Having only wisdom and talent is the lowest tier of usefulness.

A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm.

To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not.

Human life is truly a short affair. It is better to live doing the things that you like.

Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.

The way of the Samurai is found in death.

Bushido is realised in the presence of death. In the case of having to choose between life and death you should choose death. There is no other reasoning.

In the eyes of mercy, no one should have hateful thoughts. Feel pity for the man who is even more at fault. The area and size of mercy is limitless.

Go ahead and gamble a lie. A person who will not tell you seven lies within a hundred yards is useless as a man.

The end is important in all things.

One should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths.

Be what, you wishes to be.

Each soul has its own note to sing in the divine chorus and no voice is more important than another. (94)

Leadership is more about purpose than it is about position.

A truly moral nation enacts policies that encourage personal responsibility and discourage self-destructive behavior by not subsidizing people who live irresponsibly and make poor choices.

Could beauty be beaten out, O youth the cities have sent to strike at each other's strength, it is you who have kept her alight.

Chickens can do many things, but they cannot make sophisticated deals with humans.

You either get better, or you don't progress.

Vices are simply overworked virtues.

I detest 'Jingle Bells,' 'White Christmas,' 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,' and the obscene spending bonanza that nowadays seems to occupy not just December, but November and much of October, too.

Go after a man's weakness, and never, ever, threaten unless you're going to follow through, because if you don't, the next time you won't be taken seriously.