2. The statesman proclaimeth that he hath it; the ruler of the people claimeth the praise of it -- but findeth the subject that he posssesseth it?
3. Evil is not requisite to man; neither can vice be necessary to be tolerated; yet how many evils are permitted by the connivance of the laws; how many crimes committed by the decree of the council!
4. But be wise, 0 ruler, and learn, 0 thou that are to command the nations! One crime authorized by thee is worse than the escape of ten from punishment.
5. When the people are numerous, when thy sons increase about thy table; sendest thou them not out to slay the innocent, and to fall before the sword of him whom they have not offended?
6. If the objects of thy desire demanding the lives of a thousand sayeth thou not: "I will have it." Surely thou forgetteth that He who created thee, created also these; and that their blood is as rich as thine ?
7. Sayeth thou, that justice cannot be executed without wrong? Surely thine own words condemn thee.
8. Thou who flattereth with false hopes the criminal that he may confess his guilt, art not thou unto him a criminal? Or art thou guiltless, because he cannot punish it?
9. When thou commandest to the torture him whom is but suspected of ill, dareth thou to remember, that thou mayest rack the innocent?
10. Is thy purpose answered by the event? Is thy soul satisfied with his confession? Pain will enforce him to say what is not, as easy as what is, and anguish hath caused innocence to accuse herself.
11. That thou mayest not kill him without cause, thou dost worse than kill him; that thou mayest prove if he be guilty, thou detsroyeth him innocent.
12. 0 blindness to all truth! 0 insufficience of the wisdom of the wise! Know, when thy judge shall bid thee account for this, thou shalt wish ten thousand guilty to have gone free, rather than one innocent to stand forth against thee.
13. Insufficient as thou art to the maintenance of justice, how shalt thou arrive at the knowledge of truth? How shalt thou ascend to the footstep of her throne?
14. As the owl is blinded by the radiance of the sun, so shall the brightness of her countenance dazzle thee in thy approaches.
15. If thou wouldst mount onto her throne, first bow thyself at her footstool. if thou wouldst arrive at the knowledge of her, first inform thyself of thine own ignorance.
16. More worth is she than pearls, therefore seek her carefully; the emerald and the sapphire, and the ruby are as dirt beneath her feet; therefore pursue her manfully.
17. The way to her is labor; attention is the pilot that must conduct thee into her port. But weary not on the way; for when art arrived at her, the toil shall be to thee for pleasure.
18. Say not unto thyself: "Behold, truth breedeth hatred, and I will avoid it; dissimulation raiseth friends, and I will follow it." Are not the enemies made by truth, better than the friends obtained by flattery?
19. Naturally doth man desire the truth; yet, when it is before him, he will not apprehend it; and if it force itself upon him, he is not offended at it.
20. The fault is not in truth, for that is amiable; but the weakness of man bareth not its splendor.
21. Wouldst thou see thine insufficence more plainly? View at thy devotions! To what end was religion instituted, but to teach thee thine infirmities, to remind thee of thy weakness, to show thee that from Heaven alone art thou to hope for good?
22. Doth it not remind thee that thou art dust? Doth it not tell thee that thou art ashes? And behold repentance, is it not frailty?
23. When thou givest an oath; when thou swearest thou wilt not deceive; behold it spreadeth shame upon thy face, and upon the face of him that receiveth it. Learn to be just, and repentance may be forgotten; learn to be honest, and oaths are unnecessary.
24. The shorter follies are, the better; say not therefore to thyself: "I will not play the fool by halves."
25. He that heareth his own faults with patience, shall reprove another with boldness.
26. He that giveth a denial with reason, shall suffer a repulse with moderation.
27. If thou art suspected, answer with freedom. Whom should suspicion affright, except the guilty?
28. The tender of heart is turned from his purpose by supplications, the proud is rendered more obstinate by entreaty; the sense of thine insufficience commandeth thee to hear; but to be just, thou must hear without thy passions.