Quotes from Sun Tzu

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.

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

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

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

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavours than can ever be tasted.

who wishes to fight must first count the cost

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

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.

If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.

know yourself and you will win all battles

To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

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

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.

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

The wise warrior avoids the battle.

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.

Swift as the wind. Quiet as the forest. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountain

A leader leads by example not by force.

He who knows his enemy and himself well will not be defeated easily.

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.