وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَضَعَ ذلِكَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعِهِ، أَوْ أَنْ تَفْعَلَهُ بِغَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ. لَا تَتَّخِذَنَّ عَدُوَّ صِدِيقِكَ صَدِيقاً فَتُعَادِيَ صَدِيقَكَ، وَامْحَضْ أَخَاكَ النَّصِيحَةَ، حَسَنَةً كَانَتْ أَوْ قَبِيحَةً، وَتَجَرَّعِ الْغَيْظَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَرَ جُرْعَةً أَحْلَى مِنْهَا عَاقِبَةً، وَلَا أَلَذَّ مَغَبَّةً. وَلِنْ لِمَنْ غَالَظَكَ، فَإِنَّهُ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَلِينَ لَكَ، وَخُذْ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ بِالْفَضْلِ فَإِنَّهُ أَحْلَى الظَّفَرَيْنِ. وَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ قَطيِعَةَ أَخِيكَ فَاسْتَبْقِ لَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ بَقِيَّةً يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهَا إِنْ بَدَا لَهُ ذلِكَ يَوْماً مَا، وَمَنْ ظَنَّ بِكَ خَيْراً فَصَدِّقْ ظَنَّهُ،
But take care that this should not be done inappropriately, and that you should not behave so with an undeserving person. Do not take the enemy of your friend as a friend because you will thus antagonize your friend. Give true advice to your brother, be it good or bitter. Swallow your anger because I did not find a sweeter thing than it in the end, and nothing more pleasant in consequence. Be lenient to him who is harsh to you for it is likely that he will shortly become lenient to you. Treat your enemy with favours, because this is sweeter of the two successes (the success of revenge and the success of doing favour). If you intend to cut yourself off from a friend leave some scope for him from your side by which he may resume friendship if it occurs to him some day. If anyone has a good idea about you prove it to be true.