In taking precautions against robbers

And thieves who cut open satchels

And search bags and break open safes,

People are sure to lock and fasten them

And to employ strong bonds and clasps;

And in this they are ordinarily said

To show their wisdom and good sense.

When a great thief, a truly great one,

Like an authorized body, comes,

However, he shoulders the satchels,

Lifts up the safes and carries off the bags

Afraid only that the locks and clasps

May not be securely locked and fastened

While running off alone bumpy pathways

Of their escape routes. In such a case,

What was called ‘wisdom’ and ‘good sense’

Of the smart owners and clever proprietors

Proves to be nothing but a collecting

Of the things for the great-scale thief

He takes away with him. . . Let me try

And set this matter forth. Do not those

Who are vulgarly called ‘clever owners’

Prove to be collectors for the greater thief?

And do not those who are well known

As counsellors and ‘managerial advisers’

Of the greater robber? Just think a little bit

About it. How do I know that the case is so?

Here is one who steals a brick of bread

For his hungry kids to be put into prison for it;

Here is another one who steals a whole state—

He becomes its lifelong president. Just think

About it from the bottom to top and you’ll see

The mechanism it equally works in both ways.