“Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous one, the opposite state should be always present to your mind.”

“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.”

“No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify hisown spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, staywhere you are.Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeededby content.But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come againinto being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.”

“If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations.”

“You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.”

“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.”

“Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch`i State. His Art of War brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of Wu. Ho Lu said to him: “I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test?”