Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.
Understand both yourself and your enemy, and you shall always emerge victorious
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.
It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.
The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.
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 obey...
It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to love your enemy.
There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.
When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy.
The wise warrior avoids the battle.
Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.
One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful, subduing the other's military without battle is the most skillful.
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.
If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him. Though an obstinate fight may be made by a small...
When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.
So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.
No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify hisown spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, staywhere you a...
Deep knowledge is to be aware of disturbance before disturbance, to be aware of danger before danger, to be aware of destruction before destruction, to be aware of calamity before calamity. Strong act...
Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground
Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.