The grand forefathers were truly

The men of virtues: whatever coldness

Came from them was like that of autumn;

Whatever warmth came from them

Was like that of late spring. Their joy and anger

Assimilated to what we see in the four seasons.

In regard to things they did what was suitable

And therefore no one could know how far

Their action would go. Hence they might,

In their conduct of war, destroy a whole country

Without losing the hearts of its people;

Their benefits and favours might extend

To many generations of descendants

Without their being lovers of men.

For this reason, he who tries to share

His pleasures with others is not a clever man;

He who manifests affection is not benevolent;

He who observes times and seasons,

In order to regulate his conduct,

Is not a man of wisdom; he to whom profit

And injury are not the same

Is not the superior man; he who acts

For the name of doing so and loses his good self

Is not the right man of what is known as science;

He who throws away his personality in a way

Which is not his true course cannot be a leader

And command the service of others for long.