6. Those carnal minded libertines who do not try the means (of reforming their fate), but depend upon the favor of fortune, are perverted in their nature and marked for misery. 7. Thus if the acts of manliness are capable of forefending one’s misfortunes, it must be acknowledged that manliness which destroys the other, is the mightier of the two. 8. As of two fruits growing on the same fore-stalk, the one is found to be empty within and the other full of juice, so the fruit of fate is rendered abortive by that of manliness. 9. Seeing the decay of the best things in the world, we must own the predominant power of the cause of this decay. 10. Like two rams our fate and exertions are fighting with one another, wherein the victory is always on the side of the stronger. 11. In the case of the royal elephant’s taking up a beggar boy for being made the ruler (of a country), its cause is to be attributed more to the vote of the country-men and citizens (than to chance or fortune). 12. As a man takes his food and grinds it under his teeth, so is one (depending on fate) crushed by the stronger party relying on his exertions. 13. Inferior servants are thus employed like clods of earth by their more active masters in any work they like. 14. Silly and impotent men seeing the strong thriving by their exertions whether apparent or unseen, are apt to attribute it to their good fortune (instead of their diligence). 15. The strong efforts of men truly constitute their presiding fortune, and these two are viewed alike by the wise. 16. In the case of the (aforesaid) beggar boy’s installation to the ruling and protection of the people of a realm, the unanimous concurrence of the law and ministers, of the elephant and citizens (is to be taken as the chief cause). 17. Should the beggar boy be ever elected for a ruler by the royal elephant itself (without the assent of men), in that case it is to be attributed to the boy’s good fortune only (because there was no sensible exertion on his side). 18. Present acts destroy those of the past life and so also the vice-versa comes to pass; but the exertions of a man are undoubtedly successful (at all times). 19. Of these two powers that of the present state is manifestly superior to the other; hence it is as possible to overcome the past by the present, as to lick a boy by an adult. 20. As a hail shower lays waste the cultivation of a whole year, so also doth the predominant fate sometimes overpower the attempts of this life. 21. However it does not behoove us to be sorry at the loss of our long earned treasure (as of the harvest), for what avails our sorrow at what is beyond our control. 22. If I should sorrow for what I have not the power to prevent, I must then weep all the days of my life because I am not to be spared by death.