they used to talk about power and strength about numbers and wealth and about obeying the rabble and the lowly. today they have become more inclined to dispute and it is more costly. because when they despair of being subjugated by the crowd and the lowly and by the vendors and by the corrupt governors their hearts are full and their souls are agitated. and whoever has this description and this attribute must use trickery and argument since force and force have rendered him helpless. and whoevers anger is greater than his patience and his need is greater than his contentment it is necessary for his mask to be exposed his secret to be revealed and his hidden meaning to be made apparent.
وقد كانوا يتكلمون على السلطان والقدرة، وعلى العدد والثروة، وعلى طاعة الرعاع والسفلة؛ فقد صاروا اليوم إلى المنازعة أميل، وبها أكلف؛ لأنهم حينما يئسوا من القهر بالحشوة والسفلة، وبالباعة، وبالولاة الفسقة، وقلوبهم ممتلئة ونفوسهم هائجة. ولا بد لمن كانت هذه صفته، وهذا نعته، من أن يستعمل الحيلة والحجة، إذ أعجزه البطش والصولة. وكل من كان غيظه يفضل عن حلمه، وحاجته تفضل عن قناعته، فواجب أن ينكشف قناعه، ويظهر سره، ويبدو مكنونه.