“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.

If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster,

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.

Never venture, never win!

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.

The wise warrior avoids the battle.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.

Conform to the enemy’s tactics until a favorable opportunity offers; then come forth and engage in a battle that shall prove decisive.

If quick, I survive. If not quick, I am lost. This is “death.

Plan for what it is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.

A person who has been punished is not thereby simply less inclined to behave in a given way; at best, he learns how to avoid punishment.

When we are in doubt whether an action is good or bad, abstain from it.

If there is anything good about nobility it is that it enforces the necessity of avoiding degeneracy.

Avoiding the temptation to sin and being patient upon that, is greater than being patient whilst being afflicted with trials.

As far as you can avoid it, do not give grief to anyone. Never inflict your rage on another. If you hope for eternal rest, feel the pain yourself; but don’t hurt others.

Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.

I don’t try to describe the future. I try to prevent it.

The problem in this world is to avoid concentration of power – we must have a dispersion of power.