Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him

Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.

Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.

Know thy enemy and know thy self and you will win a hundred battles.

For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. The difficult things in this world must be done while they are easy, the greatest things in the world must be done while they are still small. For this reason sages never do what is great, and this is why they achieve greatness.

The essential factor of military success is speed, that is taking advantage of others' unpreparedness or lack of foresight, their failure to catch up, going by routes they do not expect, attacking where they are not on guard. This you cannot accomplish with hesitation.