If I determine the enemy's disposition of forces while I have no perceptible form, I can concentrate my forces while the enemy is fragmented. The pinnacle of military deployment approaches the formless: if it is formless, then even the deepest spy cannot discern it nor the wise make plans against it.

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

One who speaks deferentially but increases his preparations will advance. One who speaks belligerently and advances hastily will retreat.

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.

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.

You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.