In the first place, most princes apply themselves to the arts of war, in which I have neither ability nor interest, instead of to the good arts of peace. They are generally more set on acquiring new kingdoms by hook or by crook than on governing well those that they already have.

首先，大多数王子都把自己的精力用在我既没有能力也没有兴趣的战争艺术上，而不是用在和平的艺术上。他们通常更倾向于不择手段地获取新王国，而不是治理好他们已经拥有的王国。