Weigh justly the difficulty of the enterprise, thy own strength and the strength of thy enemy, and the strength also of your22 allies; and then enter thou upon it.

Behold the prince who knoweth his own force and hath learned what he ought to learn, and who oversteppeth not the limits his force and information: his invasions will never fail.

Many there have been who in the sanguineness of their hearts overestimated their strength and adventured, but were cut off in the middle.

Behold the men who know not to live in peace, who know not their own measure and who are full of self-conceit: they will have a swift end.

Put too many of them and even peacock’s feathers would break the wagon’s axle.23

Those that have climbed to the top of the tree will lose their lives if they attempt to climb still higher.24

Keep thou in mind the extent of thy wealth and let thy gifts be commensurate therewith: that is the way to conserve and divide thy substance.

It mattereth not if the feeder channel25 is strait, provided that the draining channel26 is not wider.

Behold the man that taketh not account of his measure nor liveth within the bounds thereof: he may look like prospering, but he will perish leaving no trace behind.

Behold the man that measureth not his wealth and lavisheth it with an unsparing hand: his substance will quickly come to nought.