Chanakya Neethi Part 14/17..

1. Poverty, disease, sorrow, imprisonment and other evils are the fruits
  borne by the tree of one's own sins.
2. Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained; but this body
  when lost may never be acquired again.
3. The enemy can be overcome by the union of large numbers, just as
  grass through its collectiveness wards off erosion caused by heavy
 rainfall.
4. Oil on water, a secret communicated to a base man, a gift given to a
  worthy receiver, and scriptural instruction given to an intelligent man
 spread out by virtue of their nature.
5. If men should always retain the state of mind they experience when
  hearing religious instruction, when present at a crematorium ground,
 and when in sickness -- then who could not attain liberation.
6. If a man should feel before, as he feels after, repentance -- then who
  would not attain perfection?
7. We should not feel pride in our charity, austerity, valour, scriptural
  knowledge, modesty and morality for the world is full of the rarest
 gems.
8. He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away;
  but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.
9. We should always speak what would please the man of whom we
  expect a favour, like the hunter who sings sweetly when he desires to
 shoot a deer.
10. It is ruinous to be familiar with the king, fire, the religious preceptor,
and a woman. To be altogether indifferent of them is to be deprived of
the opportunity to benefit ourselves, hence our association with them
must be from a safe distance.
11. We should always deal cautiously with fire, water, women, foolish
people, serpents, and members of a royal family; for they may, when
the occasion presents itself, at once bring about our death.
12. He should be considered to be living who is virtuous and pious, but the
life of a man who is destitute of religion and virtues is void of any
blessing.
13. If you wish to gain control of the world by the performance of a single
deed, then keep the following fifteen, which are prone to wander here
and there, from getting the upper hand of you: the five sense objects
(objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch); the five sense organs
(ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin) and organs of activity (hands, legs,
mouth, genitals and anus).
14. He is a pandit (man of knowledge) who speaks what is suitable to the
occasion, who renders loving service according to his ability, and who
knows the limits of his anger.
15 One single object (a woman) appears in three different ways: to the man
who practices austerity it appears as a corpse, to the sensual it appears
as a woman, and to the dogs as a lump of flesh.
16. A wise man should not divulge the formula of a medicine which he has
well prepared; an act of charity which he has performed; domestic
conflicts; private affairs with his wife; poorly prepared food he may
have been offered; or slang he may have heard.
17. The cuckoos remain silent for a long time (for several seasons) until
they are able to sing sweetly (in the Spring ) so as to give joy to all.
18. We should secure and keep the following: the blessings of meritorious
deeds, wealth, grain, the words of the spiritual master, and rare
medicines. Otherwise life becomes impossible.
19. Eschew (Avoid) wicked company and associate with saintly persons.
Acquire virtue day and night, and always meditate on that which is
eternal forgetting that which is temporary.