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

“You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.”

“Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.”

“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.”

“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm”

“first lay plans which will ensure victory, and then lead your army to battle;  if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured”

“The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch'ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.”