an8.55:6.1 And what is accomplishment in balanced finances?
an8.55:6.2 It’s when a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’
an8.55:6.3 It’s like an appraiser or their apprentice who, holding up the scales, knows that it’s low by this much or high by this much.
an8.55:6.4 In the same way, a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’
an8.55:6.5 If a gentleman has little income but an opulent life, there’ll be some who say: ‘This gentleman eats their wealth like a fig-eater!’
an8.55:6.6 If a gentleman has a large income but a spartan life, there’ll be some who say: ‘This gentleman is starving themselves to death!’
an8.55:6.7 But a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, thinking, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’
an8.55:6.8 This is called accomplishment in balanced finances.
