Chinese - Philosopher | B.C.545 - B.C.470
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
Sun Tzu
FightWinWillWhoKnowsHe
Balk the enemy's power; force him to reveal himself.
PowerEnemyHimRevealForceBalk
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.
CareYouEnemyOutServeAgainst
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
EnemyWishesComplimentsSignMouths
Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
WarArmySecretOperationsMove
There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.
WarNationWarfareInstance
Quickness is the essence of the war.
WarEssenceQuickness
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.
KnowOpponentDefendDefenseAttack
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.
FightVictoryFightingResultYou
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.
WinFightingEnemySkillBattles
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
GoodOpportunityEnemyDefeatBeyond
To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
ExcellenceVictorySeeWithinCommon
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