The Art of War (Shambhala Library)

by Sun Tzu

Therefore good warriors cause others to come to them, and do not go to others.

It is easy to take over from those who have not thought ahead.

When you can attack anywhere and defend everywhere, your military strategy is complete.

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.

Hold your cards close

If you can strike few with many, you will thus minimize the number of those with whom you do battle.

Preparedness on the left means lack on the right, preparedness on the right means lack on the left. Preparedness everywhere means lack everywhere.

Everyone knows the form by which I am victorious, but no one knows the form by which I ensure victory.

the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.

So if you do not know the plans of your competitors, you cannot make informed alliances.

Only when you know every detail of the lay of the land can you maneuver and contend.

Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measures of far and near wins—this is the rule of armed struggle.

Using order to deal with the disorderly, using calm to deal with the clamorous, is mastering the heart.

not follow a feigned retreat. Do not attack crack troops.

A surrounded army must be given a way out.

Those who are ready to die can be killed; those who are intent on living can be captured; those who are quick to anger can be shamed; those who are puritanical can be disgraced; those who love people can be troubled.

Those whose words are humble while they increase war preparations are going to advance. Those whose words are strong and who advance aggressively are going to retreat.

Not necessarily in a non zero sum game

The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.

Therefore direct them through cultural arts, unify them through martial arts; this means certain victory.

Thus one advances without seeking glory, retreats without avoiding blame, only protecting people, to the benefit of the government as well, thus rendering valuable service to the nation.

This means that to take advantage of unpreparedness, lack of foresight, or lack of caution on the part of opponents, it is necessary to proceed quickly, it won’t work if you hesitate.

Therefore if you do not compete for alliances anywhere, do not foster authority anywhere, but just extend your personal influence, threatening opponents, this makes town and country vulnerable.

Employ the entire armed forces like employing a single person. Employ them with actual tasks, do not talk to them. Motivate them with benefits, do not tell them about harm.

When opponents present openings, you should penetrate them immediately. Get to what they want first, subtly anticipate them. Maintain discipline and adapt to the enemy in order to determine the outcome of the war. Thus, at first you are like a maiden, so the enemy opens his door; then you are like a rabbit on the loose, so the enemy cannot keep you out.

Anger can revert to joy, wrath can revert to delight, but a nation destroyed cannot be restored to existence, and the dead cannot be restored to life.

Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy.