The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
– Sun Tzu
A leader leads by example not by force.
– Sun Tzu
A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be
incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.
– Sun Tzu
If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him.
– Sun Tzu
The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.
– Sun Tzu
All warfare is based on deception.
– Sun Tzu
When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make
them move.
– Sun Tzu
Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.
– Sun Tzu
If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
– Sun Tzu
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and
destroy its victim.
– Sun Tzu
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
– Sun Tzu
What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.
– Sun Tzu
Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
– Sun Tzu
Know yourself and you will win all battles.
– Sun Tzu
He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.
– Sun Tzu
Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.
– Sun Tzu
In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack – the direct and the indirect; yet
these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.
– Sun Tzu
Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger.
– Sun Tzu
Move swift as the wind and closely-formed as the wood. Attack like the fire and be still as
the mountain.
– Sun Tzu
What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with
ease.
– Sun Tzu
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.
– Sun Tzu
Wheels of justice grind slow but grind fine.
– Sun Tzu
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited
for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
– Sun Tzu
Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
– Sun Tzu
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the
noise before defeat.
– Sun Tzu
A sovereign should never launch an army out of anger, a leader should never start a war out
of wrath.
– Sun Tzu
Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.
– Sun Tzu
If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.
– Sun Tzu
Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy’s unpreparedness; travel by
unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions.
– Sun Tzu
Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent;
of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more
confidential than those relating to secret operations.
– Sun Tzu
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.
– Sun Tzu
Bestow rewards without respect to customary practice; publish orders without respect to
precedent. Thus you may employ the entire army as you would one man.
– Sun Tzu
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and
then seek to win.
– Sun Tzu
What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy.
– Sun Tzu
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.
– Sun Tzu
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 a
defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
– Sun Tzu
When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.
– Sun Tzu
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 plans against you.
– Sun Tzu
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.
– Sun Tzu
Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.
– Sun Tzu
In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace.
– Sun Tzu
Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.
– Sun Tzu
Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the
deepest valley.
– Sun Tzu
Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
– Sun Tzu
To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence
consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
– Sun Tzu
Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move fall like a thunderbolt.
– Sun Tzu
Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?
– Sun Tzu
The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is
fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
– Sun Tzu
When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.
– Sun Tzu
He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.
– Sun Tzu
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise
before defeat.
– Sun Tzu
The skilful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and
the stupid man.
– Sun Tzu
Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak.
– Sun Tzu
There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.
– Sun Tzu
Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent
punishments that he is in acute distress.
– Sun Tzu
What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.
– Sun Tzu
Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus
he is master of his enemy’s fate.
– Sun Tzu
All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out
of which victory is evolved.
– Sun Tzu
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating
the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
– Sun Tzu
If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade
him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he
may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united,
separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him
where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
– Sun Tzu
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
– Sun Tzu
If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.
– Sun Tzu
Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.
– Sun Tzu
To know your enemy, you must become your enemy.
– 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.
– Sun Tzu
You have to believe in yourself.
– Sun Tzu
If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then
the general is to blame. But, if orders are clear and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it
is the fault of their officers.
– Sun Tzu
Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
– Sun Tzu
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.
– Sun Tzu
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.
– Sun Tzu
If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.
– Sun Tzu
When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When the strike of a
hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.
– Sun Tzu
Where the army is, prices are high; when prices rise, the wealth of the people is exhausted.
– Sun Tzu