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“If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.”
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
“So long as victory can be attained, stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness.”
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
“It is through the dispositions of an army that its condition may be discovered. Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory,; show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat.”
Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
“If you wish to feign confusion in order to lure the enemy on, you must first have perfect discipline; if you wish to display timidity in order to entrap the enemy, you must have extreme courage; if you wish to parade your weakness in order to make the enemy over-confident, you must have exceeding strength.”]
[One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.
He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.
“Make it appear that you are a long way off, then cover the distance rapidly and arrive on the scene before your opponent.”
Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.
In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed.
“You cannot shut your ears to the thunder or your eyes to the lighting—so rapid are they.”
