EPTAvoid restraint; thy tongue must never slumber,
Forge every thought's reality through action.
Keep friends at arm's length; compensate in number.
From scraps and quarrels harvest satisfaction,
But flee if harm awaits. Give all thy voice,
And few thy ear. In garish garb rejoice,
But moderate thy spending, for thy worth
Grows in proportion to thy purse's girth.
Pass judgment on all men, ignore advice,
And always borrower and lender be,
For fortune often follows usury,
And thy endowment hardly shall suffice.
Last but not least of all, thyself deceive;
Thou canst then fleece and hoodwink the naive.
