Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death.

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

It is through the dispositions of an army that its condition may be discovered. 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.

Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this.

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.

Of all rewards none [is] more liberal than those given to secret agents.