14. While Government expenses for broken chariots, worn-out horses, breast-plates and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantlets, draught-oxen and heavy wagons, will amount to four-tenths of its total revenue.

公家之費破車罷馬甲胄矢弩戟楯蔽櫓丘牛大車十去其六

Sun Tzu

In this passage, Sun Tzu is discussing the expenses that a government incurs in maintaining its military. He is saying that such expenses, including the cost of repairing and replacing equipment like chariots and horses, as well as protective armor and weapons, will typically amount to four-tenths of the government’s total revenue. In other words, a significant portion of a government’s resources must be devoted to maintaining its military capabilities.

A business should allocate a percentage of its gross sales to pay for overhead expenses.

A business should allocate a percentage of its gross sales to pay for overhead expenses, such as rent, utilities, and insurance. By doing this, the business can ensure that it has the funds available to maintain its operations and meet these important costs. It’s important for businesses to carefully manage their overhead expenses and ensure that they are not spending too much relative to their sales.

Previous Quote:

13. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength, the homes of the people will be stripped bare, and three-tenths of their incomes will be dissipated;

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15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of one’s own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one’s own store.

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