allow their names to perish. To convey the beauty of supreme virtue, one's considerations must differ from those of the common people. To test the height of the Nine Heavens, one does not take a shortcut but proceeds directly. Therefore, loyal ministers place their ruler before themselves and endure loneliness with a cold heart, risking their lives for the state. When generals wage battles in the field, the country becomes exhausted and its people weary; when they defend cities, they may resort to eating human flesh or burning bones for fuel. If such strategies fail, the nation will be weakened and the ruler trapped, becoming a laughingstock among all under heaven. Can those who hold responsibility for the state afford not to deliberate carefully? Therefore, there are plans that go beyond calculation and attempts that have been made. Therefore, Cao Mei served as a general of Lu and fought three battles against Qi, losing ten thousand li of territory. Had Cao Zi planned without considering the consequences and died by cutting his own throat, he would inevitably have become a captured commander of a defeated army. Cao Zi considered that being a captured commander of a defeated army was not true bravery. The loss of the state and the extinction of one's name is not wisdom; dying oneself while endangering the ruler is not loyalty. Those who die for the sake of others cannot prolong their own lives, so Cao Zi withdrew to deliberate with Duke Lu. When Duke Huan of Qi convened the feudal lords, Cao Zi, wielding only a sword, confronted Duke Huan on the sacrificial platform, his expression unchanging and his words and tone not defiant. The territory lost in three battles was regained in one day; all under heaven were stirred, neighboring states astonished, and his name passed down to later generations. He who relies on a cane for minor shame will accomplish no great feat. Therefore, Cao Zi abandoned his resentment and anger, establishing a lifelong achievement; he set aside minor grievances and disgrace, thereby securing a name that would last for generations. Therefore, Cao Zi was wise in understanding the right time, and Duke Lu was wise in recognizing people. Ju Xin served as a general of Yan and fought against Zhao, but his army was defeated. Ju Xin committed suicide; as a result, Yan lost five cities. By taking his own life, he regarded himself as the source of disaster, dying in a way that endangered his ruler. Both his name and reality were destroyed—this is called failing to return from an erroneous plan, not a mistake made by one with exceptional talent. Those who attain the Dao strive to avoid great mistakes; ordinary people strive for small virtues. Small virtues, when accumulated, can counteract evil desires. If evils multiply without such accumulation of virtue, then virtue is not cultivated. Without cultivation, difficulties increase; with many difficulties comes confusion; and from confusion arises ignorance. Excessive desire leads to narrow-mindedness; narrow-mindedness brings much worry; much worry causes confusion; confusion results in ignorance. Desires and evils are what cloud knowledge. Those who are strong yet incapable suffer humiliation through their words; thus, Ju Xin was capable of self-sacrifice but King Yan failed to recognize people properly. In the past, those skilled in warfare raised their armies and followed each other's lead, arranging formations according to the Five Elements, conducting battles through the Five Tones. They pointed toward Heaven's extremity, aligning with the direction of the divine. Patterns gave rise to creation; using one principle without exhaustion. The wise established laws, following subtle Dao in action. Advancing and retreating in harmony, they referred to Heaven and Earth for guidance. Striking at reality while touching emptiness, capturing generals and breaking armies—attacks as swift as arrows, movements like thunder and lightning. Violent and rapid strikes against the vulnerable, crashing down like a collapsing wall. Holding short, decisive rhythms, actions not aimless or scattered. Avoiding what leads to death, seeking paths of life; moving in accordance with the right time; supporting one's strengths and overcoming the enemy's weaknesses. Therefore, soldiers do not retreat in defeat, and troops do not fall into desperation. Those who attain this Dao can lead and employ common people, riding the current to proceed, soaring with the Dao. Soaring and taking what is given, they firmly hold positions and steadfastly defend them; their breathing and composure shift in harmony. They change with time, moving ahead or behind as needed, their rhythms harmonizing like musical tones, shifting right or left as required. The Dao has no limits—receiving numbers from Heaven, establishing position on Earth, and achieving fame through people. When the time arrives, how can it be reversed? How can it be controlled or grasped? Heaven and Earth do not lean on anything; they interweave to await ability. Measurements and principles act upon each other; Yin and Yang attack one another; life and death control each other; qi and power extinguish each other; emptiness and reality depend on each other. Success and failure float uncertainly; military victory depends on momentum. Time does not remain constant, favoring neither early nor late—losses and gains alternate, breeding each other in cycles of change that are endless and beyond full description. When water is agitated, it surges; when an arrow is drawn back, it flies far. The spirit and energy rebound and surge, vibrating and transforming each other. Speed or slowness follows fate; inevitably striking the third or fifth target. Uniting and dispersing, waxing and waning—who truly knows the right time? The perfected person transcends material things, uniting uniquely with the Dao. Letting go and yielding to fate, he moves freely with time, coming and going as it wills. Who can know the timing of prosperity or decline, life or death? So deeply immersed in stillness, who could recognize his excellence? Misfortune leans on fortune; fortune hides misfortune within. Misfortune and fortune are intertwined like a tangle. Chaos is confused and tangled, its appearance as one; interwoven forms and shapes—how can anyone know its principles? Vague and indistinct without form, only a sage can afterward discern its meaning. The flow shifts and moves ceaselessly; there is no rest. When an end comes, a beginning follows—how can one know its ultimate limit? A net with only one eye cannot catch a sparrow; a bird in a cage can only gaze out but cannot escape. The common people nod in agreement, passively accepting fortune and misfortune. Worry and joy gather at the same threshold; good and ill omens share the same domain. Loss may turn into gain, success into failure. The State of Wu had a large and powerful army, yet King Fuchai was trapped; the State of Yue took refuge at Kuaiji, but Goujian became the hegemon of his age. A great person with broad vision sees what is possible; a single method or support, how could it be sufficient for wandering and achieving success? From ancient times to the present, which matter has been without correspondence or communication? Shun had those who were disrespectful, Yao had those who lacked filial piety; King Wen was imprisoned, Guan Zhong was held in captivity. The vast and boundless nature of the world—how many truly attain it? Ultimate attainment is without selfishness, drifting freely like a boat unbound by moorings. Those who are capable achieve success; those who lack ability suffer downfall. Heaven cannot be consulted in planning, Earth cannot be reasoned with in deliberation. The sage abandons material things, following principle in action and letting go. The common people are confined by their desires, constrained by cravings. Those with slight knowledge rush forward, fearing their own likes and dislikes; the boastful cling to power, valuing themselves and seeking respect. Scholars sacrifice for reputation, greedy men for wealth. Even great learning cannot provide enough; understanding the right time brings no shame. The unworthy are bound by 俗 convention, while the virtuous contend with the times. Trivial matters, like hemp or reeds, are insufficient to cause doubt. When a matter is accomplished and one desires gain, what is there left to boast about? A thousand words and ten thousand arguments—what reward in the end can they bring? Goujian did not hold official rank, and the two states remained unsettled; King Wen was not imprisoned in seclusion, King Wu did not act justly, Guan Zhong did not feel shame—disgraceful names cannot be associated with great sages, nor can their achievements match those of the Three Kings. Their virtues are incomplete.