Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow.

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

The military has no constant form, just as water has no constant shape - adapt as you face the enemy, without letting them know beforehand what you are going to do.

If I am able to determine the enemy's dispositions while at the same time I conceal my own, then I can concentrate and he must divide.

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

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress.