All Sun Tzu Quotes
- To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy. Enemy
- To perceive victory when it is known to all is not really skilful. Everyone calls victory in battle good, but it is not really good. All
- Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting. Achievement
- The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting. Any
- In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune. Advantage
- Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move. Ability
- The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay… Art
- If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight. Art
- When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him; when well fed, to starve him; when at rest, to make him move. Appear… Able
- 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… All
- Swift as the wind. Quiet as the forest. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountain Art
- And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him. Art
- The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but… All
- Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength. Art
- Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans, the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the… All
- The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure… Able
- Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated. Already Defeated
- Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs… Army
- 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… Arrive
- The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him. Allow
- Should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his… Art
- Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards... Water shapes its course according… According
- The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain. Art
- Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous. Advantageous
- 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… Art