Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.

You cannot know if you will be successful or not. You can only prepare for battle and it must be done with all of your heart and with all of your consciousness. In that manner, you will have an edge.

This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair. After that, you may crush him.

If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.

If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.