powerful men are well advised not to use violence,

　　for violence has a habit of returning;

　　thorns and weeds grow wherever an army goes,

　　and lean years follow a great war.

　　a general is well advised

　　to achieve nothing more than his orders:

　　not to take advantage of his victory.

　　nor to glory, boast or pride himself;

　　to do what is dictated by necessity,

　　but not by choice.

　　for even the strongest force will weaken with time,

　　and then its violence will return, and kill it.