Ancient Eastern Philosophers

Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy.

—Sun Tzu

If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.

—Sun Tzu

Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy.

Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.

—Sun Tzu

In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack–the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of manoeuvres.

—Sun Tzu

Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.

—Sun Tzu

Wheels of justice gind slow but grind fine.

—Sun Tzu

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.

—Sun Tzu

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

—Sun Tzu

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.

—Sun Tzu

Quickness is the essence of the war.

—Sun Tzu

When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy.

—Sun Tzu

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.

—Sun Tzu

The Art of War is self-explanatory.

—Sun Tzu

Mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy.

—Sun Tzu

Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood.

Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.

—Sun Tzu

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity.

Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

—Sun Tzu

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.

—Sun Tzu

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

—Sun Tzu

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

—Sun Tzu

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

—Sun Tzu

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

—Sun Tzu

Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.

—Sun Tzu

If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

—Sun Tzu

Balk the enemy’s power; force him to reveal himself.

—Sun Tzu

He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

—Sun Tzu