熱衷于戰爭必然滅亡，而忘記戰爭必然危險。亦即是說，好戰的國家必然導致自身滅亡，而沒有戰備的國家又會使自己處于危險境地?！昂脩稹笔侵笧榱俗陨砝?，不顧道義，熱衷于對外挑起沖突和戰爭；“忘戰”是指忘記戰爭可能降臨到自己頭上，不做相應準備。這句話，既表明了戰爭與國家興衰的辯證法，也彰顯了中華民族愛好和平的“文”的精神。

Those Who Like to Go to War Will Perish;

Those Who Forget War Will Be in Danger

　　Those who are warmongering will inevitably be destroyed, and those who forget war will inevitably land in danger. That is, countries that like to make war are certain to bring destruction upon themselves, and countries which are not prepared for war will find themselves in dangerous situations. Haozhan refers to those who are keen to stir up conflicts and wars externally for their own interests and in disregard of moral principles; wangzhan is to forget that war may befall oneself and thus fail to be appropriately prepared for it. This phrase both illustrates the dialectical relationship between war and the rise and fall of countries and demonstrates the "civil" nature of the Chinese people who love peace.

引例

　　故國雖大，好戰必亡；天下雖安，忘戰必危。天下既平，天下大愷，春蒐秋狝，諸侯春振旅，秋治兵，所以不忘戰也。（《司馬法·仁本》）（所以，國家雖然強大，但如果熱衷于戰爭，必然會滅亡；天下雖然安寧，但如果忘記戰爭危險的存在，必然會使自己處于危險境地。即使天下已經太平，百姓生活安樂，每年春秋兩季天子還是要用打獵進行軍事演習，各諸侯國也要在春秋整頓軍隊和進行軍事訓練，這都是為了不忘戰爭的存在。）

　　Therefore though a country be powerful, if it is fond of war it will surely perish; though the land be at peace, those who forget war will inevitably be in danger. Hence even when there is peace throughout the land and the people lead settled lives, hunting is conducted in the spring and fall as military exercises. The vassal states train their troops and hold military drills in the spring and fall so that they do not forget war. (The General Commander's Treatise on War)