Inspirational Quotes by Thomas Merton

“Lo que de mí depende, puedo hacerlo; lo que depende del enemigo es incierto". | Disposiciones”

“12.  Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise:— 13.  (1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law? [I.e., “is in harmony with his subjects.” Cf. ss. 5.] (2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth? [See ss. 7,8] (4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? [Tu Mu alludes to the remarkable story of Ts’ao Ts”

“Si un general no es valiente, será incapaz de conquistar las dudas y de desarrollar grandes planes" | Estimativos”

“There are five qualities which are dangerous in the character of a general: If reckless, he can be killed. A general who is stupid and courageous is a calamity. As far as a general is concerned, courage is but one quality. If cowardly, captured. One who esteems life above all will be overcome with hesitance. Hesitance in a general is a great calamity. If quick-tempered you can make a fool of him. An impulsive man can be provoked to rage and brought to his death. One easily angered is irascible, obstinate and hasty. He does not consider difficulties. If he has too delicate a sense of honor you can calumniate him. One anxious to defend his reputation pays no regard to anything else. If he is of a compassionate nature you can harass him. He who is humanitarian and compassionate and fears only casualties cannot give up temporary advantage for a long-term gain and is unable to let go this in order to seize that. Now these five traits of character are serious faults in a general and in military operations are calamitous. The ruin of the army and the death of the general are inevitable results of these shortcomings. They must be deeply pondered.”

“Todos los hombres pueden ver las tácticas, pero lo que nadie puede ver es la estrategia que hace que de estas observaciones evolucione la victoria.”

“- ستعرض نفسك لهزيمة محتملة إن لم تحدد (أنت) مكان ووقت المعركة.”

“Plans and projects for harming the enemy are not confined to any one method. Sometimes entice his wise and virtuous men away so that he has no counsellors. Or send treacherous people to his country to wreck his administration. Sometimes use cunning deceptions to alienate his ministers from the sovereign. Or send skilled craftsmen to encourage his people to exhaust their wealth. Or present him with licentious musicians and dancers to change his customs. Or give him beautiful women to bewilder him. The wise general wearies his enemies by keeping them constantly occupied, and makes them rush about by offering them ostensible advantages.”

“- حين يكون العدو في متناول اليد ومع ذلك يبقى هادئا فهو يعد لك مكيدة.”

“Jsou příkazy vládce, které nepřijmeš.”

“Pošleš-li muže do boje, pak čím déle bude trvat dosažení vítězství, tím více se otupí jejich zbraně a pohasne žár v jejich srdcích.”

“Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of one’s own, and likewise a single PICUL of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one’s own store.”

“The general who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state.”

“Quão lamentável é arriscar tudo em um único combate, negligenciando a estratégia vitoriosa, e fazer com que o destino de tuas armas dependa de uma única batalha!”

“If one wishes to feign disorder to entice an enemy, he must himself be well-disciplined. Only then can he feign confusion. One who wishes to simulate cowardice and lie in wait for his enemy must be courageous, for only then is he able to simulate fear. One who wishes to appear to be weak in order to make his enemy arrogant must be extremely strong. Only then can he feign weakness. Order or disorder depends on organization; courage or cowardice on circumstances; strength or weakness on dispositions. When troops gain a favorable situation the coward is brave; if it be lost, the brave become cowards. In the art of war there are no fixed rules. These can only be worked out according to circumstances. Thus, 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. Therefore a skilled commander seeks victory form the situation and does not demand it of his subordinates.”

“وعودة إلى الكتاب الذي ننقله لك عزيزي القارئ.. كتاب "فن الحرب" الذي حرصت القيادة الأميركية على أن يحمله كل جندي ذهب إلى حرب تحرير الكويت لقراءته، والذي اعتادت الشركات اليابانية على أخذ النصائح التي حفل بها من أجل تطبيقها. هذا الكتاب الذي يمكن تطبيق ما جاء فيه في عالم الاقتصاد والتجارة والسياسة والرياضة، فهو لا يركز على تحقيق النصر فحسب، بل أيضا على تجنب الهزيمة وتقليل وتفادي الخسائر بأكبر قدر ممكن.كما يشرح كيف يمكن أن يتحقق النصر مع تجنب القتال إذا كان ذلك ممكنا. أحمد ناصيف”

“Ciente de tuas capacidades e limitações, não inicies nenhuma empreitada que não possas levar a cabo.”

“Si utilizas al enemigo para derrotar al enemigo, serás poderoso en cualquier lugar a donde vayas.”

“وكما قلنا ونعيده ثانيا لأهميته.. إذا عرفت عدوَّك وعرفت نفسك فليس هناك ما يدعو إلى أن تخاف نتيجة مائة معركة، وإذا عرفت نفسك ولم تعرف عدوّك فإنك تقاسي من هزيمة مقابل كل انتصار، وإذا لم تعرف نفسك ولم تعرف عدوَّك فإنك أحمق وسوف تواجه الهزيمة في كل معركة.”

“Los buenos guerreros hacen que los adversarios vengan a ellos y de ningún modo se dejan atraer fuera de su fortaleza.”

“The force which confronts the enemy is the normal; that which goes to his flanks the extraordinary. no commander of an army can wrest the advantage from the enemy without extraordinary forces.”