“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.”

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

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

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.

To know your enemy, you must become your enemy.

All warfare is based on deception.

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

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

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