Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.

Order or disorder depends on organisation and direction; courage or cowardice on circumstances; strength or weakness on tactical dispositions.

Should the enemy forestall you in occupying a pass, do not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned, but only if it is weakly garrisoned.

And therefore only the enlightened sovereign and the worthy general who are able to use the most intelligent people as agents are certain to achieve great things.

Be where your enemy is not.

When the thunderclap comes, there is no time to cover the ears.

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