Bit by Bit - Chapter 11, Part 18

Trey Smith

Here is a man who wants to take over the management of another man's state." He thinks thereby to seize all the profits enjoyed by the kings of the Three Dynasties, but fails to take note of their worries. This is to gamble with another man's state, and how long can you expect to gamble with his state and not lose it? Less than one man in ten thousand will succeed in holding on to the state; the odds in favor of losing it are more than ten thousand to one. It is sad indeed that the possessors of states do not realize this!
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Another way to state the above is the importance to walk in someone else's shoes. Often, when we are on the outside looking in, we truly don't understand the complexities of the situation. We merely skim the surface and use our superficial understanding of the variables to make a quick and shallow assessment.

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