Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy’s terms.
You cannot know if you will be successful or not. You can only prepare for battle and it must be done with all of your heart and with all of your consciousness. In that manner, you will have an edge.
With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.
Like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more.
A leader leads by example not by force.
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.
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.
Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy’s troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.
When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse.
However desperate the situation and circumstances, don’t despair. When there is everything to fear, be unafraid. When surrounded by dangers, fear none of them. When without resources, depend on resourcefulness. When surprised, take the enemy by surprise.
If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.
Plan for what is difficult when it is easy, do what is great when it is small.
Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.
All warfare is based on deception. If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight and if not: split and re-evaluate.
In desperate positions, you must fight.
So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.
A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.