Sun Tzu Quotes

The wise warrior avoids the battle

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

He will conquer who has learned the art of deviation

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

There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare

Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive

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

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

The art of war is of vital importance to the State

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

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

Who wishes to fight must first count the cost

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

A powerful army is like water — neither seeks nor shuns the heights and depths of the land, but shapes its course according to the nature of the ground

Do not press a desperate foe too hard

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

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

Make your way by unexpected routes and attack unguarded spots

To perceive victory when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence

A wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity

It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two

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

He who knows the art of direct and indirect approach will be victorious

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near

Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him

All warfare is based on deception

If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will be practically useless. If, when the soldiers have become attached to you, punishments are not enforced, they will still be unless

Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day

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 desperate position, you must fight

Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy's purpose

Even in the midst of the confusion of battle, keep order and discipline

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

If you march fifty li in order to outmaneuver the enemy, you will lose the leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard

Great results can be achieved with small forces

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across

Know yourself and you will win all battles

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

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move

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

Wheels of justice grind slow but grind fine

Conform to the enemy's tactics until a favorable opportunity offers; then come forth to contest the field

Military tactics are like water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards

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

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent

If quick, I survive. If not quick, I am lost

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

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

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

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory

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

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

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy

In war, the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won

Opportunities multiply as they are seized

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost

Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting

He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign

All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved

Knowing the place and the time of the coming battle, we may concentrate from the greatest distances in order to fight

In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. It is sufficient strength, correctly apportioned, which ensures victory

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking; this will diminish his enthusiasm

It is easier to hold a fortified city than to take one

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

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

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

Uncertainty and confusion are the forerunners of defeat

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle

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

He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish

Let your aim be as deep as the abyss

Do not interfere with an army that is returning home

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

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard

Rapidity is the essence of war; take advantage of the enemy’s unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots

To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move

When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce

We cannot enter into alliance with neighboring princes until we are acquainted with their designs

What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, fortified places which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested

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

Those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him

Weakness lies in defense; strength lies in attack

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

Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances

If you lay siege to a walled city, you will exhaust your strength

A leader leads by example, not by force

If victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped

Regard your soldiers as your own 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

Management of many is the same as management of few; it is a matter of organization

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

Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can

A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust

There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, walled cities not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over, commands of the sovereign not to be obeyed

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity

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

To know your enemy, you must become your enemy

The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain

Hence the good general is full of caution at first, but bold in the moment of danger

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