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Posts: 4397 · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:32 am

2.1.9. Acting after due Consideration

461
Expenditure, return, and profit of the deed
In time to come; weigh these- than to the act proceed.
Let a man reflect on what will be lost, what will be acquired and (from these) what will be his ultimate gain, and (then, let him) act.

462
With chosen friends deliberate; next use the private thought;
Then act. By those who thus proceed all works with ease are wrought.
There is nothing too difficult to (be attained by) those who, before they act, reflect well themselves, and thoroughly consider (the matter) with chosen friends.

463
To risk one's all and lose, aiming at added gain,
Is rash affair, from which the wise abstain.
Wise men will not, in the hopes of profit, undertake works that will consume their principal.

464
A work of which the issue is not clear,
Begin not they reproachful scorn who fear.
Those who fear reproach will not commence anything which has not been (thoroughly considered) and made clear to them.

465
With plans not well matured to rise against your foe,
Is way to plant him out where he is sure to grow!
One way to promote the prosperity of an enemy, is (for a king) to set out (to war) without having thoroughly weighed his ability (to cope with its chances).

466
'Tis ruin if man do an unbefitting thing;
Fit things to leave undone will equal ruin bring.
He will perish who does not what is not fit to do; and he also will perish who does not do what it is fit to do.

467
Think, and then dare the deed! Who cry,
'Deed dared, we'll think,' disgraced shall be.
Consider, and then undertake a matter; after having undertaken it, to say "We will consider," is folly.

468
On no right system if man toil and strive,
Though many men assist, no work can thrive.
The work, which is not done by suitable methods, will fail though many stand to uphold it.

469
Though well the work be done, yet one mistake is made,
To habitudes of various men when no regard is paid.
There are failures even in acting well, when it is done without knowing the various dispositions of men.

470
Plan and perform no work that others may despise;
What misbeseems a king the world will not approve as wise.
Let a man reflect, and do things which bring no reproach; the world will not approve, with him, of things which do not become of his position to adopt.

2.1.10. The Knowledge of Power

471
The force the strife demands, the force he owns, the force of foes,
The force of friends; these should he weigh ere to the war he goes.
Let (one) weigh well the strength of the deed (he purposes to do), his own strength, the strength of his enemy, and the strength of the allies (of both), and then let him act.

472
Who know what can be wrought, with knowledge of the means, on this,
Their mind firm set, go forth, nought goes with them amiss.
There is nothing which may not be accomplished by those who, before they attack (an enemy), make themselves acquainted with their own ability, and with whatever else is (needful) to be known, and apply themselves wholly to their object.

473
Ill-deeming of their proper powers, have many monarchs striven,
And midmost of unequal conflict fallen asunder riven.
There are many who, ignorant of their (want of) power (to meet it), have haughtily set out to war, and broken down in the midst of it.

474
Who not agrees with those around, no moderation knows,
In self-applause indulging, swift to ruin goes.
He will quickly perish who, ignorant of his own resources flatters himself of his greatness, and does not live in peace with his neighbours.

475
With peacock feathers light, you load the wain;
Yet, heaped too high, the axle snaps in twain.
The axle tree of a bandy, loaded only with peacocks' feathers will break, if it be greatly overloaded.

476
Who daring climbs, and would himself upraise
Beyond the branch's tip, with life the forfeit pays.
There will be an end to the life of him who, having climbed out to the end of a branch, ventures to go further.

477
With knowledge of the measure due, as virtue bids you give!
That is the way to guard your wealth, and seemly live.
Let a man know the measure of his ability (to give), and let him give accordingly; such giving is the way to preserve his property.

478
Incomings may be scant; but yet, no failure there,
If in expenditure you rightly learn to spare.
Even though the income (of a king) be small, it will not cause his (ruin), if his outgoings be not larger than his income.

479
Who prosperous lives and of enjoyment knows no bound,
His seeming wealth, departing, nowhere shall be found.
The prosperity of him who lives without knowing the measure (of his property), will perish, even while it seems to continue.

480
Beneficence that measures not its bound of means,
Will swiftly bring to nought the wealth on which it leans.
The measure of his wealth will quickly perish, whose liberality weighs not the measure of his property.

2.1.11. Knowing the fitting Time

481
A crow will conquer owl in broad daylight;
The king that foes would crush, needs fitting time to fight.
A crow will overcome an owl in the day time; so the king who would conquer his enemy must have (a suitable) time.

482
The bond binds fortune fast is ordered effort made,
Strictly observant still of favouring season's aid.
Acting at the right season, is a cord that will immoveably bind success (to a king).

483
Can any work be hard in very fact,
If men use fitting means in timely act?
Is there anything difficult for him to do, who acts, with (the right) instruments at the right time ?

484
The pendant world's dominion may be won,
In fitting time and place by action done.
Though (a man) should meditate (the conquest of) the world, he may accomplish it if he acts in the right time, and at the right place.

485
Who think the pendant world itself to subjugate,
With mind unruffled for the fitting time must wait.
They who thoughtfully consider and wait for the (right) time (for action), may successfully meditate (the conquest of) the world.

486
The men of mighty power their hidden energies repress,
As fighting ram recoils to rush on foe with heavier stress.
The self-restraint of the energetic (while waiting for a suitable opportunity), is like the drawing back of a fighting-ram in order to butt.

487
The glorious once of wrath enkindled make no outward show,
At once; they bide their time, while hidden fires within them glow.
The wise will not immediately and hastily shew out their anger; they will watch their time, and restrain it within.

488
If foes' detested form they see, with patience let them bear;
When fateful hour at last they spy,- the head lies there.
If one meets his enemy, let him show him all respect, until the time for his destruction is come; when that is come, his head will be easily brought low.

489
When hardest gain of opportunity at last is won,
With promptitude let hardest deed be done.
If a rare opportunity occurs, while it lasts, let a man do that which is rarely to be accomplished (but for such an opportunity).

490
As heron stands with folded wing, so wait in waiting hour;
As heron snaps its prey, when fortune smiles, put forth your power.
At the time when one should use self-control, let him restrain himself like a heron; and, let him like it, strike, when there is a favourable opportunity.

2.1.12. Knowing the Place

491
Begin no work of war, depise no foe,
Till place where you can wholly circumvent you know.
Let not (a king) despise (an enemy), nor undertake any thing (against him), until he has obtained (a suitable) place for besieging him.

492
Though skill in war combine with courage tried on battle-field,
The added gain of fort doth great advantage yield.
Even to those who are men of power and expedients, an attack in connection with a fortification will yield many advantages.

493
E'en weak ones mightily prevail, if place of strong defence,
They find, protect themselves, and work their foes offence.
Even the powerless will become powerful and conquer, if they select a proper field (of action), and guard themselves, while they make war on their enemies.

494
The foes who thought to triumph, find their thoughts were vain,
If hosts advance, seize vantage ground, and thence the fight maintain.
If they who draw near (to fight) choose a suitable place to approach (their enemy), the latter, will have to relinquish the thought which they once entertained, of conquering them.

495
The crocodile prevails in its own flow of water wide,
If this it leaves, 'tis slain by anything beside.
In deep water, a crocodile will conquer (all other animals); but if it leave the water, other animals will conquer it.

496
The lofty car, with mighty wheel, sails not o'er watery main,
The boat that skims the sea, runs not on earth's hard plain.
Wide chariots, with mighty wheels, will not run on the ocean; neither will ships that the traverse ocean, move on the earth.

497
Save their own fearless might they need no other aid,
If in right place they fight, all due provision made.
You will need no other aid than fearlessness, if you thoroughly reflect (on what you are to do), and select (a suitable) place for your operations.

498
If lord of army vast the safe retreat assail
Of him whose host is small, his mightiest efforts fail.
The power of one who has a large army will perish, if he goes into ground where only a small army can act.

499
Though fort be none, and store of wealth they lack,
'Tis hard a people's homesteads to attack!
It is a hazardous thing to attack men in their own country, although they may neither have power nor a good fortress.

500
The jackal slays, in miry paths of foot-betraying fen,
The elephant of fearless eye and tusks transfixing armed men.
A fox can kill a fearless, warrior-faced elephant, if it go into mud in which its legs sink down.