The Art of War

by Sun Tzu

First published -500 · English

30 quotes ★ 3.94 (589,043) Classics

Quotes from the Book

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.

Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .

The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.

Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.

There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: 1 He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. 2 He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. 3 He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. 4 He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. 5 He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.

Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.

The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavours than can ever be tasted.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.

who wishes to fight must first count the cost

To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

Be extremely subtle even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.

The wise warrior avoids the battle.

Did you know?

The treatise is organized into thirteen chapters, each covering a different aspect of warfare, from 'Laying Plans' to 'Use of Spies.'
It was first translated into a European language in 1772 by the French Jesuit priest Jean Joseph Marie Amiot.
The first annotated English translation was published in 1910 by the British scholar Lionel Giles.
In 1972 the Yinqueshan Han bamboo slips were discovered near Linyi in Shandong, containing a text corresponding to the received Art of War alongside a separate treatise attributed to Sun Bin.
Beginning around the 12th century, Chinese scholars began to question whether Sun Tzu was a real historical figure.
Its influence extends far beyond the military into fields such as business, politics, sport, and law.

About Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu is the name traditionally given to the ancient Chinese military strategist and general credited with writing The Art of War; some scholars have questioned his historical existence, though the treatise itself is dated to the late Spring and Autumn period.

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About the book

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise traditionally attributed to the strategist Sun Tzu and composed sometime between roughly 500 and 430 BC. Organized into thirteen concise chapters, each devoted to a distinct aspect of warfare, it lays out principles for planning campaigns, maneuvering armies, exploiting terrain, using spies, and defeating an enemy with minimal cost. Rather than a narrative, it is a compact, aphoristic guide to strategy and command.

Its central themes are the primacy of foreknowledge and deception, the value of winning without fighting, adapting flexibly to circumstances, and understanding both oneself and one's opponent. The treatise argues that the supreme skill lies in subduing an enemy through preparation, positioning, and intelligence rather than through prolonged battle, and it treats war as a serious matter to be studied and avoided where possible.

The Art of War became one of the most influential works on strategy ever written. First translated into a European language in 1772 by the French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, it later reached English readers through Lionel Giles's annotated 1910 translation. Military leaders across history have drawn on it, and in modern times its ideas have been applied well beyond the battlefield to business, politics, sport, and law.

Book details

First published: -500
Author: Sun Tzu
Genre: Classics
Goodreads rating: 3.94 (589k ratings) →

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