As much as possible, be silent, listen to the advice of others, and carefully weigh it in your mind.

Take care not to be carried away by the passion of love.

Do not value your own words and deeds too highly.

Do not occupy yourself with useless matters that will be of no future use.

Do not entangle yourself in the affairs of others.

Freely give others credit for accomplishments, even if you have greatly contributed to the project. By doing so, you will receive even greater recognition in return, without inciting envy.

Beware of anger and revenge.

When the virtues of others are recounted, listen willingly.

Rarely marvel at rare things.

Give advice sparingly.

Do nothing simply to rival others.

Avoid lawsuits, even sometimes at your own loss.

Never show your valuable or highly desirable possessions to anyone.

If someone incites you to do something, see that they offer themselves as a partner in the risk.

Before making a request, offering advice, or undertaking any business, research similar cases and historical judgments to guide your decisions.

The rhetoricians should be reread from time to time. Study their suggestions to do such things as stirring up envy, retorting, excusing, and diminishing someone.

Strive for ambiguity in your statements, making your position appear clear to both parties without committing to a definite conclusion. This technique of double meaning, as employed by Aristotle according to Nazianzus¹, can be useful in various situations. Use this technique in books, in tedious letters, and in advice, presenting arguments for both sides of an issue while minimally revealing your own position. You can use a wide range of rhetorical techniques, in addition to using ambiguous language, to express your desires, make requests, or declare your affection.

Allow others to criticize you, even if their claims are false. Do not defend yourself, as this will encourage them to continue. Instead, show appreciation for useful advice. Ignore useless remarks, but acknowledge some, even if they are false. This will make you appear flexible and not overly concerned with being right all the time.

Train yourself to always be able to provide arguments for both sides of an issue; to accomplish this, study the techniques of rhetoricians and their methods of justification.

If you are an ambassador dealing with an enemy, document any gifts you receive from them and report it to your leader. This will protect you from suspicion of disloyalty. Apply this principle of transparency to other situations as well.

Do not send as an ambassador one who is averse to you, because he will give contrary advice and himself desires to rule.

Seek out diverse counselors, as it is rare to find well-balanced individuals. Have one cautious counselor, another passionate, one gentle, and another harsh. By consulting them, you will arrive at the best advice.

Always pay attention to who is gaining or losing favor, and ensure that servants of the ruler from the least to the greatest are on your side.

On each or certain days, have hours in which you premeditate how to act if this or that should happen.

To keep track of your relationships with servants and friends, maintain a ledger with a page for each person. This will help you address any grievances and recognize their contributions effectively. Divide the page into four columns to record the following:

1. Note the losses received from that person, how often he failed in his duty.
2. What good you conferred on him with your labor.
3. What he accomplished for you.
4. What trouble he received from you, and what extraordinary labors.

Put these rules into practice each day in conversation.

Whether you receive correction from a superior justly or unjustly, always refrain from criticizing them in the presence of others and speak well of them.

As much as possible, promise nothing to anyone in writing, especially to women.

That which you are drawn to by the greatest passion and desire, avoid if you can, or at least adhere to it most cautiously.

Even if your affairs are on solid ground, it never hurts to take additional measures to secure them as much as possible.

Reflect on your own action after it has passed, and on another’s - what it lacked, when it could have been seized, when it could have been better instituted, etc.