"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." ~ Sun Tzu
"The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself." ~ Sun Tzu
"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." ~ Sun Tzu
"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is more important to outhink your enemy, than to outfight him" ~ Sun Tzu
"There is an intelligent way to eat a live frog - I just don't know what it is." ~ Sun Tzu
"Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems." ~ Sun Tzu
"If you are strong, appear weak. But if you are weak, appear strong." ~ Sun Tzu
"Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price." ~ Sun Tzu
"If a battle can not be won do not fight it." ~ Sun Tzu
"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." ~ Sun Tzu
"Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected." ~ Sun Tzu
"Great results, can be achieved with small forces." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow." ~ Sun Tzu
"A leader leads by example not by force." ~ Sun Tzu
"In warfare, there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent will succeed and win." ~ Sun Tzu
"All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are to lure him; feign disorder and strike him. When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him. Anger his general and confuse him. Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance." ~ Sun Tzu
"One need not destroy one's enemy. One need only destroy his willingness to engage." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the leader is morally weak and his discipline not strict, when his instructions and guidance are not enlightened, when there are no consistent rules, neighboring rulers will take advantage of this." ~ Sun Tzu
"Swift as the wind. Quiet as the forest. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountain" ~ Sun Tzu
"The greatest victory is that which requires no battle." ~ Sun Tzu
"The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary." ~ Sun Tzu
"In all history, there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. Only one who knows the disastrous effects of a long war can realize the supreme importance of rapidity in bringing it to a close." ~ Sun Tzu
"One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all." ~ Sun Tzu
"Opportunities increase as they are taken." ~ Sun Tzu
"All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought." ~ Sun Tzu
"Correct your mistake as soon as you have found it." ~ Sun Tzu
"Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small." ~ Sun Tzu
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." ~ Sun Tzu
"Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war" ~ Sun Tzu
"Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm" ~ Sun Tzu
"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death." ~ Sun Tzu
"A warrior who is prepared to fight must also be prepared to die." ~ Sun Tzu
"Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack." ~ Sun Tzu
"Kill one, terrify a thousand." ~ Sun Tzu
"If your enemy is superior, evade him" ~ Sun Tzu
"Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy" ~ Sun Tzu
"To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow...they have form but are formless. They are skilled in both planning and adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles: for they win in advance, defeating those that have already lost." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who knows his enemy and himself well will not be defeated easily." ~ Sun Tzu
"Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." ~ Sun Tzu
"To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are." ~ Sun Tzu
"Attack the enemy's strategy." ~ Sun Tzu
"If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is tempermental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected." ~ Sun Tzu
"Don't flail against the world, use it. Flexibility is the operative principle in the art of war." ~ Sun Tzu
"However desperate the situation and circumstances, don't despair. When there is everything to fear, be unafraid. When surrounded by dangers, fear none of them. When without resources, depend on resourcefulness. When surprised, take the enemy by surprise." ~ Sun Tzu
"Wait by the river long enough and the body of your enemy will float by you." ~ Sun Tzu
"If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who wishes to fight must first count the cost" ~ Sun Tzu
"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night." ~ Sun Tzu
"Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain" ~ Sun Tzu
"If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight." ~ Sun Tzu
"When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard." ~ Sun Tzu
"If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner" ~ Sun Tzu
"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting." ~ Sun Tzu
"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporising ground." ~ Sun Tzu
"Every battle is won before it is fought." ~ Sun Tzu
"Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business." ~ Sun Tzu
"The true objective of war is peace." ~ Sun Tzu
"Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment - that which they cannot anticipate." ~ Sun Tzu
"Opportunities multiply as they are seized." ~ Sun Tzu
"A battle avoided cannot be lost." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those skilled in attack move as from above the nine-fold heavens. Thus they are capable both of protecting themselves and of gaining complete victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: recklessness, which leads to destruction; cowardice, which leads to capture; a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; a delicacy of honour, which is sensitive to shame; over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble." ~ Sun Tzu
"All war is based on deception." ~ Sun Tzu
"Pretend to be weak, so your enemy may grow arrogant." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish." ~ Sun Tzu
"The line between disorder and order lies in logistics." ~ Sun Tzu
"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer." ~ Sun Tzu
"Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate." ~ Sun Tzu
"Ponder and deliberate before you make a move." ~ Sun Tzu
"Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement." ~ Sun Tzu
"These are the six ways of courting defeat - neglect to estimate the enemy's strength; want of authority; defective training; unjustifiable anger; nonobservance of discipline; failure to use picked men." ~ Sun Tzu
"What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy." ~ Sun Tzu
"If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in." ~ Sun Tzu
"Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength." ~ Sun Tzu
"Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot." ~ Sun Tzu
"Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy's terms." ~ Sun Tzu
"So the principles of warfare are: Do not depend on the enemy not coming, but depend on our readiness against him. Do not depend on the enemy not attacking, but depend on our position that cannot be attacked." ~ Sun Tzu
"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak." ~ Sun Tzu
"Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat." ~ Sun Tzu
"If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things." ~ Sun Tzu
"The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom." ~ Sun Tzu
"When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing." ~ Sun Tzu
"Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it." ~ Sun Tzu
"A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective." ~ Sun Tzu
"Unless you enter the tiger's lair, you cannot get hold of the tiger's cub's." ~ Sun Tzu
"You can prevent your opponent from defeating you through defense, but you cannot defeat him without taking the offensive." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those who do not know the plans of competitors cannot prepare alliances. Those who do not know the lay of the land cannot maneuver their forces. Those who do not use local guides cannot take advantage of the ground." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization." ~ Sun Tzu
"Be where your enemy is not." ~ Sun Tzu
"The successful person has unusual skill at dealing with conflict and ensuring the best outcome for all." ~ Sun Tzu
"Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack." ~ Sun Tzu
"All warfare is based on deception. If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight and if not: split and re-evaluate." ~ Sun Tzu
"In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces." ~ Sun Tzu
"Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across." ~ Sun Tzu
"If you follow the enemy's shifts and changes, you can always find a way to win." ~ Sun Tzu
"You cannot know if you will be successful or not. You can only prepare for battle and it must be done with all of your heart and with all of your consciousness. In that manner, you will have an edge." ~ Sun Tzu
"Probe him and learn where his strength is abundant and where deficient." ~ Sun Tzu
"The nature of war is constant change." ~ Sun Tzu
"Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization." ~ Sun Tzu
"No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique." ~ Sun Tzu
"The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him." ~ Sun Tzu
"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near." ~ Sun Tzu
"Thus those skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without battle .... They conquer by strategy." ~ Sun Tzu
"The expert in battle seeks his victory from strategic advantage and does not demand it from his men." ~ Sun Tzu
"If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity." ~ Sun Tzu
"Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. The difficult things in this world must be done while they are easy, the greatest things in the world must be done while they are still small. For this reason sages never do what is great, and this is why they achieve greatness." ~ Sun Tzu
"Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him." ~ Sun Tzu
"When I have won a victory I do not repeat my tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways." ~ Sun Tzu
"Know thy enemy and know thy self and you will win a hundred battles." ~ Sun Tzu
"So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak." ~ Sun Tzu
"To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." ~ Sun Tzu
"In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those who would wage war, should first eliminate all domestic enemies before proceeding to attack the external foe." ~ Sun Tzu
"When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise." ~ Sun Tzu
"The military has no constant form, just as water has no constant shape - adapt as you face the enemy, without letting them know beforehand what you are going to do." ~ Sun Tzu
"Weigh the situation, then move." ~ Sun Tzu
"Winning isn't enough. The acme of all skill is to defeat your enemy before taking the field." ~ Sun Tzu
"When you know both yourself as well as your competition, you are never in danger. To know yourself and not others, gives you half a chance of winning. Knowing neither yourself or your competition puts you in a position to lose." ~ Sun Tzu
"First learn to become invincible, then wait for your enemy's moment of vulnerability." ~ Sun Tzu
"Keep their friends close and their enemies closer." ~ Sun Tzu
"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories." ~ Sun Tzu
"In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed." ~ Sun Tzu
"One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant." ~ Sun Tzu
"The skilful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man." ~ Sun Tzu
"The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become double agents and available for our service. It is through the information brought by the double agent that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease." ~ Sun Tzu
"Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards... Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain." ~ Sun Tzu
"Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day." ~ Sun Tzu
"Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you." ~ Sun Tzu
"In desperate position, you must fight." ~ Sun Tzu
"Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will." ~ Sun Tzu
"Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance." ~ Sun Tzu
"The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch'ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both." ~ Sun Tzu
"Set the troops to their tasks without imparting your designs." ~ Sun Tzu
"He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared." ~ Sun Tzu
"If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant." ~ Sun Tzu
"So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who knows things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surely be defeated." ~ Sun Tzu
"Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared." ~ Sun Tzu
"One who speaks deferentially but increases his preparations will advance. One who speaks belligerently and advances hastily will retreat." ~ Sun Tzu
"If the enemy opens the door, you must race in." ~ Sun Tzu
"And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him." ~ Sun Tzu
"Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him" ~ Sun Tzu
"The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands" ~ Sun Tzu
"He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them." ~ Sun Tzu
"Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuvering for advantageous positions." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed." ~ Sun Tzu
"These are six ways of courting defeat, which must be carefully noted by the general who has attained a responsible post." ~ Sun Tzu
"The value of time, that is of being a little ahead of your opponent, often provides greater advantage than superior numbers or greater resources." ~ Sun Tzu
"The Art of War is self-explanatory" ~ Sun Tzu
"To Subdue an enemy without fighting is the greatest of skills" ~ Sun Tzu
"In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns." ~ Sun Tzu
"Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger." ~ Sun Tzu
"Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical." ~ Sun Tzu
"Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy; forceful execution of even a poor plan can often bring victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune on his army: By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army. By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers." ~ Sun Tzu
"Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations." ~ Sun Tzu
"Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve." ~ Sun Tzu
"He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks." ~ Sun Tzu
"For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death." ~ Sun Tzu
"No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life." ~ Sun Tzu
"When you shoot a bow and arrow, you aim at the clouds, not because you expect to hit them, but so that you may reach the distant target on the ground." ~ Sun Tzu
"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is the business of a general to be quiet and thus ensure secrecy; upright and just, and thus maintain order." ~ Sun Tzu
"When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders." ~ Sun Tzu
"The essential factor of military success is speed, that is taking advantage of others' unpreparedness or lack of foresight, their failure to catch up, going by routes they do not expect, attacking where they are not on guard. This you cannot accomplish with hesitation." ~ Sun Tzu
"Perfection in war lies in so sapping your opponents will that he surrenders without fighting." ~ Sun Tzu
"Of old the expert in battle would first make himself invincible and then wait for his enemy to expose his vulnerability." ~ Sun Tzu
"Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus he is master of his enemy's fate." ~ Sun Tzu
"Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle." ~ Sun Tzu
"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." ~ Sun Tzu
"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved." ~ Sun Tzu
"Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits." ~ Sun Tzu
"Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation." ~ Sun Tzu
"Attack where he is unprepared; sally forth when he does not expect you." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those whose upper and lower ranks have the same desire are victorious." ~ Sun Tzu
"Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse." ~ Sun Tzu
"On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not. On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. On serious ground, gather in plunder. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is through the dispositions of an army that its condition may be discovered. Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory,; show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat." ~ Sun Tzu
"The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never peril." ~ Sun Tzu
"Generally, management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization. And to control many is the same as to control few. This is a matter of formations and signals." ~ Sun Tzu
"In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune." ~ Sun Tzu
"What is of the greatest importance in war is extraordinary speed: One cannot afford to neglect opportunity." ~ Sun Tzu
"The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim." ~ Sun Tzu
"When your opponent gives you an opening, be swift as a hare." ~ Sun Tzu
"The control of large numbers is possible, and like unto that of small numbers, if we subdivide them." ~ Sun Tzu
"You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack." ~ Sun Tzu
"Until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared" ~ Sun Tzu
"Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"Unless you know the mountains and the forests, the defiles and impasses, the lay of the marshes and swamps, you cannot maneuver with an armed force. Unless you use local guides, you cannot get the advantages of the land." ~ Sun Tzu
"If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat." ~ Sun Tzu
"To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood." ~ Sun Tzu
"Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected." ~ Sun Tzu
"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard." ~ Sun Tzu
"The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled." ~ Sun Tzu
"A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those who excel in war first cultivate their own humanity and and maintain their laws and institutions. By these means they make their governments invincible." ~ Sun Tzu
"If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over." ~ Sun Tzu
"Factors in the art of warfare are: First, calculations; second, quantities; third, logistics; fourth, the balance of power; and fifth, the possibility of victory is based on the balance of power." ~ Sun Tzu
"If their forces are substantial, prepare for them; if their forces are strong, avoid them." ~ Sun Tzu
"To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a regiment, a company, or a squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the supreme of excellence. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence." ~ Sun Tzu
"Without harmony in the State, no military expedition can be undertaken; without harmony in the army, no battle array can be formed." ~ Sun Tzu
"Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress." ~ Sun Tzu
"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair. After that, you may crush him." ~ Sun Tzu
"One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it." ~ Sun Tzu
"In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good." ~ Sun Tzu
"Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total." ~ Sun Tzu
"The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting." ~ Sun Tzu
"He who is not sage and wise, humane and just, cannot use secret agent.s. And he who is not delicate and subtle cannot get the truth out of them." ~ Sun Tzu
"The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not be swayed by petty doubts." ~ Sun Tzu
"To persuade your enemy to (retreat) before the fight is to defeat them even before the battle begins. An enemy made ally is no longer an enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day. This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height of inhumanity." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chief can tell whether or not he is in a position to fight, the result is ruin." ~ Sun Tzu
"The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is ten thousand times cheaper to pay the best spies lavishly than even a tiny army poorly." ~ Sun Tzu
"O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands." ~ Sun Tzu
"Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision." ~ Sun Tzu
"What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge." ~ Sun Tzu
"When campaigning, be swift as the wind; in leisurely march, majestic as the forest; in raiding and plundering, like fire; in standing, firm as the mountains. As unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on." ~ Sun Tzu
"Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling." ~ Sun Tzu
"The business of a general is to kick away the ladder behind soldiers when they have climbed up a height." ~ Sun Tzu
"Like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more." ~ Sun Tzu
"When your weapons are dulled and ardour damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, neighboring rulers will take advantage of your distress to act. And even though you have wise counsellors, none will be able to lay good plans for the future. Thus, while we have heard of blundering swiftness in war, we have not yet seen a clever operation that was prolonged." ~ Sun Tzu
"The art of using troops is this: ......When ten to the enemy's one, surround him; ......When five times his strength, attack him; ......If double his strength, divide him; ......If equally matched you may engage him; ......If weaker numerically, be capable of withdrawing; ......And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him, ..........for a small force is but booty for one more powerful." ~ Sun Tzu
"If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"In the tumult and uproar, the battle seems chaotic, but there is no disorder, the troops appear to be milling about in circles but cannot be defeated." ~ Sun Tzu
"In your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise: which of the two generals has the most ability? on which side is Discipline most rigorously enforced? which army is stronger? on which side are the officers and men more highly trained? in which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?" ~ Sun Tzu
"Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen." ~ Sun Tzu
"In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected." ~ Sun Tzu
"Now a soldier's spirit is keenest in the morning; by noonday it has begun to flag; and in the evening, his mind is only on returning to camp." ~ Sun Tzu
"One who has few must prepare against the enemy; one who has many makes the enemy prepare against him." ~ Sun Tzu
"There is no place where espionage is not possible." ~ Sun Tzu
"We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country." ~ Sun Tzu
"A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life." ~ Sun Tzu
"In a position of this sort, even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisable not to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticing the enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage." ~ Sun Tzu
"In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack.. the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers." ~ Sun Tzu
"Who can determine where one ends and the other begins?" ~ Sun Tzu
"Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and you know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you now Heaven and you know Earth, you may make your victory complete." ~ Sun Tzu
"According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?" ~ Sun Tzu
"Defeat the enemies strategy." ~ Sun Tzu
"Where the army is, prices are high; when prices rise the wealth of the people is exhausted." ~ Sun Tzu
"If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve." ~ Sun Tzu
"When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal." ~ Sun Tzu
"Order or disorder depends on organisation and direction; courage or cowardice on circumstances; strength or weakness on tactical dispositions." ~ Sun Tzu
"Whoever is the first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy will be fresh for the fight... Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy... By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near." ~ Sun Tzu
"The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand." ~ Sun Tzu
"With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up." ~ Sun Tzu
"Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated." ~ Sun Tzu
"Birds rising in flight is a sign that the enemy is lying in ambush; when the wild animals are startled and flee he is trying to take you unaware." ~ Sun Tzu
"For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." ~ Sun Tzu
"Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man." ~ Sun Tzu
"Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home." ~ Sun Tzu
"Carefully study the well-being of your men, and do not overtax them. Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength. Keep your army continually on the move, and devise unfathomable plans." ~ Sun Tzu
"It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible." ~ Sun Tzu
"Those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating a situation to which he must conform; they entice him with something he is certain to take, and with lures of ostensible profit they await him in strength." ~ Sun Tzu
"So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence." ~ Sun Tzu
"If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual." ~ Sun Tzu
"Invincibility is in oneself, and vulnerability is in the opponent. Invincibility is a matter of defense, vulnerability is a matter of attack. Therefore skillful warriors are able to be invincible, but they cannot cause opponents to be vulnerable. That is why it is said that victory is discerned and not manufactured." ~ Sun Tzu
"Know the enemy and know yourself." ~ Sun Tzu
"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." ~ Sun Tzu
"There are only five notes in the musical scale, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be heard. There are only five basic colors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be seen. There are only five basic flavors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be tasted. There are only two kinds of charge in battle, the unorthodox surprise attack and the orthodox direct attack, but variations of the unorthodox and the orthodox are endless. The unorthodox and the orthodox give rise to each other, like a beginningless circle-who could exhaust them?" ~ Sun Tzu
"There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted." ~ Sun Tzu
"When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him; when well fed, to starve him; when at rest, to make him move. Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you." ~ Sun Tzu
"If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory." ~ Sun Tzu
"By altering his arrangements and changing his plans, the skillful general keeps the enemy without definite knowledge. By shifting his camp and taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose. At the critical moment, the leader of an army acts like one who has climbed up a height and then kicks away the ladder behind him." ~ Sun Tzu
"Fierce language and pretentious advances are signs that the enemy is about to retreat." ~ Sun Tzu
"Should one ask: 'how do I cope with a well-ordered enemy host about to attack me?' I reply: seize something he cherishes and he will conform to your desires." ~ Sun Tzu
"To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence." ~ Sun Tzu
"As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy." ~ Sun Tzu
"If, however, you are indulgent, but unable to make your authority felt; kind-hearted, but unable to enforce your commands; and incapable, moreover, of quelling disorder: then your soldiers must be likened to spoilt children; they are useless for any practical purpose." ~ Sun Tzu
"Winning Strategists are certain of triumph before seeking a challenge. Losing Strategists are certain to challenge before seeking a triumph." ~ Sun Tzu
"Invincibility depends on one's self; the enemy's vulnerability on him." ~ Sun Tzu
"Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation." ~ Sun Tzu
"The General who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state." ~ Sun Tzu
"To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape." ~ Sun Tzu
"Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety." ~ Sun Tzu
"Thus the skilful general conducts his army just as though he were leading a single man, willy-nilly, by the hand." ~ Sun Tzu
"A clever general... avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods. Disciplined and calm, he awaits the appearance of disorder and hubbub among the enemy. This is the art of retaining self-possession." ~ Sun Tzu
"Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources." ~ Sun Tzu
"The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy. Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality." ~ Sun Tzu
"Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible." ~ Sun Tzu