270 Inspiring Quotes by Sun Tzu

It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care for them. Thus doubled agents are recruited and used.

The art of war is the art of deception.

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

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

In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed.

Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.

Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.

Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.

Do not press an enemy at bay. Prince Fu Ch'ai said: "Wild beasts, when at bay, fight desperately. How much more is this true of men! If they know there is no alternative, they will fight to the death.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and you know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and you know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move.

He who knows things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surely be defeated.

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

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

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

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

In desperate position, you must fight.

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you.

If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy, and the strength of the two armies is equal, it is not easy to provoke a battle, and fighting will be to your disadvantage.

In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

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

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

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

If an enemy has alliances, the problem is grave and the enemy's position strong; if he has no alliances, the problem is minor and the enemy's position weak.

The successful person has unusual skill at dealing with conflict and ensuring the best outcome for all.

The height of strategy, is to attack your opponent's strategy.

Defeat your enemy from within.

A victorious army wins its victories before seeking battle; an army destined to defeat fights in the hope of winning.

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.

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

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

I will be able to forecast which side will be victorious and which defeated.

Until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared.

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

Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

If the enemy has occupied them before you, do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away.

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

A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

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

Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.

It is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.

It is best to keep one's own state intact; to crush the enemy's state is only second best.

For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards.

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

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

All battles are won before they start.

Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.

Against those skilled in attack, an enemy does not know where to defend; against the experts in defense, the enemy does not know where to attack.

It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible.

Generally, management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization. And to control many is the same as to control few. This is a matter of formations and signals.

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

When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse.

Who wishes to fight must first count the cost.

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. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

The skilful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man.

A warrior who is prepared to fight must also be prepared to die.

Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory;  show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat.

If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.

Unless you enter the tiger's lair, you cannot get hold of the tiger's cub's.

The expert in battle seeks his victory from strategic advantage and does not demand it from his men.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.

Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. When they are unprepared, attack and make your move when they do not expect it.

When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.

Appraise war in terms of the fundamental factors. The first of these factors is moral influence.

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

Pretend to be weak, so your enemy may grow arrogant.

What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

Know the enemy and know yourself.

To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues.

If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.

War is a matter of vital importance to the state; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin. It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied.

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

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

Thus the skilful general conducts his army just as though he were leading a single man, willy-nilly, by the hand.

The leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril.

Those who do not know the plans of competitors cannot prepare alliances. Those who do not know the lay of the land cannot maneuver their forces. Those who do not use local guides cannot take advantage of the ground.

There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.

One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful, subduing the other's military without battle is the most skillful.

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

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.

Thus, though I have heard of successful military operations that were clumsy but swift, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

Great results, can be achieved with small forces.

Bravery without forethought, causes a man to fight blindly and desperately like a mad bull.  Such an opponent, must not be encountered with brute force, but may be lured into an ambush and slain.

One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant.

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

Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all.

A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.

A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.

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

To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

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.

These are the six ways of courting defeat -- neglect to estimate the enemy's strength; want of authority; defective training; unjustifiable anger; nonobservance of discipline; failure to use picked men.

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.

Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war.

It is imperative to contest all factions for complete victory, so the army is not garrisoned and the profit can be total. This is the law of strategic siege.

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.

In warfare, first lay plans which will ensure victory, and then lead your army to battle; if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured.

Hence the experienced soldier, once in motion, is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is never at a loss.

When campaigning, be swift as the wind; in leisurely march, majestic as the forest; in raiding and plundering, like fire; in standing, firm as the mountains. As unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt.

He who is not sage and wise, humane and just, cannot use secret agent.s. And he who is not delicate and subtle cannot get the truth out of them.

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

For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death.

O divine art of subtlety and secrecy!

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

Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.

The dance of battle is always played to the same impatient rhythm. What begins in a surge of violent motion is always reduced to the perfectly still.

So it is that good warriors take their stance on ground where they cannot lose, and do not overlook conditions that make an opponent prone to defeat.

With regard to ground of this nature, be before the enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots, and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then you will be able to fight with advantage.

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.

A leader leads by example, not by force.

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

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

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

There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.

To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape.

The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting.

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

If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need to do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve.

Attack the enemy's strategy.

Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.

The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer.

The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them.

From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and you fail to defeat him, then, return being impossible, disaster will ensue.

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

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.

According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?

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.

So the principles of warfare are: Do not depend on the enemy not coming, but depend on our readiness against him. Do not depend on the enemy not attacking, but depend on our position that cannot be attacked.

Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

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.

Defeat the enemies strategy.

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 obeyed.

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

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

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

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

Factors in the art of warfare are: First, calculations; second, quantities; third, logistics; fourth, the balance of power; and fifth, the possibility of victory is based on the balance of power.

Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

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.

It is ten thousand times cheaper to pay the best spies lavishly than even a tiny army poorly.

The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands.

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

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

If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.

In warfare, there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent will succeed and win.

When troops flee, are insubordinate, distressed, collapse in disorder or are routed, it is the fault of the general. None of these disasters can be attributed to natural causes.

Conform to the enemy's tactics until a favorable opportunity offers; then come forth and engage in a battle that shall prove decisive.

In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power.

Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.

All war is based on deception.

Know yourself and you will win all battles.

What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations. And therefore the general who understands war is the Minister of the people's fate and arbiter of the nation's destiny.

Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.

The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.

Those who would wage war, should first eliminate all domestic enemies before proceeding to attack the external foe.

When the leader is morally weak and his discipline not strict, when his instructions and guidance are not enlightened, when there are no consistent rules, neighboring rulers will take advantage of this.

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

In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory.

Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.

They spies cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness.

If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner.

You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.

Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy.

We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground; (3) temporising ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.

Apparent confusion is a product of good order; apparent cowardice, of courage; apparent weakness, of strength.

Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.

Like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more.

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal.

Unless you know the mountains and the forests, the defiles and impasses, the lay of the marshes and swamps, you cannot maneuver with an armed force. Unless you use local guides, you cannot get the advantages of the land.

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

These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.

If fighting is sure to result in victory, than you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding.

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

If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night.

Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.

It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see the outward aspects, none understands the way in which I have created victory.

As water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.

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

The crux of military operations lies in the pretense of accommodating one's self to the designs of the enemy.

Attack where he is unprepared; sally forth when he does not expect you.

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

When I have won a victory I do not repeat my tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways.

To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood.

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

In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good.

Without harmony in the State, no military expedition can be undertaken; without harmony in the army, no battle array can be formed.

The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.

Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

Fierce language and pretentious advances are signs that the enemy is about to retreat.

Wait by the river long enough and the body of your enemy will float by you.

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

Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy.

Balk the enemy's power; force him to reveal himself.

Perfection in war lies in so sapping your opponents will that he surrenders without fighting.

First learn to become invincible, then wait for your enemy's moment of vulnerability.

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