O divine art of subtlety and secrecy!

In executing an Artful Strategy: When ten times greater, surround them; When five times greater, attack them; When two times greater, scatter them. If the opponent is ready to challenge: When fewer in number, be ready to evade them; When unequal to the match, be ready to avoid them. Even when the smaller opponents have a strong position, the larger opponent will capture them.

If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.

A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

When orders are consistently trustworthy and observed, the relationship of a commander with his troops is satisfactory.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.