Inspirational Quotes by Thomas Merton

“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.”

“- بادر بقتال العدو حين يعبر النهر.. ولا تجتز أنت وهو على الطرف الآخر.”

“The nature of water is that it avoids heights and hastens to the lowlands. When a dam is broken, the water cascades with irresistible force. Now the shape of an army resembles water. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; attack him when he does not expect it; avoid his strength and strike his emptiness, and like water, none can oppose you.”

“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.”

“- لا تحارب في الظروف الجوية المتطرفة التي يألفها العدو ولا تألفها قواتك!”

“The art of using troops is this: When ten to the enemy's one, surround him; When five times his strength, attack him (if my force is five times that of the enemy I alarm him to the front, surprise him to the rear, create an uproar in the east and strike in the west); If double his strength, divide him (if a two-to-one superiority is insufficient to manipulate the situation, we use a distracting force to divide his army); If equally matched you may engage him (in these circumstances only the able general can win); If weaker numerically, be capable of withdrawing (if I am in good order and the enemy in disarray, if I am energetic and he careless, then, even if he be numerically stronger, I can give battle); And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him, for a small force is but booty for one more powerful (the small certainly cannot equal the large, nor can the weak match the strong, nor the few the many).”

“- كن مستعدا لتصيد أخطاء العدو؛ فقد لا يأتي النصر بدونها.”

“A victorious army wins its victories before seeking battle; an army destined to defeat fights in the hope of winning.”

“The wise general in his deliberations must consider both favorable and unfavorable factors. He ponders the dangers inherent in the advantages, and the advantages inherent in the dangers. By taking into account the favorable factors, he makes his plan feasible; by taking into account the unfavorable, he may resolve the difficulties. Advantage and disadvantage are mutually reproductive. The enlightened deliberate.”

“To triumph in battle and be universally acclaimed 'Expert' is not the acme of skill, for to lift an autumn down requires no great strength; to distinguish between the sun and moon is no test of vision; to hear the thunderclap is no indication of acute hearing.”

“Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this. To capture the enemy's army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a battalion, a company or a five-man squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy. Next best is to disrupt his alliances; do not allow your enemies to get together. The next best is to attack his army. If you cannot nip his plans in the bud, or disrupt his alliances when they are about to be consummated, sharpen your weapons to gain the victory.”

“When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixes duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.”

“- حرب لا تستطيع كسبها حاول تجنبها والجأ للمفاوضات قدر الإمكان.”

“• عمل القائد هو أن يبقى هادئاً فيضمن السرية، وأن يكون مستقيماً وعادلاً، فيضمن استقرار النظام العام.”

“He who does not know theevilsof war cannot appreciate its benefits,”

“El que se enfrenta al oponente durante varios años para luchar por la victoria en una batalla decisiva, pero que por su codicia y su anhelo de honores, permanece ignorante de la situación del oponente; está totalmente desprovisto de humanidad. Un hombre así no tiene nada de comandante, no es un apoyo para su soberano y no es el dueño de la victoria.”

“To a surrounded enemy you must leave a way of escape. Show him there is a road to safety, and so create in his mind the idea that there is an alternative to death. Then strike.”

“• قارن بحرص جيش العدو بجيشك، لتقف على نقاط القوة المفرطة، وتلك الناقصة.”

“• قد تعرف السبيل إلى قهر عدوك، دون أن تكون قادراً بالضرورة على عمل ذلك.”

“• المقاتل الباسل سيكون رهيباً في هجومه، متأنياً عند اتخاذه لقراراته.”