Sun Tzu Quotes - Page 10

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Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Men

Sun Tzu, General Press (2016). “The Art of War”, p.63, GENERAL PRESS

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When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal.

Sun Tzu

Winning, Ignorant, Enemy

Sun Tzu, Shang Yang (1997). “The Art of War”, p.26, Wordsworth Editions

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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.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Army

Sun Tzu (2012). “Sun Tzu's The Art of War: Bilingual Edition Complete Chinese and English Text”, p.136, Tuttle Publishing

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He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

Sun Tzu

Strength, Art, Strong

Sun Tzu “Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)”, Charles River Editors

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Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans, the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field, and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

Sun Tzu

Art, Military, War

Sun Tzu “Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)”, Charles River Editors

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What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.

Sun Tzu

Wise, Art, War

The Art of War (6th century b.c.).

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A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

Sun Tzu

War, Vexation, Kingdoms

Victoria Charles, Sun Tzu (2015). “Art of War”, p.73, Parkstone International

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In your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise: which of the two generals has the most ability? on which side is Discipline most rigorously enforced? which army is stronger? on which side are the officers and men more highly trained? in which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?

Sun Tzu

Wise, Art, Military

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Invincibility is in oneself, and vulnerability is in the opponent. Invincibility is a matter of defense, vulnerability is a matter of attack. Therefore skillful warriors are able to be invincible, but they cannot cause opponents to be vulnerable. That is why it is said that victory is discerned and not manufactured.

Sun Tzu

Leadership, Sports, Warrior

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When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chief can tell whether or not he is in a position to fight, the result is ruin.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Fighting

Sun Tzu (2010). “The Art of War”, p.34, FastPencil Inc

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Thus the skilful general conducts his army just as though he were leading a single man, willy-nilly, by the hand.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Army

Sun Tzu, General Press (2016). “The Art of War”, p.53, GENERAL PRESS

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By altering his arrangements and changing his plans, the skillful general keeps the enemy without definite knowledge. By shifting his camp and taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose. At the critical moment, the leader of an army acts like one who has climbed up a height and then kicks away the ladder behind him.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Army

James Clavell, Sun Tzu (2013). “The Art of War”, p.52, Hachette UK

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Perfection in war lies in so sapping your opponents will that he surrenders without fighting.

Sun Tzu

War, Lying, Fighting

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If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

Sun Tzu

Military, War, Greatest Victory

Sun Tzu (2010). “The Art of War”, p.11, Cosimo, Inc.

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He who is not sage and wise, humane and just, cannot use secret agent.s. And he who is not delicate and subtle cannot get the truth out of them.

Sun Tzu

Wise, Secret, Use

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In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected.

Sun Tzu

Strength, Art, Peace

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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 colors, 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 flavors than can ever be tasted.

Sun Tzu

Art, War, Yield

Sun Tzu (2017). “The Art Of War - The Oldest Military Treatise in the World”, p.55, Youcanprint

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The general must be the first in the toils and fatigues of the army. In the heat of summer he does not spread his parasol nor in the cold of winter don thick clothing. In dangerous places he must dismount and walk. He waits until the army's wells have been dug and only then drinks; until the army's food is cooked before he eats; until the army's fortifications have been completed, to shelter himself.

Sun Tzu

Summer, Art, War

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We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country.

Sun Tzu

Country, Art, War

Sun Tzu (2010). “The Art of War”, p.22, Cosimo, Inc.

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This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair. After that, you may crush him.

Sun Tzu

Crush, War, Believe

Sun Tzu (2016). “The Art of War”, p.37, Xist Publishing

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The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

Sun Tzu

Art, Military, War

Sun Tzu (2015). “The Art of War”, Booklassic

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There are only five notes in the musical scale, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be heard. There are only five basic colors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be seen. There are only five basic flavors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be tasted. There are only two kinds of charge in battle, the unorthodox surprise attack and the orthodox direct attack, but variations of the unorthodox and the orthodox are endless. The unorthodox and the orthodox give rise to each other, like a beginningless circle-who could exhaust them?

Sun Tzu

Color, Circles, Two

Sun Tzu (2005). “The Art of War”, p.98, Shambhala Publications

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Defeat the enemies strategy.

Sun Tzu

Decision, Enemy, Defeat

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Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress.

Sun Tzu

War, Army, Punishment

Sun Tzu, Shang Yang (1997). “The Art of War”, p.41, Wordsworth Editions

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

Sun Tzu

Art, Strong, War

Sun Tzu (2010). “The Art of War”, p.20, Cosimo, Inc.

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Born: 544 BC
Died: 496 BC
Occupation: Strategist
Cite this Page: Citation

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