When the thunderclap comes, there is no time to cover the ears.
Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.
Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.
War is a matter of vital importance to the state.
Do not press an enemy at bay.
War is a matter of vital importance to the state; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin. It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied.