Even if his studies are great and godly, it is impossible for an enemy to cast off the hate in his heart.
Fear thou the hypocritical ruffians that smile to the face but nurse their spite within their bosom.
Behold the men whose hearts are not with thee: though their words tempt thee, place not the slightest faith in them.
An enemy will be revealed in a moment though he speak the tender language of friendship.
Trust not an enemy though he bendeth low in his speech: for the bending of the bow forebodeth nothing but harm.
Even in his joined hands thy enemy will have a weapon concealed: nor put thou more faith in his tears.
Behold the men that make much of thee in public but laugh thee to scorn in secret: humour thou them openly but crush them even in the embrace of friendship.
When thou canst not yet break openly with thy foe, feign friendship to his face but keep him off from thy heart.
LXXXIV
Folly
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Dost thou want to know what folly is? It is the throwing away of that which is profitable and the holding fast to that which is hurtful.
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The chiefest among all kinds of folly is the folly of inclining the heart towards conduct that is unbecoming to oneself.
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The fool is neglectful of duties and rude of speech, and callous to all sense of shame: and he will cherish nothing that is good.
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There is a man that is learned and subtle and a teacher of others, and yet continueth to be the slave of his passions himself: there is no greater fool than he.
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The fool hath the gift of sowing in one birth the seeds of misery for all his future incarnations.
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Behold the fool that taketh in his hand an enterprise of moment: he will not merely spoil it, he will qualify also for fetters.
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If the fool should come by a great fortune it is strangers that will feast and his kindred will only starve.
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If the fool obtaineth anything of value he will behave like a madman who is also grown tipsy.
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Greatly delectable is the friendship of fools: one feeleth no pangs when one parteth from them.
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Even as is the placing of an unwashed foot on the couch, even so is the entrance of the fool in an assembly of men of worth.
LXXXV
Conceited Folly
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The veritable poverty is the poverty of sense: the world regardeth not other poverty as poverty.
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When a fool bestoweth a gift of his own free will, it is simply the good fortune of the receiver and nothing else.
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The troubles that a fool bringeth down on his head, it is hard even for his enemies to cause him.
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Dost thou want to know what is shallowness of wit? It is the conceit that sayeth to itself, I am wise.
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Behold the fool that pretendeth unto knowledge that be possesseth not: he raiseth doubts even as to those things that he really knoweth.
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Where is the good of the fool covering his nakedness, if the deformities of his mind are still left uncovered?
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Behold the shallow man that cannot keep a secret to himself: he will bring down great calamities on his own head.
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Behold the man who neither listeneth to advice nor knoweth for himself what is right: all the days of his life he is a plague to his fellows.
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He that trieth to open the eyes of a fool is a fool himself: for the fool seeth but one way and that way is never wrong in his eyes.
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Behold the man who denieth what all the world doth assert: he will be looked upon as a devil in human shape.
LXXXVI
The Defiant Spirit
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The spirit of defiance is the peccant humour which developpeth in all men the distemper called hate.
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Even when thy neighbour injureth thee with the deliberate purpose of picking a quarrel, even then it is best not to harbour vengeance or return the injury.
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The habit of defying others is verily a grievous malady: if a man freeth himself from it, he will acquire everlasting fame.
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The highest joys will be within thy reach if thou reject from thy heart that greatest of evils, the defiant spirit.
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Who can desire the overthrow of the man who hath the talent to avoid hostilities?
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Behold the man who taketh delight in breathing defiance against his neighbours: it will not be long before he doth stumble and fall.
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Behold the prince of spiteful nature who is ever addicted to strife: he will be blind to the policy that advanceth nations.
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The avoiding of strife leadeth unto prosperity: but if thou allow it to grow apace, ruin will not lag far behind.
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When fortune is about to smile on a man he will ignore all provocation: but when Destiny hath decreed him ruin, he will set no bounds to his defiance of his neighbours.
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From defiance springeth all that is bitter: but good will yieldeth the glorious fruit of peace and harmony.
LXXXVII
The Characteristics of Enemies
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Strive not with the powerful: but against those that are weaker than thyself carry on wars without relaxing even for one moment.
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Behold the prince who is cruel, and who hath neither allies nor the strength to stand alone: how is he going to withstand his enemy’s forces?
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There is a prince that hath neither courage nor understanding nor liberality, and yet will not live in peace with his neighbours: he is an easy prey to his foes.
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Behold the prince who is always ill-tempered and who controlleth not his tongue: he will be an easy prey to everybody at all times and at all places.
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There is a prince who is tactless, who careth not for honour, and who neglecteth the science of politics and the works that it enjoineth: verily he is a joy unto his enemies.
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Behold the prince who is a slave to his lust and who loseth his reason in the blindness of rage: his enmity will be welcomed by his
