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.

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over.

Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man.

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.

The best general is the one who never fights.