Dao De Jing

69. Ambush

There is a saying among soldiers:

It is easier to lose a yard than take an inch.

In this manner one may deploy troops without marshalling them,

Bring weapons to bear without exposing them,

Engage the foe without invading them,

And exhaust their strength without fighting them.

There is no worse disaster than misunderstanding your enemy;

To do so endangers all of my treasures;

So when two well matched forces oppose eachother,

The general who maintains compassion will win.