21. 必索敵人之間來間我者因而利之導而舍之故反間可得而用也

The enemy’s spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out,

必索 is omitted by the _T‘ung Tien_ and _Yü Lan_. Its recurrence is

certainly suspicious, though the sense may seem to gain by it. The

_T‘u Shu_ has this variation: ... 敵間之來間吾者, etc.

tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed.

舍 is probably more than merely 居止 or 稽留 “detain.” Cf. § 25 _ad

fin._, where Sun Tzŭ insists that these converted spies shall be

treated well. Chang Yü’s paraphrase is 館舍.

Thus they will become converted spies and available for our service.

Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World · 第 436 / 458 题