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| | *"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy." | | *"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy." |
| | *"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." (An alternative translation: "Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus, he is master of his enemy's fate."). | | *"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." (An alternative translation: "Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus, he is master of his enemy's fate."). |
| | + | *"The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers." |
| | + | *"Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals." |
| | *"And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him." | | *"And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him." |
| | *"Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions." | | *"Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions." |
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| | *"Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move." | | *"Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move." |
| | *"What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations." | | *"What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations." |
| | + | *"In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory." |
| | + | *" Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more." |
| | *"If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him." | | *"If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him." |
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