50 Quotes from The Art of War.

Here are 50 well-known, public-domain English quotations from The Art of War by Sun Tzu* (from commonly available translations such as Lionel Giles, 1910 — public domain).

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50 Quotes from The Art of War

1. “The art of war is of vital importance to the State.”

2. “All warfare is based on deception.”

3. “When able to attack, we must seem unable.”

4. “If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him.”

5. “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”

6. “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”

7. “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.”

8. “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”

9. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

10. “To know your enemy, you must become your enemy.”

11. “Know yourself and you will win all battles.”

12. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”

13. “Speed is the essence of war.”

14. “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night.”

15. “Engage people with what they expect.”

16. “Move swift as the wind and closely-formed as the forest.”

17. “When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil.”

18. “He will win who is prepared himself and waits to take the enemy unprepared.”

19. “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”

20. “There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.”

21. “If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight.”

22. “He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.”

23. “Attack him where he is unprepared.”

24. “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy.”

25. “Management of many is the same as management of few.”

26. “He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.”

27. “Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.”

28. “Do not press a desperate foe too hard.”

29. “Great results can be achieved with small forces.”

30. “It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson is to love your enemy.”

31. “When troops flee, are insubordinate, distressed, or collapse, it is the fault of the general.”

32. “Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons.”

33. “A leader leads by example, not by force.”

34. “Disorder came from order; fear came from courage; weakness came from strength.”

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

36. “Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.”

37. “He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.”

38. “Do not repeat the tactics that gained you one victory.”

39. “Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground.”

40. “The wise warrior avoids the battle.”

41. “If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on.”

42. “All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.”

43. “A skilled commander seeks victory from the situation.”

44. “One mark of a great soldier is that he fights on his own terms or not at all.”

45. “He who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace is the jewel of the kingdom.”

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

47. “Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity.”

48. “Plan for what is difficult while it is easy.”

49. “To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.”

50. “What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.”

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