Quotes by 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.

The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them.

He wins his battles by making no mistakes.

Great results, can be achieved with small forces.

To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.

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.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him.

To win 100 victories in 100 battles is not the acme of skill.

Hence 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.

In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed.

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.

It is more important to out-think your enemy, than to outfight him.

Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.

Wheels of justice grind slow but grind fine.

The line between disorder and order lies in logistics.

The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice.

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals.

The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts.

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

He will conquer who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

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.

Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

If the general is unable to control his impatience and sends his troops to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken, he is a bad general.

Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.

Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger.

Every battle is won before it is fought.

Leadership is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and discipline... Reliance on intelligence alone results in rebelliousness. Exercise of humaneness alone results in weakness. Fixation on trust results in folly. Dependence on t

The art of war is of vital importance to the state.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

You have to believe in yourself.

Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.

If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.

The wise warrior avoids the battle.

Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.

One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.

To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.

In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.

If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.

When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

In war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.

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 anti

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.

Speed is the essence of war.

When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy.

If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.

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.

Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle.

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

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.

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.

You can prevent your opponent from defeating you through defense, but you cannot defeat him without taking the offensive.

Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.

One who speaks deferentially but increases his preparations will advance. One who speaks belligerently and advances hastily will retreat.

When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges, in order to make it clear to everybody that you have no hankering after home.

If there is disturbance in the camp, the general’s authority is weak.

Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.

There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.

Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.

The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.

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.

If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.

Victory usually goes to the army who has better trained officers and men.

He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

A leader leads by example, not by force.

The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.

Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.

Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.

To know your enemy, you must become your enemy.

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.

The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.

All warfare is based on deception.

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.