Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher. He is revered as a legendary historical figure. He is also traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, that has affected Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking. Wise Sun Tzu quotes will help you to unlock your real power, see life differently, and bring the best out of you.
If you’re searching for best quotes about life that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of famous Laozi quotes, inspiring Confucius quotes, and amazing Marcus Aurelius quotes.
Best Sun Tzu Quotes
Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can? – Sun Tzu
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. – Sun Tzu
All warfare is based on deception. – Sun Tzu
Opportunities multiply as they are seized. – Sun Tzu
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. – Sun Tzu
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win. – Sun Tzu
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. – Sun Tzu
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. – Sun Tzu
Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster. – Sun Tzu
Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. – Sun Tzu
Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak. – Sun Tzu
A leader leads by example, not by force. – Sun Tzu
You have to believe in yourself. – Sun Tzu
The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable. – Sun Tzu
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. – Sun Tzu
Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer. – Sun Tzu
Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death. – Sun Tzu
Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things. – Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu Quotes On Change, Love and Life
If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near. – Sun Tzu
The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. – Sun Tzu
The greatest victory is that which requires no battle. – Sun Tzu
Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate. – Sun Tzu
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. – Sun Tzu
If your opponent is of choleric temper, irritate him. – Sun Tzu
To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy. – Sun Tzu
Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems. – Sun Tzu
Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy’s terms. – Sun Tzu
Even the finest sword plunged into saltwater will eventually rust. – Sun Tzu
There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted. – Sun Tzu
When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move. – Sun Tzu
Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley. – Sun Tzu
Know yourself and you will win all battles. – Sun Tzu
Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation. – Sun Tzu
Move swift as the Wind and closely formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. – Sun Tzu
A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy. – Sun Tzu
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
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. – Sun Tzu
When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard. – Sun Tzu
Inspirational Quotes and Philosophy By Sun Tzu to Make You Wiser
All war is deception. – Sun Tzu
There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare. – Sun Tzu
If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by. – Sun Tzu
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. – Sun Tzu
When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise. – Sun Tzu
It is more important to out-think your enemy, than to outfight him – Sun Tzu
So, in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak. – Sun Tzu
All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. – Sun Tzu
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
Do not press an enemy at bay. – Sun Tzu
The skillful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man. – Sun Tzu
For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards. – Sun Tzu
Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm. – Sun Tzu
Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across. – Sun Tzu
The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary. – Sun Tzu
He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. – Sun Tzu
Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of the trigger. – Sun Tzu
Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war. – Sun Tzu
All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved. – Sun Tzu
Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength. – Sun Tzu
The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. – Sun Tzu
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce. – Sun Tzu
Who wishes to fight must first count the cost – Sun Tzu
If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril. – Sun Tzu
One may know how to conquer without being able to do it. – Sun Tzu
Famous Sun Tzu Quotes About Leadership, Discipline and Business
The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts. – Sun Tzu
The line between disorder and order lies in logistics. – Sun Tzu
One mark of a great soldier is that he fights on his own terms or fights not at all. – Sun Tzu
Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. – Sun Tzu
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
What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins but excels in winning with ease. – Sun Tzu
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious. – Sun Tzu
When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders’. – Sun Tzu
Thus, the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him. – Sun Tzu
Rouse him and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. – Sun Tzu
If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete. – Sun Tzu
Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. – Sun Tzu
There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed. – Sun Tzu
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance. – Sun Tzu
To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. – Sun Tzu
Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting. – Sun Tzu
The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent. – Sun Tzu
Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack. – Sun Tzu
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. – Sun Tzu
Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him. – Sun Tzu
Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. – Sun Tzu
Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
Ponder and deliberate before you make a move. – Sun Tzu
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. – Sun Tzu
Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive. – Sun Tzu
Great results can be achieved with small forces. – Sun Tzu
If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete. – Sun Tzu
In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack–the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers. – Sun Tzu
Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. – Sun Tzu
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. – Sun Tzu
Be where your enemy is not. – Sun Tzu
Bravery without forethought, causes a man to fight blindly and desperately like a mad bull. Such an opponent must not be encountered with brute force but may be lured into an ambush and slain. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
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. – Sun Tzu
The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers. – Sun Tzu
Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy. – Sun Tzu
