雙語智慧書·懂得怎樣對待真相

210．懂得怎樣對待真相
　　懂得怎樣對待真相。說出真相是危險的，但好人不能不說，這就需要高超的技巧。最高明的精神醫(yī)生設(shè)法讓真相的藥丸變甜，因為當(dāng)真相毀滅幻想時，會痛苦萬分。這時，令人愉悅的方式可大展身手：同樣的真相，既可讓人開心，也可使人崩潰。處理今天的事情，要像處理很久之前的事情一樣。對于明白人，一句話就夠了；如果還不夠，可以保持沉默。不要讓那些貴族吞食苦澀的藥丸，讓他們清醒的藥丸一定要包上糖衣。


210．Know how to play the card of truth
　Know how to play the card of truth. It is dangerous, yet a good man cannot avoid speaking it. But great skill is needed here. The most expert doctors of the soul pay great attention to the means of sweetening the pill of truth. For when it deals with the destroying of illusion it is the quintessence of bitterness. A pleasant manner has here an opportunity for a display of skill: with the same truth it can flatter one and fell another to the ground. Matters of today should be treated as if they were long past. For those who can understand a word is sufficient, and if it does not suffice, it is a case for silence. Princes must not be cured with bitter draughts; it is therefore desirable in their case to gild the pill of disillusion.