What is of the greatest importance in war is extraordinary speed: One cannot afford to neglect opportunity.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

Those who would wage war, should first eliminate all domestic enemies before proceeding to attack the external foe.

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow...they have form but are formless. They are skilled in both planning and adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles: for they win in advance, defeating those that have already lost.

Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle.

Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.