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Sun Tzu Quotes

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Famous Sun Tzu Quotes

“If I know that my troops are capable of striking the enemy, but do not know that he is invulnerable to attack, my chance of victory is but half. If I know that the enemy is vulnerable to attack, but do not know that my troops are incapable of striking him, my chance of victory is but half. If I know that the enemy can be attacked and that my troops are capable of attacking him, but do not realize that because of the conformation of the ground I should not attack, my chance of victory is but half.”

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Book:The Art of War
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“In your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise: which of the two generals has the most ability? on which side is Discipline most rigorously enforced? which army is stronger? on which side are the officers and men more highly trained? in which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?”

MenArtMadeTwoWarSidesAbilityGreaterWiseConditionsMilitaryDisciplineBasesArmyStrongerRewardsDetermineSeekingPunishmentComparisonOfficersArt Of WarConstancyDeliberationReward And Punishment
Author:Sun Tzu
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“There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune on his army: By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army. By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.”

WayMindArtWarFactsThreeCausesPrinciplesConditionsMilitaryIgnoranceCircumstancesArmySoldierDiscriminationKingdomsIgnorantShakesMisfortunesOfficersRulersRetreatAdaptationAttemptingArt Of WarRestlessnessStrategistEmployingStratagemThree WaysBeing Ignorant
Book:The Art of War
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“Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.”

KnowsMayArtWarSpiritFightingWinningForceWaitingEnemyKnow HowFiveMilitaryVictoryEssentialsCapacityArmyPreparedHandleSuperiorsInferiorsSovereignArt Of WarAnimatedStrategistUnpreparedWar StrategyStratagem
Book:The Art Of War - The Oldest Military Treatise in the World
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“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is tempermental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.”

IfsGivingMayForceGrowsUnitedEnemySubjectsMilitaryStrengthWeakPreparedExpectedSuperiorsSecureEaseOpponentsDivisionWhere You AreArrogantBe PreparedSovereignArt Of WarAccordStrategistUnpreparedTacticalWar StrategyTactics And StrategyMilitary StrategyPreparing For War
Author:Sun Tzu
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“The art of using troops is this: ......When ten to the enemy's one, surround him; ......When five times his strength, attack him; ......If double his strength, divide him; ......If equally matched you may engage him; ......If weaker numerically, be capable of withdrawing; ......And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him, ..........for a small force is but booty for one more powerful.”

IfsMayArtForcePowerfulEnemyFiveMilitaryTenCapableSurroundDividesTroopsArt Of WarMatchedBootyWithdrawing
Author:Sun Tzu
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“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.”

IfsKnowsNeedsWarInspirationSufferingResultsEnemyMilitaryVictoryBattleDrugHundredStrategyDefeatWarriorKnow YourselfArt Of WarStrategicGreat WarStrategistWar StrategyStratagemFighting BattlesGreatest VictoryWar VictoryGreatest MilitaryGreat BattleWill To FightMilitary StrategyWars And BattlesDefeating The EnemyWar With Yourself
Book:The Art of War
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“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.”

ArtI CanWarWinningLosesAttentionMilitaryVictoryBattleDefeatTemplesArt Of WarCalculationsWin Or LoseStrategistWar Strategy
Book:Sun Tzu's Art of War - Illustrated & Translated for Modern Readers
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“The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.”

FirstsArtWarHandsAbleLyingCertainOpportunityEnemyMilitaryPossibilityDefeatSecureFighterArt Of WarStrategistGood FightWar StrategyDefeating The Enemy
Book:The Illustrated Art of War
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“Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards... Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.”

MayArtWarRunningCoursesWinningHeavenWaterBornNaturalConditionsMilitaryVictoryShapesSucceedFlowRelationConstantSoldierWork OutOpponentsRunning AwayWarfareCaptainsFoeTacticsArt Of WarStrategistHigh Places
Book:El Arte de la Guerra – The Art of War (Sun Tzu)
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“If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory.”

IfsKnowsMenArtStillsWarFightingEnemyGoneConditionsMilitaryVictoryArt Of WarHalfwayStrategist
Book:Sun-Tzu on the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Sunzi for Language Learners, Volume 1)
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“On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not. On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. On serious ground, gather in plunder. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight.”

WayTryingArtWarHandsFightingDifficultEnemyMilitarySeriousBlockDesperateMarchAlliesHighwaysResortsArt Of WarHaltPlunderStrategistStratagemContentious
Book:The Art of War (The Classic Lionel Giles Translation)
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“If asked how to cope with a great host of the enemy in orderly array and on the point of marching to the attack, I should say: "Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will." Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.”

IfsWayShouldArtWarEnemyMilitaryAdvantageEssenceDearSpotsOpponentsUnexpectedHostRoutesArt Of WarOrderlyStrategistSeizingAmenable
Book:The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China
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“Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity; They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness; Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports; Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of warfare; If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.”

IfsMenMindKindArtWarUseTogetherCertainSecretPiecesMilitaryHe ManNewsReportsSubtleWarfareEmployedSpyIntuitiveArt Of WarBenevolenceRipeIngenuityStrategistSagacity
Author:Sun Tzu
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“The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become double agents and available for our service. It is through the information brought by the double agent that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy.”

ArtWarAbleCausesEnemyMilitaryInformationAvailableLocalsAgentsAcquireInwardDoomedTemptedSpyArt Of WarBribeOwingStrategistTidings
Book:The Complete Art of War
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