There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare. Sun Tzu More Quotes by Sun Tzu More Quotes From Sun Tzu Against those skilled in attack, an enemy does not know where to defend; against the experts in defense, the enemy does not know where to attack. Sun Tzu expertsdoeenemy He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. Sun Tzu strengthstrongart Probe him and learn where his strength is abundant and where deficient. Sun Tzu The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy. Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality. Sun Tzu spywarenemy The art of using troops is this: Sun Tzu powerfulmilitaryart Know yourself and you will win all battles. Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. Sun Tzu warartmoving Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat. Sun Tzu art-of-warpreparationhumble There are only five notes in the musical scale, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be heard. There are only five basic colors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be seen. There are only five basic flavors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be tasted. There are only two kinds of charge in battle, the unorthodox surprise attack and the orthodox direct attack, but variations of the unorthodox and the orthodox are endless. The unorthodox and the orthodox give rise to each other, like a beginningless circle-who could exhaust them? Sun Tzu circlescolortwo There is nothing more difficult than tactical maneuvering. The difficult consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain. Thus, to take a long and circuitous route after enticing the enemy out of the way, and though starting after him to contrive to reach the goal before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation. Sun Tzu warlongart Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources. Sun Tzu enlightenedwarart the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril. Sun Tzu fatearmymen A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. Sun Tzu vexationkingdomswar If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual. Sun Tzu gainsmenorder When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chief can tell whether or not he is in a position to fight, the result is ruin. Sun Tzu fightingwarart To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood. Sun Tzu bloodenemymoving In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune. Sun Tzu maywarart The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain. Sun Tzu militarywarart If quick, I survive. If not quick, I am lost. This is death. Sun Tzu lostwarart The essential factor of military success is speed, that is taking advantage of others' unpreparedness or lack of foresight, their failure to catch up, going by routes they do not expect, attacking where they are not on guard. This you cannot accomplish with hesitation. Sun Tzu militarywarart 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. Sun Tzu blockmilitaryart
