Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy

The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night.

The general must be the first in the toils and fatigues of the army. In the heat of summer he does not spread his parasol nor in the cold of winter don thick clothing. In dangerous places he must dismount and walk. He waits until the army's wells have been dug and only then drinks; until the army's food is cooked before he eats; until the army's fortifications have been completed, to shelter himself.