It is ten thousand times cheaper to pay the best spies lavishly than even a tiny army poorly.

Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you.

Apparent confusion is a product of good order; apparent cowardice, of courage; apparent weakness, of strength.

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total.

All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are to lure him; feign disorder and strike him. When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him. Anger his general and confuse him. Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.