Sun Tzu Quotes

The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favourite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: “I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.

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.

In a similar way, The Art of War pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat.

licited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any

A man who never faces any enemies shall be invincible in battle, but will ultimately succumb to defeat in every confrontation.

Hence the saying: 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.

Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win.

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous one, the opposite state should be always present to your mind.

故用兵之法，十則圍之，五則攻之，倍則分之， 敵則能戰之，少則能守之，不若則能避之。

On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies.

Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.

If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations.