The Art of War

by Sun Tzu

Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.

Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.

method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

In which army is there the greater constancy both in rewa...

According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.

All warfare is based on deception.

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 he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them.

Attack him where he is unprepared,

the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought.

when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity.

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy.

to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards.

captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.

the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact;

better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it,

supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.

the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy’s plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy’s forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy’s army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

if our forces are ten to the enemy’s one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two.

If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.

bring misfortune

employing the officers of his army without discrimination,

when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

knows when to fight and when not to fight.

knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

army is animated by the same spirit throughou...

prepared himself, waits to take the ene...

military capacity and is not interfered with b...

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

defense hides

attack flashes forth

wins his battles by making no mistakes.

skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible,

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.

there are not more than two methods of attack — the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.

Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all;

Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy’s will to be imposed on him.

By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or, by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near.

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.