Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow...they have form but are formless. They are skilled in both planning and adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles: for they win in advance, defeating those that have already lost.

Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war

Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.