ثُمَّ اسْتَوْصِ بِالتُّجَّارِ وَذَوِي الصِّنَاعَاتِ، وَأَوْصِ بِهِمْ خَيْراً: الْمُقِيمِ مِنْهُمْ، وَالْمُضْطَرِبِ بِمَالِهِ، وَالْمُتَرَفِّقِ بِبَدَنِهِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ مَوَادُّ الْمَنَافِعِ، وَأَسْبَابُ الْمَرَافِقِ، وَجُلَّابُهَا مِنَ الْمَبَاعِدِ وَالْمَطَارِحِ، فِي بَرِّكَ وَبَحْرِكَ، وَسَهْلِكَ وَجَبَلِكَ، وَحَيْثُ لَا يَلْتَئِمُ النَّاسُ لِمَوَاضِعِهَا، وَلَا يَجْتَرِءُونَ عَلَيْهَا، فَإِنَّهُمْ سِلْمٌ لَا تُخَافُ بَائِقَتُهُ، وَصُلْحٌ لَا تُخْشَى غَائِلَتُهُ، وَتَفَقَّدْ أُمُورَهُمْ بِحَضْرَتِكَ وَفِي حَوَاشِي بِلَادِكَ.
(6. Traders and Industrialists) Now take some advice about traders and industrialists. Give them good counsel whether they be settled (shop-keepers) or traders or physical labourers because they are sources of profit and the means of the provision of useful articles. They bring them from distant and far-flung areas throughout the land and sea, plains or mountains, from where people cannot come and to where they do not dare to go, for they are peaceful and there is no fear of revolt from them, and they are quite without fear of treason. Look after their affairs before yourself or wherever they may be in your area.
