“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”

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.

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.