Without harmony in the State, no military expedition can be undertaken; without harmony in the army, no battle array can be formed.

The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.

Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.

Unless you know the mountains and the forests, the defiles and impasses, the lay of the marshes and swamps, you cannot maneuver with an armed force. Unless you use local guides, you cannot get the advantages of the land.

It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.

Keep their friends close and their enemies closer.

When I have won a victory I do not repeat my tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways.