“The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.”
“All warfare is based on deception.”
“It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.”
“The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice.”
“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”
“He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”
“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 defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
“What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.”
“Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.”
“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.”
