作战篇 NO.2-1：

故上兵伐谋，其次伐交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。

攻城之法，为不得已。

修橹贲温，具器械，三月而后成；距堙，又三月而后已。

将不胜其忿而蚁附之，杀士卒三分之一，而城不拔者，此攻之灾也。

故善用兵者，屈人之兵而非战也，拔人之城而非攻也，毁人之国而非久也，必以全争于天下，故兵不顿而利可全，此谋攻之法也。

这句啥意思：

所以，上等的军事行动是用谋略挫败敌方的战略意图或战争行为，其次就是用外交战胜敌人，再次是用武力击败敌军，最下之策是攻打敌人的城池。

攻城，是不得已而为之，是没有办法的办法。

制造大盾牌和四轮车，准备攻城的所有器具，起码得三个月。堆筑攻城的土山，起码又得三个月。

如果将领难以拟制焦躁情绪，命令士兵象蚂蚁一样爬墙攻城， 尽管士兵死伤三分之一，而城池却依然没有攻下，这就是攻城带来的灾难。

所以善用兵者，不通过打仗就使敌人屈服，不通过攻城就使敌城投降，摧毁敌国不需长期作战，一定要用“全胜”的策略争胜于天下，从而既不使国力兵力受挫，又获得了全面胜利的利益。这就是谋攻的方法。

英文这么说：

Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field;and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided.

The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war, will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more.

The general, unable to control his irritation,will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants,with the result that one-third of his men are slain,while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field. With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire, and thus, without losing a man, his triumph will be complete. This is the method of attacking by stratagem.

《谋攻的方法》

孙子提出了以智谋取肚的四种手段：“上兵伐谋，其次代交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。”他认为，首先应争取以“伐谋”、“伐交”取胜，这是达到全胜的最好手段。所谓“伐谋”，就是打破敌人的战略企图。一种情况是敌人正谋划攻我，我则先伐其谋，制止敌人的进攻。另一种情况是我欲攻敌，敌己有防御打算，我则挫败其防御企图，使敌来不及组织有效的抵抗。所谓“伐交”，就是在外交斗争上战胜敌人。“伐谋”与“伐交”虽有区别，但又是彼此联系的。其次是“伐兵”，在战场上如何争取“全胜”，孙子在以后几篇中分类进行了精辟的论述。孙子认为“其下攻城”，“攻城之法力不得已”。只有不得已才去攻打敌人的城寨，孙子把它列为下策。