Sun Tzu Quotes

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.

施無法之賞，懸無政之令。犯三軍之眾，若使一人。

兵之情主速，乘敵所不及，由不虞之途，攻其所不備也。

If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity.

吾士無余財，非惡貨也。無余命，非惡壽也。

進不邀功，退不避罪，唯人是保，而利合於主，國之寶也。

故戰道必勝，主曰無戰，必戰可也；戰道不勝，主曰必戰，無戰可也；

令素行以敎其民，則民服。令不素行以敎其民，則民不服。令素行者，與民相得也。

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

故用兵之法，無恃其不來，恃吾有以待之；無恃其不攻，恃吾有所不可攻也。

故其疾如風，其徐如林，侵掠如火，不動如山，難知如陰，動如雷霆。

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. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.

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

不遇敵者，必戰無不勝，但每次交鋒，終必敗北。

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 at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.