Chapter 1 – Sentence 14

Giles:


All warfare is based on deception.

 

Goldwater:


War is the way of deception.

 

Traditional Chinese

兵者，詭道也。

 

Simplified Chinese

兵者，诡道也。

 

Pin Yin

bīng zhě, guǐ dào yě.

 

兵者，詭道也。
War, deception way.

 

兵 者， 詭 道 也。
War, deception way .

 

War (is the) way (of) deception.

War is the way of deception.

Comments:

1. The character 道 can be translated in different ways. When the character stands alone, it refers to the Dao. When it is used with an adjective, then it has a different meaning. This other meaning can be translated variously as road, path, or way. All are very similar in meaning in English, although in different contexts one might sound more natural than another.