The merit of a king is in building prosperous cities.

The merit of a king is in building prosperous cities. 19ـ فَضيلَةُ السُّلْطانِ عِمارَةُ البُلْدانِ. It is seldom that the affection of kings and traitors lasts. 20ـ قَلَّما تَدُومُ مَوَدَّةُ المُلُوكِ والخَوّانِ. The friendship of kings seldom lasts. 21ـ قَلَّما تَدُومُ خُلَّةُ المُلُوكُ (الْمَلُولِ). The hearts of the people are the treasuries of their leader, so whatever he deposits in them, be it justice or oppression, he will find it there.

22ـ قُلُوبُ الرَّعِيَّةِ خَزائِنُ راعيها، فَما أوْدَعَها مِنْ عَدْل أوْجَوْر وَجَدَهُ. There is no reward with Allah, the Glorified, greater than the reward of a just ruler and a benevolent man. 23ـ لَيْسَ ثَوابٌ عِنْدَ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ أعْظَمُ مِنْ ثَوابِ السُّلْطانِ العادِلِ، والرَّجُلِ المُحْسِنِ. One who gains authority [usually] adopts partiality. 24ـ مَنْ مَلَكَ اِسْتَأْثَرَ. One who becomes haughty in his kingship has belittled it. 25ـ مَنْ تَكَبَّرَ في سُلْطانِهِ صَغَّرَهُ.

One whose aggression is prolonged, his rule [soon] comes to an end. 26ـ مَنْ طالَ عُدْوانُهُ زالَ سُلْطانُهُ. One whose kingship is tyrannical, his destruction becomes great. 27ـ مَنْ جارَ مُلْكُهُ عَظُمَ هُلْكُهُ. Whoever is betrayed by his vizier, his administration gets corrupted. 28ـ مَنْ خانَهُ وَزيرُهُ فَسَدَ تَدْبيرُهُ. One who fears your whip wishes for your death. 29ـ مَنْ خافَ سَوْطَكَ تَمَنّى مَوْتَكَ. One who relies upon your goodness is concerned about [the end of] your rule.

30ـ مَنْ وَثِقَ بِإحْسانِكَ أشْفَقَ عَلى سُلْطانِكَ. One who boldly [and defiantly] faces the ruler becomes vulnerable to disgrace. 31ـ مَنِ اجْتَرَأَ عَلَى السُلْطانِ فَقَدْ تَعَرَّضَ لِلْهَوانِ. Whoever betrays his king, his security is nullified. 32ـ مَنْ خانَ سُلْطانَهُ بَطَلَ أمانُهُ. One who is just in his kingship becomes needless of his aides. 33ـ مَنْ عَدَلَ في سُلْطانِهِ اِسْتَغْنى عَنْ أعْوانِهِ. One who is concerned about his kingship curtails his aggression.

34ـ مَنْ أشْفَقَ عَلى سُلْطانِهِ قَصَّرَ عَنْ عُدْوانِهِ. Whoever treats the people unjustly, Allah causes his reign to end and hastens his ruin and destruction. 35ـ مَنْ عامَلَ رَعِيَّتـَهُ بِالظُّلْمِ أزالَ اللّهُ مُلْكَهُ، وعَجَّلَ بَوارَهُ وَهُلْكَهُ. One who is tyrannical in his kingdom, the people wish for his annihilation. 36ـ مَنْ جارَ مُلْكَهُ (في مُلْكِهِ) تَمَنَّى النّاسُ هُلْكَهُ. One who unsheathes the sword of aggression is stripped of the grandeur of kingship.

37ـ مَنْ سَلَّ سَيْفَ العُدْوانِ سُلِبَ عِزَّ السُّلْطانِ.