Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.

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

To maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished.

In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them.

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become, as it were, like rolling logs or stones... The energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height.

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