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

The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting.

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground; (3) temporising ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.

Great results, can be achieved with small forces.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.