243.不要太過善良
不要太過善良。應(yīng)將毒蛇的狡猾和鴿子的坦率結(jié)合起來。欺騙誠實(shí)之人最容易。從不說謊者很相信他人,從不行騙者很信任他人。被欺騙不總是因?yàn)橛薮?,也可能純粹因?yàn)樯屏?。有兩種人可以保護(hù)自己不受傷害:自己付出代價(jià)而吸取教訓(xùn)之人;看到別人付出代價(jià)而受到警示之人。狡猾的人常常設(shè)置陷阱,謹(jǐn)慎的人應(yīng)該保持警惕。任何人都不要過于善良,使別人的邪惡有機(jī)可乘。你要結(jié)合毒蛇和鴿子的特點(diǎn),這是天才,而非妖怪。
243.Do not be too much of a dove
Do not be too much of a dove. Alternate the cunning of the serpent with the candour of the dove. Nothing is easier than to deceive an honest man. He believes in much who lies in naught; he who does no deceit, has much confidence. To be deceived is not always due to stupidity, it may arise from sheer goodness. There are two sets of men who can guard themselves from injury: those who have experienced it at their own cost, and those who have observed it at the cost of others. Prudence should use as much suspicion as subtlety uses snares, and none need be so good as to enable others to do him ill. Combine in yourself the dove and the serpent, not as a monster but as a prodigy.