Sun Tzu famous quotes

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Fighting

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
-- Sun Tzu

#Business #Victory #Noise

He who knows his enemy and himself well will not be defeated easily.
-- Sun Tzu

#Enemy #Defeated #Wells

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never peril.
-- Sun Tzu

#Inspirational #Art #Fear

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Fighting #Winning

When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse.
-- Sun Tzu

#Strong #Art #War

Know yourself and you will win all battles.
-- Sun Tzu

#Self Confidence #Winning #Battle

Pretend to be weak, so your enemy may grow arrogant.
-- Sun Tzu

#Enemy #May #Arrogant

Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment - that which they cannot anticipate.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #People

What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Victory

Of old the expert in battle would first make himself invincible and then wait for his enemy to expose his vulnerability.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Waiting #Enemy

Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.
-- Sun Tzu

#Lying #War #Fighting

To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
-- Sun Tzu

#Peace #Fighting #Enemy

The skilful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man.
-- Sun Tzu

#Wise #Stupid #War

To Subdue an enemy without fighting is the greatest of skills
-- Sun Tzu

#Fighting #Skills #Enemy

When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Army

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Enemy

Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Doubt #Needs

When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.
-- Sun Tzu

#Depressing #Art #Strong

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, 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.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Believe

The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Victory

Therefore I say: know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.
-- Sun Tzu

#Military #Winning #Ignorant

As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Army

Victory is the main object in war.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Art Of War

Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Appreciate

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Army #Sovereign

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Enemy

To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Virtue #Crime

The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
-- Sun Tzu

#Opportunity #Enemy #Defeating The Enemy

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

#Planning #Easy #Difficult

Hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of subdivision; concealing courage under a show of timidity presupposes a fund of latent energy; masking strength with weakness is to be effected by tactical dispositions.
-- Sun Tzu

#Order #Energy #Weakness

In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Victory #Engagement

On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough; hence the institution of gongs and drums... banners and flags. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Mean

Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy's purpose.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Enemy

Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.
-- Sun Tzu

#Home #Army #Enemy

The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Gains

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.
-- Sun Tzu

#Running #Art #Military

The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Clever #War

The dance of battle is always played to the same impatient rhythm. What begins in a surge of violent motion is always reduced to the perfectly still.
-- Sun Tzu

#Warrior #Battle #Impatient

You can prevent your opponent from defeating you through defense, but you cannot defeat him without taking the offensive.
-- Sun Tzu

#Warrior #Opponents #Defense

Every battle is won before it is fought.
-- Sun Tzu

#Battle #Planning

What is of the greatest importance in war is extraordinary speed: One cannot afford to neglect opportunity.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Opportunity #Speed

The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Kings #War

He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Purpose

Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow.
-- Sun Tzu

#Change #Rivers #Flow

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.
-- Sun Tzu

#Fate #Winning #Unhappy

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Winning #Waiting

It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Self

This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair. After that, you may crush him.
-- Sun Tzu

#Crush #War #Believe

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

#Enemy #Defense #Experts

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
-- Sun Tzu

#Army #Decision #Quality

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Army #Fighting

Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.
-- Sun Tzu

#Army #Organization #Matter

In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Military #War

Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow...they have form but are formless. They are skilled in both planning and adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles: for they win in advance, defeating those that have already lost.
-- Sun Tzu

#Winning #Rivers #Battle

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.
-- Sun Tzu

#Strength #Peace #Self

When I have won a victory I do not repeat my tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Victory

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.
-- Sun Tzu

#Strong #Military #War

All war is based on deception.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Deception

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Men #Victory

All warfare is based on deception. There is no place where espionage is not used. Offer the enemy bait to lure him.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Deception #Enemy

Know thy self, know thy enemy.
-- Sun Tzu

#Self #Enemy

There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Warfare #Instance

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Fighting #Victory

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Fighting

A leader leads by example not by force.
-- Sun Tzu

#Army #Leader #Example

If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Enemy #Ignorant

Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Decision #May

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Enemy #Suffering

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Bridges #Opponents

For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
-- Sun Tzu

#Business #War #Fighting

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.
-- Sun Tzu

#Opponents #Dear

Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Moving #Enemy

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.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Enemy #Suffering

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.
-- Sun Tzu

#Strong #Art #War

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

#Art #War #Moving

Order or disorder depends on organisation; courage or cowardice on circumstances; strength or weakness on dispositions.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Order #Weakness

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Fighting

Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy's terms.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Powerful #War

It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, be able to evade them; if weaker, be able to avoid them.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Enemy

If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Long

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Enemy

An army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Army

It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Self

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.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Lying #War

Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Army

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.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Winning

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Opportunity

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Enemy

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Fighting

He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #Lying #War

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Home

There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: recklessness, which leads to destruction; cowardice, which leads to capture; a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; a delicacy of honour, which is sensitive to shame; over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.
-- Sun Tzu

#Art #War #Men

There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefitted.
-- Sun Tzu

#Country #Art #War

However desperate the situation and circumstances, don't despair. When there is everything to fear, be unafraid. When surrounded by dangers, fear none of them. When without resources, depend on resourcefulness. When surprised, take the enemy by surprise.
-- Sun Tzu

#Mma #Enemy #Despair

You cannot know if you will be successful or not. You can only prepare for battle and it must be done with all of your heart and with all of your consciousness. In that manner, you will have an edge.
-- Sun Tzu

#Heart #Successful #Battle

Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you.
-- Sun Tzu

#Void #Bypass #Doe

Quickness is the essence of the war.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Essence #Quickness

Opportunities increase as they are taken.
-- Sun Tzu

#Taken #Opportunity #Increase

All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought.
-- Sun Tzu

#War #Lost