Chapter 1 – Sentence 8

Giles:

These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.

 

Goldwater:

All generals have heard of these 5 principles of the Dao; those who understand them will achieve victory, whereas those who do not will fail.

 

Traditional Chinese

凡此五者，將莫不聞，
知之者勝，不知者不勝。

 

Simplified Chinese

凡此五者，将莫不闻，
知之者胜，不知之者不胜。

 

Pin Yin

fán cǐ wǔ zhě, jiàng mò bù wén,
zhī zhī zhě shèng, bù zhī zhě bú shèng.

 

凡此五者，將莫不聞，知之者勝，不知者不勝。
All these 5, generals nobody not heard,
know ers victory, not know ers not victory.

 

凡 此 五 者，
All these 5

 

將 莫 不 聞，
generals nobody not heard

 

知 之 者 勝，
know ers victory,

 

不 知 者 不 勝。
not know ers not victory.

 

(About) all these 5, no general (has) not heard, (those who) know (will achieve) victory, (those who do) not know (will) not (achieve) victory.

(About) all these 5 (principles of the Dao), no general (has) not heard, (those who) know (will achieve) victory, (those who do) not know (will) not (achieve) victory.

All generals have heard of these 5 principles of the Dao; those who understand them will achieve victory, whereas those who do not will fail.

Comments:

1. Every general has heard of these 5 principles of the Dao. Those generals who understand them and can apply them will achieve victory, and those who do not understand them and cannot apply them will not.