Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from
fighting.
Capt. Calthrop quite unwarrantably translates: “_If_ the enemy be
many in number, prevent him,” etc.
Scheme so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of
their success.
This is the first of four similarly constructed sentences, all of
which present decided difficulties. Chang Yü explains 知得失之計 as
知其計之得失. This is perhaps the best way of taking the words,
though Chia Lin, referring 計 to ourselves and not the enemy,
offers the alternative of 我得彼失之計皆先知也 “Know beforehand all
plans conducive to our success and to the enemy’s failure.”