"O divine art of subtlety and secrecy!"
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Quote collection
Sun Tzu quotes (page 6 of 23)
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"Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war"
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"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."
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"Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy; forceful execution of even a poor plan can often bring victory."
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"So the principles of warfare are: Do not depend on the enemy not coming, but depend on our readiness against him. Do not depend on the enemy not attacking, but depend on our position that cannot be attacked."
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"No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life."
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"And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him."
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"In a position of this sort, even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisable not to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticing the enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage."
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"Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory."
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"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted."
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"Attack where he is unprepared; sally forth when he does not expect you."
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"Those who excel in war first cultivate their own humanity and and maintain their laws and institutions. By these means they make their governments invincible."
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"So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius."
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"Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field."
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"Ponder and deliberate before you make a move."
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"Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him."
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"For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death."
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"Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger."
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"Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement."
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"In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good."
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