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.

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.

If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm

What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it.