1. Everything is at its acme; especially the art of making one's way in the world. There is more required nowadays to make a single wise man than formerly to make Seven Sages, and more is needed nowadays to deal with a single person than was required with a whole people in former times.
1. Everything is at its peak, particularly the skill of navigating life successfully. Today, it takes more effort to produce one wise person than it once did to create the Seven Sages. Similarly, dealing with a single individual now requires more finesse than managing an entire community in the past.
2. Character and intellect: the two poles of our capacity; one without the other is but halfway to happiness. Intellect sufficeth not, character is also needed. On the other hand, it is the fool's misfortune, to fail in obtaining the position, the employment, the neighbourhood, and the circle of friends that suit him.
2. Character and intelligence are the two pillars of our potential. Having one without the other only gets us halfway to happiness. Intelligence alone isn't enough; character is equally essential. Conversely, it's the misfortune of fools to miss out on the right job, location, and social circle that would suit them best.
3. Keep matters for a time in suspense. Admiration at their novelty heightens the value of your achievements, It is both useless and insipid to play with the cards on the table. If you do not declare yourself immediately, you arouse expectation, especially when the importance of your position makes you the object of general attention. Mix a little mystery with everything, and the very mystery arouses veneration. And when you explain, be not too explicit, just as you do not expose your inmost thoughts in ordinary intercourse. Cautious silence is the holy of holies of worldly wisdom. A resolution declared is never highly thought of; it only leaves room for criticism. And if it happens to fail, you are doubly unfortunate. Besides you imitate the Divine way when you cause men to wonder and watch.
3. Create suspense and intrigue. Novelty enhances the value of your accomplishments. It's pointless and dull to reveal everything at once. By not immediately disclosing your intentions, you build anticipation, especially when your position draws attention. Infuse a bit of mystery into your actions; this mystery itself commands respect. When explaining, avoid being too explicit, just as you wouldn't share your innermost thoughts in casual conversation. Careful discretion is the cornerstone of worldly wisdom. Announced decisions are rarely well-received and only invite criticism. If they fail, the disappointment is twofold. Moreover, by causing others to wonder and observe, you mirror the divine approach.
4. Knowledge and courage are the elements of greatness. They give immortality, because they are immortal. Each is as much as he knows, and the wise can do anything. A man without knowledge, a world without light. Wisdom and strength, eyes and hands. Knowledge without courage is sterile.
4. Knowledge and courage are the keys to greatness. They grant immortality because they themselves are immortal. A person's worth is measured by their knowledge, and the wise can accomplish anything. An ignorant person is like a world without light. Wisdom and strength are like eyes and hands. However, knowledge without courage is useless.
5. Create a feeling of dependence. Not he that adorns but he that adores makes a divinity. The wise man would rather see men needing him than thanking him. To keep them on the threshold of hope is diplomatic, to trust to their gratitude boorish; hope has a good memory, gratitude a bad one. More is to be got from dependence than from courtesy. He that has satisfied his thirst turns his back on the well, and the orange once sucked falls from the golden platter into the waste-basket. When dependence disappears, good behaviour goes with it as well as respect. Let it be one of the chief lessons of experience to keep hope alive without entirely satisfying it, by preserving it to make oneself always needed even by a patron on the throne. But let not silence be carried to excess lest you go wrong, nor let another's failing grow incurable for the sake of your own advantage.
5. Foster a sense of dependency. It's not the one who decorates, but the one who admires that creates a deity. A wise person prefers to be needed rather than thanked. Keeping others on the brink of hope is strategic, while relying on their gratitude is naive. Hope remembers well, gratitude poorly. Dependency yields more than politeness. Once thirst is quenched, the well is forgotten; a consumed orange is discarded. When dependency fades, so do good behavior and respect. Let experience teach you to keep hope alive without fully satisfying it, ensuring you remain indispensable, even to those in power. However, don't let silence become excessive, lest you err, nor allow another's weakness to worsen for your own benefit.
6. A man at his highest point. We are not born perfect: every day we develop in our personality and in our calling till we reach the highest point of our completed being, to the full round of our accomplishments, of our excellences. This is known by the purity of our taste, the clearness of our thought, the maturity of our judgment, and the firmness of our will. Some never arrive at being complete; somewhat is always awanting: others ripen late. The complete man, wise in speech, prudent in act, is admitted to the familiar intimacy of discreet persons, is even sought for by them.
6. A person at their peak. We aren't born perfect. Each day, we grow in character and skill until we reach our full potential, the pinnacle of our abilities and strengths. This is evident in our refined tastes, clear thinking, mature judgment, and unwavering resolve. Some never achieve their full potential; something is always lacking. Others bloom late. The well-rounded individual, wise in speech and prudent in action, is welcomed into the inner circles of discerning people and is often sought after by them.
7. Avoid victories over superiors. All victories breed hate, and that over your superior is foolish or fatal. Superiority is always detested, à fortiori superiority over superiority. Caution can gloss over common advantages; for example, good looks may be cloaked by careless attire. There be some that will grant you precedence in good luck or good temper, but none in good sense, least of all a prince; for good sense is a royal prerogative, any claim to that is a case of lèse majesté. They are princes, and wish to be so in that most princely of qualities. They will allow a man to help them but not to surpass them, and will have any advice tendered them appear like a recollection of something they have forgotten rather than as a guide to something they cannot find. The stars teach us this finesse with happy tact; though they are his children and brilliant like him, they never rival the brilliancy of the sun.
7. Be cautious when outperforming superiors. All victories create resentment, especially those over your superiors, which can be unwise or dangerous. People generally dislike those who are superior, and even more so when they surpass someone already in a position of authority. You can downplay common advantages; for instance, attractive people might dress casually to appear less intimidating. Some may concede your superiority in luck or mood, but never in intelligence, particularly not leaders. Intelligence is seen as a royal privilege, and claiming to be smarter than a leader is viewed as an offense against their authority. Leaders want to be seen as the most intelligent. They'll accept help but not being outdone, and prefer advice to seem like a reminder of something they've forgotten rather than guidance on something they don't know. We can learn this subtle approach from the stars, which, though bright and celestial, never outshine the sun.
8. To be without passions. ’Tis a privilege of the highest order of mind. Their very eminence redeems them from being affected by transient and low impulses. There is no higher rule than that over oneself, over one's impulses: there is the triumph of free will. While passion rules the character, no aiming at high office; the less the higher. It is the only refined way of avoiding scandals; nay, ’tis the shortest way back to good repute.
8. Mastering your emotions. The ability to control one's emotions is a hallmark of great minds. Their superiority allows them to rise above fleeting and petty impulses. Self-control, especially over one's emotions, is the highest form of discipline and the true victory of free will. When emotions dominate, one cannot aspire to positions of power; the more prestigious the role, the more crucial this control becomes. Emotional mastery is not only the most refined way to avoid scandals but also the quickest path to restoring one's reputation.
9. Avoid the faults of your nation. Water shares the good or bad qualities of the strata through which it flows, and man those of the climate in which he is born. Some owe more than others to their native land, because there is a more favourable sky in the zenith. There is not a nation even among the most civilised that has not some fault peculiar to itself which other nations blame by way of boast or as a warning. ’Tis a triumph of cleverness to correct in oneself such national failings, or even to hide them: you get great credit for being unique among your fellows, and as it is less expected of you it is esteemed the more. There are also family failings as well as faults of position, of office or of age. If these all meet in one person and are not carefully guarded against, they make an intolerable monster.
9. Transcend your cultural shortcomings. People, like water, are shaped by their environment. Some benefit more from their birthplace than others, thanks to more favorable conditions. Every nation, even the most advanced, has its unique flaws that others criticize or use as cautionary tales. It's a mark of intelligence to recognize and address these national weaknesses, or at least conceal them. You'll earn respect for standing out among your peers, and since it's unexpected, it's valued even more. There are also familial quirks, as well as flaws tied to social status, profession, or age. If these all converge in one person without careful management, the result can be unbearable.
10. Fortune and fame. Where the one is fickle the other is enduring. The first for life, the second afterwards; the one against envy, the other against oblivion. Fortune is desired, at times assisted: fame is earned. The desire for fame springs from man's best part. It was and is the sister of the giants; it always goes to extremes—horrible monsters or brilliant prodigies.
10. Fortune and fame: one is fickle, the other enduring. Fortune lasts a lifetime, while fame lives on after death. Fortune shields against envy, fame against being forgotten. People crave fortune and sometimes receive help in getting it, but fame must be earned. The desire for fame comes from humanity's noblest instincts. Fame has always been linked to extremes—it creates either notorious villains or legendary heroes.
11. Cultivate those who can teach you. Let friendly intercourse be a school of knowledge, and culture be taught through conversation: thus you make your friends your teachers and mingle the pleasures of conversation with the advantages of instruction. Sensible persons thus enjoy alternating pleasures: they reap applause for what they say, and gain instruction from what they hear. We are always attracted to others by our own interest, but in this case it is of a higher kind. Wise men frequent the houses of great noblemen not because they are temples of vanity, but as theatres of good breeding. There be gentlemen who have the credit of worldly wisdom, because they are not only themselves oracles of all nobleness by their example and their behaviour, but those who surround them form a well-bred academy of worldly wisdom of the best and noblest kind.
11. Surround yourself with those who can teach you. Make social interactions a learning experience, where conversation becomes a means of education. This way, you transform your friends into mentors, blending the joy of socializing with the benefits of learning. Intelligent individuals appreciate this dual advantage: they receive praise for their contributions while gaining knowledge from others. We naturally gravitate towards people who serve our interests, but in this case, the interest is of a higher nature. Wise individuals seek out the company of accomplished people not for shallow reasons, but to experience and learn from their refined conduct. Some individuals are known for their worldly wisdom, not only because they embody nobility through their actions and behavior, but also because they cultivate an environment where those around them form a sophisticated circle of practical and noble wisdom.
12. Nature and art: material and workmanship. There is no beauty unadorned and no excellence that would not become barbaric if it were not supported by artifice: this remedies the evil and improves the good. Nature scarcely ever gives us the very best; for that we must have recourse to art. Without this the best of natural dispositions is uncultured, and half is lacking to any excellence if training is absent. Every one has something unpolished without artificial training, and every kind of excellence needs some polish.
12. Nature and art: substance and skill. True beauty is never unadorned, and excellence becomes crude without the support of skill. Artifice enhances the good and corrects the flaws. Nature rarely provides perfection; we must turn to art to achieve it. Without cultivation, even the best natural talents remain rough. Excellence is incomplete without proper training. Everyone has rough edges that need refining, and every form of excellence requires polishing.
13. Act sometimes on second thoughts, sometimes on first impulse. Man's life is a warfare against the malice of men. Sagacity fights with strategic changes of intention: it never does what it threatens, it aims only at escaping notice. It aims in the air with dexterity and strikes home in an unexpected direction, always seeking to conceal its game. It lets a purpose appear in order to attract the opponent's attention, but then turns round and conquers by the unexpected. But a penetrating intelligence anticipates this by watchfulness and lurks in ambush. It always understands the opposite of what the opponent wishes it to understand, and recognises every feint of guile. It lets the first impulse pass by and waits for the second, or even the third. Sagacity now rises to higher flights on seeing its artifice foreseen, and tries to deceive by truth itself, changes its game in order to change its deceit, and cheats by not cheating, and founds deception on the greatest candour. But the opposing intelligence is on guard with increased watchfulness, and discovers the darkness concealed by the light and deciphers every move, the more subtle because more simple. In this way the guile of the Python combats the far darting rays of Apollo.
13. Balance spontaneity with careful consideration. Life is a constant struggle against others' ill intentions. Wisdom employs flexible strategies: it keeps its true plans hidden, misdirecting attention before striking unexpectedly. It reveals false intentions to distract, then pivots to achieve its real goals. However, a sharp mind anticipates these tactics, remaining vigilant. It interprets opponents' actions as opposite to their apparent intent, recognizing deception. It waits for follow-up moves, not reacting to initial feints. As cunning escalates, it may use honesty to deceive, changing tactics to maintain the upper hand. The astute opponent remains hyper-aware, piercing through disguises and unraveling even the simplest, most subtle ploys. This battle of wits resembles the clash between the crafty Python and the far-seeing Apollo.
14. The thing itself and the way it is done. "Substance" is not enough: "accident" is also required, as the scholastics say. A bad manner spoils everything, even reason and justice; a good one supplies everything, gilds a No, sweetens truth, and adds a touch of beauty to old age itself. The how plays a large part in affairs, a good manner steals into the affections. Fine behaviour is a joy in life, and a pleasant expression helps out of a difficulty in a remarkable way.
14. Content and delivery matter. It's not just what you say, but how you say it. Substance alone isn't enough; presentation is crucial too. Poor delivery can ruin even the most reasonable and just arguments, while a good approach can enhance everything. It can turn a negative into a positive, make harsh truths more palatable, and even make aging seem graceful. How you do things greatly influences outcomes. Good manners win people over. Polite behavior makes life more enjoyable, and a friendly demeanor can help navigate tricky situations with surprising ease.
15. Keep ministering spirits. It is a privilege of the mighty to surround themselves with the champions of intellect; these extricate them from every fear of ignorance, these worry out for them the moot points of every difficulty. ’Tis a rare greatness to make use of the wise, and far exceeds the barbarous taste of Tigranes, who had a fancy for captive monarchs as his servants. It is a novel kind of supremacy, the best that life can offer, to have as servants by skill those who by nature are our masters. ’Tis a great thing to know, little to live: no real life without knowledge. There is remarkable cleverness in studying without study, in getting much by means of many, and through them all to become wise. Afterwards you speak in the council chamber on behalf of many, and as many sages speak through your mouth as were consulted beforehand: you thus obtain the fame of an oracle by others' toil. Such ministering spirits distil the best books and serve up the quintessence of wisdom. But he that cannot have sages in service should have them for his friends.
15. Surround yourself with intellectual champions. It's a privilege of the powerful to be surrounded by brilliant minds. These individuals free them from the fear of ignorance and untangle complex problems. It's far better to make use of the wise than to follow Tigranes' barbaric practice of employing captive kings as servants. This new form of leadership, perhaps the best life can offer, involves skillfully employing those who are naturally our superiors. Knowledge is crucial; life without it is hardly worth living. There's a clever way to learn without studying: gather insights from many sources, becoming wise through others. Later, you can speak on behalf of many, with the wisdom of countless sages flowing through you. You'll be regarded as an oracle, thanks to others' efforts. These intellectual aids distill the best books and serve up the essence of wisdom. If you can't employ such minds directly, at least keep them as friends.
16. Knowledge and good intentions together ensure continuance of success. A fine intellect wedded to a wicked will was always an unnatural monster. A wicked will envenoms all excellences: helped by knowledge it only ruins with greater subtlety. ’Tis a miserable superiority that only results in ruin. Knowledge without sense is double folly.
16. Knowledge and good intentions combined ensure lasting success. A brilliant mind paired with evil intentions is always an unnatural monstrosity. A malicious will poisons all virtues; when aided by knowledge, it only destroys with greater cunning. It's a pitiful superiority that only leads to ruin. Knowledge without wisdom is twice the foolishness.
17. Vary the mode of action; not always the same way, so as to distract attention, especially if there be a rival. Not always from first impulse; they will soon recognise the uniformity, and by anticipating, frustrate your designs. It is easy to kill a bird on the wing that flies straight: not so one that twists. Nor always act on second thoughts: they can discern the plan the second time. The enemy is on the watch, great skill is required to circumvent him. The gamester never plays the card the opponent expects, still less that which he wants.
17. Switch up your approach; don't always do things the same way, especially if you have competition. This will keep others guessing. Don't always act on your first instinct; people will quickly catch on to patterns and anticipate your moves. It's easy to hit a target that moves in a straight line, but not one that zigzags. However, don't always rely on your second thoughts either; others can figure out your strategy the second time around. Your opponent is watching closely, so you'll need to be clever to outmaneuver them. A skilled player never plays the card their opponent expects, and certainly not the one they want played.
18. Application and ability. There is no attaining eminence without both, and where they unite there is the greatest eminence. Mediocrity obtains more with application than superiority without it. Work is the price which is paid for reputation. What costs little is little worth. Even for the highest posts it is only in some cases application that is wanting, rarely the talent. To prefer moderate success in great things than eminence in a humble post has the excuse of a generous mind, but not so to be content with humble mediocrity when you could shine among the highest. Thus nature and art are both needed, and application sets on them the seal.
18. Skill and effort are essential for success. You need both to reach the top, and when combined, they lead to the greatest achievements. Hard work often outperforms raw talent alone. Reputation comes at the cost of dedication. Things easily obtained are rarely valuable. For most high-level positions, it's usually effort that's lacking, not ability. It's admirable to aim for moderate success in important fields rather than excel in a minor role, but it's unwise to settle for mediocrity when you have the potential to be among the best. Both natural talent and learned skills are crucial, and consistent effort brings them together effectively.
19. Arouse no exaggerated expectations on entering. It is the usual ill-luck of all celebrities not to fulfil afterwards the expectations beforehand formed of them. The real can never equal the imagined, for it is easy to form ideals but very difficult to realise them. Imagination weds hope and gives birth to much more than things are in themselves. However great the excellences, they never suffice to fulfil expectations, and as men find themselves disappointed with their exorbitant expectations they are more ready to be disillusionised than to admire. Hope is a great falsifier of truth; let skill guard against this by ensuring that fruition exceeds desire. A few creditable attempts at the beginning are sufficient to arouse curiosity without pledging one to the final object. It is better that reality should surpass the design and is better than was thought. This rule does not apply to the wicked, for the same exaggeration is a great aid to them; they are defeated amid general applause, and what seemed at first extreme ruin comes to be thought quite bearable.
19. Avoid creating unrealistic expectations when you start something new. Famous people often struggle to live up to the hype surrounding them. Reality rarely matches our imagination, as it's easy to dream up ideals but hard to achieve them. Our hopes tend to inflate our expectations beyond what's possible. Even great accomplishments often fall short of people's outsized expectations, leading to disappointment rather than admiration. Hope can distort reality, so use skill to ensure that results exceed expectations. Start with a few impressive efforts to spark interest without overpromising. It's better for reality to surpass expectations than to fall short. This advice doesn't apply to harmful situations, where exaggeration can actually help. In those cases, when the feared outcome isn't as bad as expected, people tend to feel relieved.
20. A man of the age. The rarest individuals depend on their age. It is not every one that finds the age he deserves, and even when he finds it he does not always know how to utilise it. Some men have been worthy of a better century, for every species of good does not always triumph. Things have their period; even excellences are subject to fashion. The sage has one advantage: he is immortal. If this is not his century many others will be.
20. A product of their time. The most exceptional individuals are shaped by their era. Not everyone finds the age they deserve, and even those who do may struggle to make the most of it. Some people are worthy of a better time, as not every form of goodness always prevails. Everything has its moment; even virtues are subject to trends. The wise person has one advantage: they are timeless. If this isn't their century, many others will be.
21. The art of being lucky. There are rules of luck: it is not all chance with the wise: it can be assisted by care. Some content themselves with placing them-selves confidently at the gate of fortune, waiting till she opens it. Others do better, and press forward and profit by their clever boldness, reaching the goddess and winning her favour on the wings of their virtue and valour. But on a true philosophy there is no other umpire than virtue and insight; for there is no luck or ill-luck except wisdom and the reverse.
21. The art of being lucky. There are rules to luck—it's not all chance for the wise. You can improve your luck with careful attention. Some people simply wait at fortune's door, hoping it will open. Others take a more active approach, boldly moving forward to seize opportunities. They reach for success and win favor through their virtue and courage. In reality, though, true wisdom recognizes that there's no luck or misfortune beyond our own choices and understanding. Virtue and insight are the only real arbiters of our fate.
22. A man of knowledge to the point. Wise men arm themselves with tasteful and elegant erudition; a practical knowledge of what is going on not of a common kind but more like an expert. They possess a copious store of wise and witty sayings, and of noble deeds, and know how to employ them on fitting occasions. More is often taught by a jest than by the most serious teaching. Pat knowledge helps some more than the seven arts, be they ever so liberal.
22. A truly knowledgeable person is concise and relevant. The wise equip themselves with refined and sophisticated learning, possessing practical expertise that goes beyond common understanding. They have a vast repertoire of insightful quotes and notable achievements, knowing precisely when to use them. Often, a well-placed joke can be more instructive than formal education. For some, having the right knowledge at the right time is more valuable than mastering all the liberal arts.
23. Be spotless: the indispensable condition of perfection. Few live without some weak point, either physical or moral, which they pamper because they could easily cure it. The keenness of others often regrets to see a slight defect attaching itself to a whole assembly of elevated qualities, and yet a single cloud can hide the whole of the sun. There are likewise patches on our reputation which ill-will soon finds out and is continually noticing. The highest skill is to transform them into ornament. So Caesar hid his natural defects with the laurel.
23. Be impeccable: the essential requirement for perfection. Most people have at least one flaw, either physical or moral, which they indulge because it could be easily fixed. Others often regret seeing a minor defect mar an otherwise impressive set of qualities, just as a single cloud can obscure the entire sun. Similarly, there are blemishes on our reputation that critics quickly spot and constantly point out. The greatest skill lies in turning these flaws into assets. Caesar, for example, concealed his natural defects with a laurel wreath.
24. Keep the imagination under control; sometimes correcting, sometimes assisting it. For it is all-important for our happiness, and even sets the reason right. It can tyrannise, and is not content with looking on, but influences and even often dominates life, causing it to be happy or burdensome according to the folly to which it leads. For it makes us either contented or discontented with ourselves. Before some it continually holds up the penalties of action, and becomes the mortifying lash of these fools. To others it promises happiness and adventure with blissful delusion. It can do all this unless the most prudent self-control keeps it in subjection.
24. Control your imagination, guiding and correcting it as needed. It's crucial for happiness and can even influence reason. Imagination can be overpowering, not just observing but shaping our lives, making them joyful or difficult depending on where it leads us. It determines whether we're satisfied or dissatisfied with ourselves. For some, it constantly highlights the consequences of their actions, becoming a source of self-punishment. For others, it promises happiness and excitement through pleasant illusions. Imagination can do all this unless kept in check by careful self-discipline.
25. Know how to take a Hint. ’Twas once the art of arts to be able to discourse; now ’tis no longer sufficient. We must know how to take a hint, especially in disabusing ourselves. He cannot make himself understood who does not himself easily understand. But on the other hand there are pretended diviners of the heart and lynxes of the intentions. The very truths which concern us most can only be half spoken, but with attention we can grasp the whole meaning. When you hear anything favourable keep a tight rein on your credulity; if unfavourable, give it the spur.
25. Learn to read between the lines. Once, the art of conversation was paramount; now, it's not enough. We must learn to pick up on subtle cues, especially when correcting our own misconceptions. Those who can't understand others will struggle to make themselves understood. On the other hand, some people claim to be mind readers, able to divine intentions. The most important truths are often only half-spoken, but with careful attention, we can grasp their full meaning. When you hear good news, be cautiously optimistic; when it's bad, dig deeper for the truth.