The Art of War

"Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance."

"Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness."

"One mark of a great soldier is that he fights on his own terms or not at all."

"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him."

"Disorder inevitably results from mismanagement."

"To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill."

"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy."

"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is produced."

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

"Concentrate your strengths against your enemy's weaknesses."

"The supreme warrior breaks the enemy's will to fight without ever striking a blow."

"Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Keep your forces at ready and wait for disorder within the enemy ranks."

"The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different places."

"If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things."

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory."

"Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat."

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

"Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across."

"The general who wins a hundred times in a hundred battles is not the most skillful. He that conquers the enemy without fighting is supreme."

"Confusion and perplexity in the midst of the army breed a desolate victory."

"Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."

"The wise adapt themselves to circumstances."

"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."

"If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."

"Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated."

"All warfare is based on deception."