Top 350 Sun Tzu Quotes (2025 Update)
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251. “It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.”

— Sun Tzu

252. “The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy.”

— Sun Tzu

253. “Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins – this is the rule of armed struggle.”

— Sun Tzu

254. “The business of a general is to kick away the ladder behind soldiers when they have climbed up a height.”

— Sun Tzu

255. “Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.”

— Sun Tzu

256. “Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuver. What is difficult about maneuver is to make the devious route the most direct and to turn misfortune to advantage.”

— Sun Tzu

257. “Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations.”

— Sun Tzu

258. “Do not press an enemy at bay.”

— Sun Tzu

259. “When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped to go rolling down.”

— Sun Tzu

260. “Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.”

— Sun Tzu

261. “In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good.”

— Sun Tzu

262. “Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose.”

— Sun Tzu

263. “To conquer the enemy without resorting to war is the most desirable. The highest form of generalship is to conquer the enemy by strategy.”

— Sun Tzu

264. “The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.”

— Sun Tzu

265. “A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.”

— Sun Tzu

266. “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. 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

267. “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

268. “Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.”

— Sun Tzu

269. “Of old the expert in battle would first make himself invincible and then wait for his enemy to expose his vulnerability.”

— Sun Tzu

270. “Therefore, the victories of good warriors are not noted for cleverness or bravery. Therefore, their victories in battle are not flukes. Their victories are not flukes because they position themselves where they will surely win, prevailing over those who oppose them.”

— Sun Tzu

271. “In the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.”

— Sun Tzu

272. “The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them.”

— Sun Tzu

273. “The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.”

— Sun Tzu

274. “For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death.”

— Sun Tzu

275. “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

276. “The dance of battle is always played to the same impatient rhythm. What begins in a surge of violent motion is always reduced to the perfectly still.”

— Sun Tzu

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

— Sun Tzu

278. “The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.”

— Sun Tzu

279. “If the enemy has occupied them before you, do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away.”

— Sun Tzu

280. “Bestow rewards without respect to customary practice; publish orders without respect to precedent. Thus you may employ the entire army as you would one man.”

— Sun Tzu

281. “Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all.”

— Sun Tzu

282. “Fierce language and pretentious advances are signs that the enemy is about to retreat.”

— Sun Tzu

283. “Know the enemy and know yourself.”

— Sun Tzu

284. “He must be able to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances, and thus keep them in total ignorance.”

— Sun Tzu

285. “Winning isn’t enough. The acme of all skill is to defeat your enemy before taking the field.”

— Sun Tzu

286. “One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it.”

— Sun Tzu

287. “The one who figures on victory at headquarters before even doing battle is the one who has the most strategic factors on his side.”

— Sun Tzu

288. “Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuvering for advantageous positions.”

— Sun Tzu

289. “Appraise war in terms of the fundamental factors. The first of these factors is moral influence.”

— Sun Tzu

290. “Those who would wage war, should first eliminate all domestic enemies before proceeding to attack the external foe.”

— Sun Tzu

291. “The ultimate in disposing one’s troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans against you.”

— Sun Tzu

292. “Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.”

— Sun Tzu

293. “Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.”

— Sun Tzu

294. “Birds rising in flight is a sign that the enemy is lying in ambush; when the wild animals are startled and flee he is trying to take you unaware.”

— Sun Tzu

295. “Those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating a situation to which he must conform; they entice him with something he is certain to take, and with lures of ostensible profit they await him in strength.”

— Sun Tzu

296. “At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you.”

— Sun Tzu

297. “To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy’s intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood.”

— Sun Tzu

298. “So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence.”

— Sun Tzu

299. “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

300. “It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see the outward aspects, none understands the way in which I have created victory.”

— Sun Tzu