The Art of War
Thus, there are five points in which victory may be predicted:
1-He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.
2-He who understands how to fight in accordance with the strength of antagonistic forces will be victorious.
3-He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.
4-He who is well prepared and lies in wait for an enemy who is not well prepared will be victorious.
5-He whose generals are able and not interfered with by the sovereign will be victorious.
It is in these five matters that the way to victory is known.
Therefore, I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.
Thus, there are five points in which victory may be predicted:
1-He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.
2-He who understands how to fight in accordance with the strength of antagonistic forces will be victorious.
3-He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.
4-He who is well prepared and lies in wait for an enemy who is not well prepared will be victorious.
5-He whose generals are able and not interfered with by the sovereign will be victorious.
It is in these five matters that the way to victory is known.
Therefore, I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.
