यदा वा पश्येत् "परस्य अपचरिताः क्षीणा लुब्धाः स्व चक्र स्तेन अटवी व्यथिता वा प्रकृतयः स्वयम् उपजापेन वा माम् एष्यन्ति, सम्पन्ना मे वार्त्ता, विपन्ना परस्य, तस्य प्रकृतयो दुर्भिक्ष उपहता माम् एष्यन्ति॑ विपन्ना मे वार्त्ता, सम्पन्ना परस्य, ॥ तं मे प्रकृतयो न गमिष्यन्ति, विगृह्य च अस्य धान्य पशु हिरण्यान्य् आहरिष्यामि, स्व पण्य उपघातीनि वा पर पण्यानि निवर्तयिष्यामि, ॥ पर वणिक् पथाद् वा सरवन्ति माम् एष्यन्ति विगृहीते, न इतरम्, दूष्य अमित्र अटवी निग्रहं वा विगृहीतो न करिष्यति, तैर् एव वा विग्रहं प्राप्स्यति, ॥ मित्रं मे मित्र भाव्य् अभिप्रयातो बह्व् अल्प कालं तनु क्षय व्ययम् अर्थं प्राप्स्यति, गुणवतीम् आदेयां वा भूमिम्, ॥ सर्व संदोहेन वा माम् अनादृत्य प्रयातु कामः कथं न यायाद्" इति पर वृद्धि प्रतिघात अर्थं प्रताप अर्थं च विगृह्य आसीत ॥
When a king finds that as his enemy's subjects are ill-treated, impoverished and greedy and are ever being oppressed by the inroads of the army, thieves, and wild tribes, they can be made through intrigue to join his side; or that his own agriculture and commerce are flourishing while those of his enemy are waning; or that as the subjects of his enemy are suffering from famine, they will immigrate into his own territory; or that, though his own returns of agriculture and commerce are falling and those of his enemy increasing, his own subjects will never desert him in favour of his enemy; or that by proclaiming war, he can carry off, by force, the grains, cattle and gold of his enemy; or that he can prevent the import of his enemy's merchandise, which was destructive of his own commerce; or that valuable merchandise would come to his own territory, leaving that of his enemy; or that war being proclaimed, his enemy would be unable to put down traitors, enemies, and wild tribes and other rebels, and would be involved in war with them; or that his own friend would in a very short time accumulate wealth without much loss and would not fail to follow him in his march, since no friend would neglect the opportunity of acquiring a fertile land and a prosperous friend like himself,--then in view of inflicting injuries on his enemy and of exhibiting his own power, he may keep quiet after proclaiming war.
english translation