The Art of War
(excerpts from Sun Tzu)

Warfare is the Tao of deception. Thus although you are capable, display your incapability to them. When committed to employing your forces, feign inactivity. When your objective is nearby, make it appear as if it were distant; when far away, create the illusion of being nearby.

Display profits to entice them. Create disorder in their ranks and take them.

If they are substantial, prepare for them; if they are strong, avoid them.

If they are angry, perturb them; be deferential to foster their arrogance.

If they are rested, force them to exert themselves.

If they are united, cause them to be separated.

Attack where they are unprepared.

Go forth where they will not expect it.

If your strength is ten times theirs, surround them;

If five, then attack them;

If double, then divide your forces.

If you are equal in strength to the enemy, you can engage him.

If fewer, you can circumvent him.

If outmatched, you can avoid him.

Thus a small enemy which acts inflexibly will become captives of a large enemy.

What enables the Three Armies invariably to withstand the enemy without being defeated are the unorthodox and the orthodox.

In general, in battle one engages with the orthodox and gains victory through the unorthodox.

Thus one who excels at sending forth the unorthodox is as inexhaustible as Heaven, as unlimited as the Yangtze and Yellow rivers.

The notes do not exceed five, but the changes of the five notes can never be fully heard.

The colors do not exceed five, but the changes of the five colors can never be fully seen.

The flavors do not exceed five, but the changes of the five flavors can never be fully tasted.

In warfare the strategic configurations of power do not exceed the orthodox and the unorthodox, but the changes of the orthodox and the unorthodox can never be exhausted.

The unorthodox and orthodox mutually produce each other, like and endless cycle.

Who can exhaust them?

Thus the army is established by deceit, moves for advantage, and changes through segmenting and reuniting. Thus its speed is like the wind, its slowness like the forest; its invasion and plundering like a fire; unmoving, it is like the mountains. It is as difficult to know as the darkness; in movement it is like thunder.

In order await the disordered; in tranquility await the clamorous. This is the way to control the mind.

With the near await the distant; with the rested await the fatigued; with the sated await the hungry. This is the way to control strength.

Do not intercept well-ordered flags; do not attack well-regulated formations. This is the way to control changes 

Do not approach high mountains; do not confront those who have hills behind them. Do not pursue feigned retreats. Do not attack animated troops. Do not swallow an army acting as bait. Do not obstruct an army retreating  Homeward. If you besiege an army you must leave an outlet. Do not press an exhausted invader. 

These are the strategies for employing the military.

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Editor’s note: Sun Tzu was not, technically speaking, an Irishman. Had he been, there might well be more Englishmen speaking Irish than Irishmen speaking English. Alas, there are no great Irish generals…

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