Sun Tzu: Trending quotes

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Sun Tzu: 136 quotes334 likes

“WANG XI Opponents cannot exhaust you.”

Sun Tzu book The Art of War

The Art of War: Complete Texts and Commentaries

“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness.”

Sun Tzu book The Art of War

Alternative translation: Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus he is master of his enemy's fate.
Alternative translation: O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands.
The Art of War, Chapter VI · Weaknesses and Strengths
Context: 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.

“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.”

Sun Tzu book The Art of War

(zh-TW) 孫子曰:國之上下,死生之地,存亡之道,不可不察也。
The Art of War, Chapter 1 · Detail Assessment and Planning

“Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.”

Sun Tzu

Attributed to Sun Tzu in multiple books and internet sites, but this text does not appear in The Art of War and seems to be a more recent creation.
Disputed

“One defends when his strength is inadequate; he attacks when it is abundant.”

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter IV · Disposition of the Army

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

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter IV · Disposition of the Army

“And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.”

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter VI · Weaknesses and Strengths

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

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter II · Waging War

“Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.”

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter I · Detail Assessment and Planning

“Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.”

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter V · Forces

“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

Source: The Art of War, Chapter IX · Movement and Development of Troops

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

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter III · Strategic Attack

“Where the army is, prices are high; when prices rise the wealth of the people is exhausted.”

Sun Tzu

Source: The Art of War, Chapter II · Waging War