These six are always unhappy: the envious, the malicious, the discontented, the irascible, the perpetually suspicious, and those dependent on the fortune of others. These six, O king, make up the happiness of men: the acquisition of wealth, unbroken health, a beloved and sweet-spoken wife, an obedient son, and profitable knowledge. He who manages to master the six passions ever present in the human heart, thereby becoming lord of his own senses, never sins and so suffers no calamity. It can be seen that these six live off six others: thieves off the careless; physicians off the sick; women off men afflicted by lust; priests off those who offer sacrifice; the king off those who quarrel; and, finally, the learned off those who lack learning. A king should abandon these seven vices that lead to ruin, for they are capable of destroying even firmly established kings: women, dice, hunting, drink, harshness of speech, severity of punishment, and misuse of wealth.