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

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

" Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge. "

" 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. "

" The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. "

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

" 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. "

" 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. "

" Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of victory in the attack. "

" Victory usually goes to the army who has better trained officers and men. "

" Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations. "

" Quickness is the essence of the war. "

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

" For 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. "

" The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. "

" Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move. "

" If fighting is sure to result in victory, than you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding. "

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

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

" In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. "

" The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. "

" 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. "

" To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence. "

" It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care for them. Thus doubled agents are recruited and used. "

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

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

" There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited. "

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

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

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

" Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory. "