How to Use Wisdom to 'Know
Your Enemy'—Here Are the 75
Best Sun Tzu Quotes
Learn why Sun Tzu's "Art of
War" has been so influential
for centuries with his most
famous quotes on leadership
and more.
Sun Tzu
It's not very common to hear
about a military general from
ancient history known for his
strategy to win wars, whose
goal was to beat the enemy
using methods other than
sheer force. However, that's
exactly what Chinese general
Sun Tzu is revered for, even
centuries upon centuries
following his influential life.
You'll quickly understand his
unique perspective while
reading through the 75 best
Sun Tzu quotes!
Born as Sun Wu around 544 BC, he
is better known for his honorific
name, Sun Tzu, which means
"master." Sun Tzu was a Chinese
general, military strategist and
reputed author of The Art of War,
which is known as the earliest
military treatise and has been
used significantly as a systematic
guide to war. His book stresses
how important it is to truly "know
your enemy" and use brains over
brawn, so to speak, as much as
possible.
It could be said that Sun Tzu
perfectly understood the concept
of "work smarter, not harder," as
he encouraged utilizing philosophy,
wit, and careful planning to
avoid unnecessary, rash
physical
altercations on the battlefield.
Interestingly, many of his Art
of War quotes that center on
strategizing and finding
victory over an enemy,
along with Sun Tzu leadership
quotes, have impacted plenty of
other competitive sectors—even
in today's culture.
Curious about Sun Tzu's lasting
influence on war strategy, and
placing a ton of focus on the
mentality you bring to a challenge?
Check out these 75 Sun Tzu
quotes.
Best Sun Tzu War Quotes
1. "He will win who knows when to
fight and when not to fight."
2. "In the midst of chaos, there is
also opportunity.”
3. "Victorious warriors win first and
then go to war, while defeated
warriors go to war first and then
seek to win.”
4. “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.”
5. "The greatest victory is that
which requires no battle.”
6. "Quickness is the essence of
the war."
7. "Even the finest sword plunged
into salt water will eventually rust.”
8. "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.”
9. "There is no instance
of a nation benefiting
from prolonged warfare.”
10. “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.”
11. "Who wishes to fight
must first count the cost.”
12. "You have to believe in yourself.”
13. "Build your opponent a
golden bridge to retreat
across.”
14. "One may know how
to conquer without being
able to do it.”
15. “What the ancients called a
clever fighter is one who not
only wins, but excels in winning
with ease.”
16. "The wise warrior
avoids the battle.”
17. "The whole secret lies in
confusing the enemy, so that
he cannot fathom
our real intent.”
18. “One mark of a great
soldier is that he fight on
his own terms or fights
not at all.”
19. "If the mind is willing,
the flesh could go on and
on without many things.”
20. "He who is prudent and lies in
wait for an enemy who is not,
will be victorious.”
21. "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.”
22. "There are roads which
must not be followed,
armies which must
not be attacked,
towns which
must not be besieged,
positions which must
not be contested,
commands of the
sovereign which must
not be obeyed.”
23. “Attack is the
secret of defense;
defense is the
planning of an attack.”
24. "Great results can be
achieved with small forces.”
25. “Opportunities multiply
as they are seized.”
26. "If quick, I survive.
If not quick, I am lost.
This is death.”
27. "To secure ourselves
against defeat
lies in our own hands,
but the opportunity of
defeating the enemy
is provided by
the enemy himself.”
28. "Bravery without forethought,
causes a man to fight blindly
and desperately like a mad bull.
Such an opponent, must not
be encountered with
brute force,
but may be lured into
an ambush and slain.”
29. "Wheels of justice grind slow
but grind fine.”
30. "Never venture, never win!”
31. "The skillful tactician may be
likened to the shuai-jan.
Now the shuai-jan is a snake
that is found in the Ch'ang
mountains. Strike at its head,
and you will be attacked
by its tail; strike at its tail, and
you will be attacked by
its head; strike at its middle,
and you will be attacked by
head and tail both.”
32. "It is easy to love your friend,
but sometimes the hardest
lesson to learn is
to love your enemy.”
33. "Be where your enemy is not.”
34. "Who does not know the evils
of war cannot appreciate
its benefits.”
35. "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 maneuvers.”
36. "Plan for what it is difficult
while it is easy,
do what is great
while it is small.”
37. "The opportunity of defeating
the enemy is provided by
the enemy himself.”
38. "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.”
39. “If you fight with all your might,
there is a chance of life;
where as death is certain if
you cling to your corner.”
40. “Do not swallow bait offered by
the enemy. Do not interfere with
an army that is returning home.”
Sun Tzu Leadership Quotes
41.“We cannot enter into alliances
until we are acquainted with the
designs of our neighbors.”
42. "When the outlook is bright,
bring it before their eyes;
but tell them nothing when
the situation is gloomy.”
43. “The worst calamities
that befall an army
arise from hesitation.”
44. "If there is disturbance
in the camp, the general's
authority is weak."
45. "Hence that general is skillful
in attack whose opponent does
not know what to defend; and
he is skillful in defense
whose opponent does not
know what to attack.”
46. "Those skilled at making the
enemy move do so by creating a
situation to which he must
conform; they entice him with
something he is certain to take,
and with lures of ostensible
profit they await him in strength.”
47. "Energy may be likened to the
bending of a crossbow; decision,
to the releasing of a trigger.”
48. "When your army has crossed
the border, you should burn your
boats and bridges, in order to
make it clear to everybody that
you have no hankering after home.”
49. “There are five dangerous faults
which may affect a general:
(1) Recklessness, which
leads to destruction;
(2) cowardice, which leads to
capture;
(3) a hasty temper, which
can be provoked by insults;
(4) a delicacy of honor
which is sensitive to shame;
(5) over-solicitude for his men,
which exposes him to
worry and trouble.”
50. “Ponder and deliberate
before you make a move.”
51. "Rewards for good service
should not be deferred
a single day.”
52. "Begin by seizing something
which your opponent holds dear;
then he will be amenable
to your will.”
53. “If words of command are
not clear and distinct,
if orders are not thoroughly
understood, then the general
is to blame. But, if orders are
clear and the soldiers
nevertheless disobey, then
it is the fault of their officers.”
54. “If his forces are united,
separate them.”
55. “Move not unless you see
an advantage; use not your
troops unless there is
something to be gained;
fight not unless
the position is critical.”
56. "The general who advances
without coveting fame
and retreats without fearing
disgrace, whose only thought
is to protect his country
and do good service for
his sovereign, is the
jewel of the kingdom.”
57. "It is only the enlightened ruler
and the wise general who will
use the highest intelligence
of the army for the purposes
of spying, and thereby they
achieve great results.”
58. “If soldiers are punished before
they have grown attached to you,
they will not prove submissive;
and, unless submissive, then
will be practically useless.
If, when the soldiers have
become attached to you,
punishments are not enforced,
they will still be unless.”
59. "Convince your enemy that
he will gain very little
by attacking you; this will
diminish his enthusiasm.”
60. "To fight and conquer in
all our battles is
not supreme excellence;
supreme excellence
consists in breaking the
enemy's resistance
without fighting."
61. "Let your plans be dark
and impenetrable as night,
and when you move,
fall like a thunderbolt.”
62. "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.”
63. "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."
64. "To know your enemy,
you must become your enemy.”
65. "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.”
66. "Treat your men as you would
your own beloved sons. And
they will follow you into the
deepest valley.”
67. “When the enemy is relaxed,
make them toil. When the enemy
is full, starve them. When the
enemy is settled, make them move.”
68. “So in war, the way is to avoid
what is strong, and strike at what
is weak.”
69. "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.”
70. "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.”
71. “Thus the expert in battle
moves the enemy, and is not
moved by him.”
72. "Water shapes its course
according to the nature of the
ground over which it flows;
the soldier works out his
victory in relation to the foe
whom he is facing.”
73. “The supreme art of war is
to subdue the enemy
without fighting.”
74. “Appear weak when you are
strong, and appear strong
when you are weak.”
75. "When one treats people
with benevolence, justice,
and righteousness, and
reposes confidence in them,
the army will be
united in mind and all will be
happy to serve their leaders.”
SUN TZU MILITARY THE ART OF WAR
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