One man envies the success in life of another, and hates him in secret; nor is he willing to give him good advice when he is consulted, except it be by some wonderful effort of good feeling, and there are, alas, few such men in the world. A real friend, on the other hand, exults in his friend?s happiness, rejoices in all his joys, and is ready to afford him the best advice.

The period of a [Persian] boy's education is between the ages of five and twenty, and he is taught three things only: to ride, to use the bow, and to speak the truth.

In soft regions are born soft men.

The man who has planned badly, if fortune is on his side, may have had a stroke of luck; but his plan was a bad one nonetheless.

If someone were to put a proposition before men bidding them choose, after examination, the best customs in the world, each nation would certainly select its own

The wooden wall alone should remain unconquered.

Good masters generally have bad slaves, and bad slaves have good masters.