1, original text, Mencius (pre-Qin)
Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are outmatched by terrestrial advantages, which in turn are outmatched by the harmony among people. The city of three miles, the country of seven miles, was invincible when attacked by the Lord of the Rings. If the husband attacks it, it will be the right time, and if it is invincible, it will be the right place. The city is not too high, the pond is not too deep, the army is not very profitable, and there is not much rice, so it is not as good as people and peace.
Therefore, the people in the territory do not take the border, the country does not take the risk of mountains and rivers, and the benefits of the world do not take the benefits of war. Those who gain the Tao help more, while those who lose the Tao help less. When there is little help, relatives will be there; Help more, and the world will be at peace. Take advantage of the world and attack your relatives. A gentleman wins without fighting.
2. Translation
The weather and season conducive to combat are not as good as the geographical situation conducive to combat; The geographical situation conducive to combat is not as good as the will of the people and internal unity in combat.
A small town in Lisan, Fiona Fang, whose outer city is in Qili, Fiona Fang, is surrounded by enemies, but it can't win. Surrounding the city on all sides, we must get weather and seasons conducive to combat, but we can't win, because the weather and seasons conducive to combat are not as good as the geographical situation conducive to combat.
The city wall is not high, the moat is not deep, the weapons and equipment are not bad, and the food supply is not insufficient. However, the defending side still abandoned the city and fled, because no matter how good the geographical situation is, it is not as good as the people's will and internal unity.
Therefore, to make the people live and stay, we can't rely on the demarcated frontier, consolidate national defense, shock the world, and rely on the strength of force. A monarch who can do "benevolent government" will have more people to help him, while a monarch who does not practice "benevolent government" will have fewer people to support him.
There are very few people who support and help him, and even relatives inside and outside will betray him; With so many people supporting and helping him, everyone in the world will submit to him. On the condition that all the people in the world submit to him, he attacked the king whose relatives opposed betrayal. Therefore, a gentleman can defeat the enemy without fighting.