All warfare is based on deception. Rapidity is the essence of war.

What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is FOREKNOWLEDGE. Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdo m nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no m istakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves a gainst defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is first put in breaking the enemy's resistance without fightin g. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excel s in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wis dom nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first putone who not only wins, but excels in winning w ith ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is w hat establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first put in breaking the enemy's resistance without fi ghting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation fo r wisdom nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Maki ng no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conque ring an enemy that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then wai ted for an Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impos sible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. Thus it is that in war the in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with eas e. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for co urage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what est ablishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is alre ady defeated. The good and then has been ooks for fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, waited for anvictorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards l victory.

That general is skillful in attack w in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, bu t excels in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Ma

king no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conq uering an enemy that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in wi nning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistak es is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enem y that is already defeated. The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for anhose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skil lful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack. In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.