176. Have knowledge, or know those that have knowledge. Without intelligence, either one's own or another's, true life is impossible. But many do not know that they do not know, and many think they know when they know nothing. Failings of the intelligence are incorrigible, since those who do not know, do not know themselves, and cannot therefore seek what they lack. Many would be wise if they did not think themselves wise. Thus it happens that though the oracles of wisdom are rare, they are rarely used. To seek advice does not lessen greatness or argue incapacity. On the contrary, to ask advice proves you well advised. Take counsel with reason it you do not wish to court defeat.
176. Know your stuff, or know who does. Life's impossible without intelligence, whether it's yours or someone else's. Many people don't realize their ignorance, while others think they're knowledgeable when they're clueless. Intellectual shortcomings are hard to fix because those who lack knowledge don't recognize it and can't seek what they're missing. Many could be wise if they weren't so sure of their wisdom. As a result, although wisdom is rare, it's rarely tapped. Seeking advice doesn't diminish your stature or suggest incompetence. In fact, asking for guidance shows good judgment. Consult reason if you want to avoid failure.
177. Avoid Familiarities in intercourse. Neither use them nor permit them. He that is familiar, loses any superiority his Influence gives him, and so loses respect. The stars keep their brilliance by not making themselves common. The Divine demands decorum. Every familiarity breeds contempt. In human affairs, the more a man shows, the less he has, for in open communication you communicate the failings that reserve might keep under cover. Familiarity is never desirable; with superiors because it is dangerous, with inferiors because it is unbecoming, least of all with the common herd, who become insolent from sheer folly: they mistake favour shown them for need felt of them. Familiarity trenches on vulgarity.
177. Maintain professional boundaries in your interactions. Neither initiate nor tolerate overly casual behavior. Those who act too familiar forfeit the respect their position commands. Like distant stars, people retain their allure by maintaining some mystery. Even the divine requires reverence. Familiarity often leads to disrespect. In human relationships, excessive openness can reveal flaws that discretion might conceal. Overfamiliarity is rarely beneficial: it's risky with superiors, improper with subordinates, and especially ill-advised with the general public, who may misinterpret friendliness as dependency. Ultimately, excessive familiarity borders on crudeness.
178. Trust your heart, especially when it has been proved. Never deny it a hearing. It is a kind of house oracle that often foretells the most important. Many have perished because they feared their own heart, but of what use is it to fear it without finding a better remedy? Many are endowed by Nature with a heart so true that it always warns them of misfortune and wards off its effects. It is unwise to seek evils, unless you seek to conquer them.
178. Trust your instincts, particularly when they've proven reliable. Always listen to your inner voice. It's like a personal oracle that often predicts crucial events. Many have failed because they ignored their intuition, but what's the point of fearing it without finding a better alternative? Nature has gifted many with an accurate internal compass that warns of trouble and helps avoid its consequences. It's unwise to look for problems unless you're prepared to overcome them.
179. Reticence is the seal of capacity. A breast without a secret is an open letter. Where there is a solid foundation secrets can be kept profound: there are spacious cellars where things of moment may be hid. Reticence springs from self-control, and to control oneself in this is a true triumph. You must pay ransom to each you tell. The security of wisdom consists in temperance in the inner man. The risk that reticence runs lies in the cross-questioning of others, in the use of contradiction to worm out secrets, in the darts of irony: to avoid these the prudent become more reticent than before. What must be done need not be said, and what must be said need not be done.
179. Discretion is the hallmark of capability. An open mind without secrets is like an unsealed letter. A solid foundation allows for deep secrets: imagine spacious cellars where important things can be hidden. Discretion stems from self-control, and mastering this is a true victory. You pay a price for each secret you share. Wisdom's security lies in inner restraint. The challenge to discretion comes from others' probing questions, contradictions meant to extract information, and ironic remarks. To counter these, the prudent become even more guarded. What must be done need not be discussed, and what must be said need not be acted upon.
180. Never guide the enemy to what he has to do. The fool never does what the wise judge wise, because he does not follow up the suitable means. He that is discreet follows still less a plan laid out, or even carried out, by another. One has to discuss matters from both points of view—turn it over on both sides. Judgments vary; let him that has not decided attend rather to what is possible than what is probable.
180. Don't show your opponent your playbook. The unwise rarely do what the wise consider prudent, as they fail to use appropriate methods. The discreet person is even less likely to follow a plan created or executed by someone else. Always consider both sides of an issue. Opinions differ; if you're undecided, focus on what's possible rather than what's probable.
181. The truth, but not the whole truth. Nothing demands more caution than the truth: ’tis the lancet of the heart. It requires as much to tell the truth as to conceal it. A single lie destroys a whole reputation for integrity. The deceit is regarded as treason and the deceiver as a traitor, which is worse. Yet not all truths can be spoken: some for our own sake, others for the sake of others.
181. Truth requires caution: it cuts deep into the heart. Telling the truth demands as much skill as concealing it. A single lie can ruin a reputation built on honesty. Deception is seen as betrayal, and the deceiver as a traitor—a far worse offense. However, not every truth should be spoken. Some we keep to ourselves, others we withhold for the sake of others.
182. A grain of boldness in everything. ’Tis an important piece of prudence. You must moderate your opinion of others so that you may not think so high of them as to fear them. The imagination should never yield to the heart. Many appear great till you know them personally, and then dealing with them does more to disillusionise than to raise esteem. No one o’ersteps the narrow bounds of humanity: all have their weaknesses either in heart or head. Dignity gives apparent authority, which is rarely accompanied by personal power: for Fortune often redresses the height of office by the inferiority of the holder. The imagination always jumps too soon, and paints things in brighter colours than the real: it thinks things not as they are but as it wishes them to be. Attentive experience disillusionised in the past soon corrects all that. Yet if wisdom should not be timorous, neither should folly be rash. And if self-reliance helps the ignorant, how much more the brave and wise?
182. A touch of boldness in everything is key to prudence. Moderate your view of others to avoid fearing them unnecessarily. Don't let your imagination override your heart. Many seem impressive from afar, but personal interaction often disappoints rather than impresses. Everyone has flaws, either in character or intellect. No one transcends human limitations. Position often gives the appearance of authority, rarely matched by personal ability. Fortune frequently balances high office with an inferior officeholder. Imagination tends to jump to conclusions, painting an overly rosy picture. It sees things as we wish them to be, not as they are. Attentive experience soon corrects these illusions. While wisdom shouldn't be timid, foolishness shouldn't be reckless. If self-confidence aids the ignorant, it's even more beneficial to the brave and wise.
183. Do not hold your views too firmly. Every fool is fully convinced, and every one fully persuaded is a fool: the more erroneous his judgment the more firmly he holds it. Even in cases of obvious certainty, it is fine to yield: our reasons for holding the view cannot escape notice, our courtesy in yielding must be the more recognised. Our obstinacy loses more than our victory yields: that is not to champion truth but rather rudeness. There be some heads of iron most difficult to turn: add caprice to obstinacy and the sum is a wearisome fool. Steadfastness should be for the will, not for the mind. Yet there are exceptions where one would fail twice, owning oneself wrong both in judgment and in the execution of it.
183. Don't cling too tightly to your opinions. Only fools are completely certain, and those who are utterly convinced are foolish. The more flawed the judgment, the more stubbornly it's held. Even when you're sure you're right, it's gracious to give way: your reasons for holding the view will be clear, and your courtesy in yielding will be appreciated. Stubbornness costs more than victory gains; it's not defending truth, but being rude. Some people are incredibly hard-headed: combine stubbornness with whim, and you get an exhausting fool. Be firm in your will, not your mind. Of course, there are exceptions where changing your mind would mean failing twice: once in judgment and again in action.
184. Do not be ceremonious. Even in a king affectation in this was renowned for its eccentricity. To be punctilious is to be a bore, yet whole nations have this peculiarity. The garb of folly is woven out of such things. Such folk are worshippers of their own dignity, yet show how little it is justified since they fear that the least thing can destroy it. It is right to demand respect, but not to be considered a master of ceremonies. Yet it is true that a man to do without ceremonies must possess supreme qualities. Neither affect nor despise etiquette: he cannot be great who is great at such little things.
184. Don't be overly formal. Even kings have been known for their eccentricity in this regard. Being excessively punctilious is boring, yet entire cultures embrace this trait. Such behavior is the hallmark of foolishness. Those who obsess over their own dignity ironically reveal how fragile it is, fearing that the smallest misstep could shatter it. While it's appropriate to expect respect, don't become a stickler for protocol. That said, it takes exceptional qualities to disregard etiquette entirely. Neither fixate on nor disregard social norms: true greatness isn't found in mastering trivial matters.
185. Never stake your Credit on a single Cast; for if it miscarries the damage is irreparable. It may easy happen that a man should fail once, especially at first: circumstances are not always favourable: hence they say, "Every dog has his day." Always connect your second attempt with your first: whether it succeed or fail, the first will redeem the second. Always have resort to better means and appeal to more resources. Things depend on all sorts of chances. That is why the satisfaction of success is so rare.
185. Never risk your reputation on a single venture, as failure can cause irreversible damage. Anyone can stumble, especially when starting out, as conditions aren't always ideal. As the saying goes, "Every dog has its day." Always link your second attempt to your first; whether it succeeds or fails, the initial effort will help balance the second. Consistently seek better methods and explore more options. Outcomes depend on various factors, which is why the joy of success is so uncommon.
186. Recognise faults, however high placed. Integrity cannot mistake vice even when clothed in brocade or perchance crowned with gold, but will not be able to hide its character for all that. Slavery does not lose its vileness, however it vaunt the nobility of its lord and master. Vices may stand in high place, but are low for all that. Men can see that many a great man has great faults, yet they do not see that he is not great because of them. The example of the great is so specious that it even glosses over viciousness, till it may so affect those who flatter it that they do not notice that what they gloss over in the great they abominate in the lower classes.
186. Recognize flaws, even in high-ranking individuals. Integrity cannot mistake vice, even when it's dressed in fine clothes or wears a golden crown. It cannot hide its true nature. Slavery remains vile, no matter how noble its master claims to be. Vices may occupy high positions, but they remain base. People often notice that many prominent figures have significant flaws, yet fail to realize that these individuals are not great because of their faults. The example set by the powerful is so deceptive that it can even gloss over viciousness. This can affect their admirers to such an extent that they overlook in the elite what they would despise in ordinary people.
187. Do pleasant things yourself, unpleasant things through others. By the one course you gain goodwill, by the other you avoid hatred. A great man takes more pleasure in doing a favour than in receiving one: it is the privilege of his generous nature. One cannot easily cause pain to another without suffering pain either from sympathy or from remorse. In high place one can only work by means of rewards and punishment, so grant the first yourself, inflict the other through others. Have some one against whom the weapons of discontent, hatred, and slander may be directed. For the rage of the mob is like that of a dog: missing the cause of its pain it turns to bite the whip itself, and though this is not the real culprit, it has to pay the penalty.
187. Do pleasant tasks yourself and delegate unpleasant ones to others. This approach will earn you goodwill and help you avoid hatred. A great person finds more joy in giving favors than receiving them, which reflects their generous nature. It's difficult to cause pain to others without experiencing discomfort, either through sympathy or guilt. In leadership positions, you must use both rewards and punishments. Give rewards personally, but let others handle punishments. Have someone who can be the target of discontent, hatred, and criticism. The public's anger is like a dog's: when it can't find the source of its pain, it bites the whip. Although the whip isn't truly responsible, it still faces the consequences.
188. Be the bearer of praise. This increases our credit for good taste, since it shows that we have learnt elsewhere to know what is excellent, and hence how to prize it in the present company. It gives material for conversation and for imitation, and encourages praiseworthy exertions. We do homage besides in a very delicate way to the excellences before us. Others do the opposite; they accompany their talk with a sneer, and fancy they flatter those present by belittling the absent. This may serve them with superficial people, who do not notice how cunning it is to speak ill of every one to every one else. Many pursue the plan of valuing more highly the mediocrities of the day than the most distinguished exploits of the past. Let the cautious penetrate through these subtleties, and let him not be dismayed by the exaggerations of the one or made over-confident by the flatteries of the other; knowing that both act in the same way by different methods, adapting their talk to the company they are in.
188. Be a source of praise. This enhances our reputation for good taste, showing we've learned to recognize excellence elsewhere and can appreciate it in our current company. It provides topics for conversation and inspiration, encouraging praiseworthy efforts. We also subtly honor the merits before us. Others do the opposite; they speak with disdain, thinking they flatter those present by belittling the absent. This may work with shallow people who don't notice the cunning behind speaking ill of everyone to everyone else. Many prefer to value today's mediocrity over the most distinguished achievements of the past. The wise should see through these tactics and not be discouraged by exaggerations or misled by flattery, understanding that both approaches serve the same purpose through different methods, tailoring their speech to their audience.
189. Utilise another's wants. The greater his wants the greater the turn of the screw. Philosophers say privation is non-existent, statesmen say it is all-embracing, and they are right. Many make ladders to attain their ends out of wants of others. They make use of the opportunity and tantalise the appetite by pointing out the difficulty of satisfaction. The energy of desire promises more than the inertia of possession. The passion of desire increases with every increase of opposition. It is a subtle point to satisfy the desire and yet preserve the dependence.
189. Use others' desires to your advantage. The more someone wants something, the more leverage you have. Philosophers claim that lack doesn't exist, while politicians say it's everywhere—and they're right. Many people build their success on others' needs. They seize opportunities by highlighting how hard it is to get what others want. The excitement of chasing a goal often outweighs the satisfaction of having it. Desire grows stronger when faced with obstacles. The real skill lies in satisfying someone's wants while keeping them dependent on you.
190. Find consolation in all things. Even the useless may find it in being immortal. No trouble without compensation. Fools are held to be lucky, and the good-luck of the ugly is proverbial. Be worth little and you will live long: it is the cracked glass that never gets broken, but worries one with its durability. It seems that Fortune envies the great, so it equalises things by giving long life to the use-less, a short one to the important. Those who bear the burden come soon to grief, while those who are of no importance live on and on: in one case it appears so, in the other it is so. The unlucky thinks he has been for-gotten by both Death and Fortune.
190. Find comfort in everything. Even the useless can take solace in being eternal. Every problem has an upside. Fools are considered lucky, and the good fortune of the unattractive is well-known. Be insignificant and you'll live long: it's the cracked glass that never breaks, frustrating us with its longevity. Fortune seems to envy greatness, balancing things by granting long life to the worthless and short life to the important. Those carrying burdens meet their end quickly, while the insignificant linger on: in one case it appears so, in the other it is so. The unlucky believe they've been forgotten by both Death and Fortune.
191. Do not take payment in politeness; for it is a kind of fraud. Some do not need the herbs of Thessaly for their magic, for they can enchant fools by the grace of their salute. Theirs is the Bank of Elegance, and they pay with the wind of fine words. To promise everything is to promise nothing: promises are the pitfalls of fools. The true courtesy is performance of duty: the spurious and especially the useless is deceit. It is not respect but rather a means to power. Obeisance is paid not to the man but to his means, and compliments are offered not to the qualities that are recognised but to the advantages that are desired.
191. Don't accept politeness as payment; it's a form of deception. Some people don't need magic potions to enchant fools; they can do it with a charming greeting. They deal in social currency, paying with empty words. Promising everything means promising nothing; promises are traps for the naive. Real courtesy means fulfilling obligations; fake or pointless courtesy is dishonest. It's not about respect, but about gaining influence. People bow to wealth, not character, and compliments are given not for genuine qualities, but for potential benefits.
192. Peaceful life, a long life. To live, let live. Peacemakers not only live: they rule life. Hear, see, and be silent. A day without dispute brings sleep without dreams. Long life and a pleasant one is life enough for two: that is the fruit of peace. He has all that makes nothing of what is nothing to him. There is no greater perversity than to take everything to heart. There is equal folly in troubling our heart about what does not concern us and in not taking to heart what does.
192. Live peacefully, live longer. Let others live their lives too. Peacemakers don't just survive; they thrive. Listen, observe, and stay quiet. A day without conflict leads to restful sleep. A long and enjoyable life is enough for two: that's the reward of peace. True wealth comes from valuing what matters and disregarding what doesn't. It's foolish to obsess over everything. Equally unwise is worrying about things that don't concern you while neglecting what's truly important.
193. Watch him that begins with another's to end with his own. Watchfulness is the only guard against cunning. Be intent on his intentions. Many succeed in making others do their own affairs, and unless you possess the key to their motives you may at any moment be forced to take their chestnuts out of the fire to the damage of your own fingers.
193. Be wary of those who start with others' interests but ultimately serve their own. Vigilance is the best defense against manipulation. Pay close attention to people's true intentions. Many excel at getting others to do their bidding, and if you don't understand their underlying motives, you might find yourself in a risky situation, doing their dirty work at your own expense.
194. Have reasonable views of yourself and of your affairs, especially in the beginning of life. Every one has a high opinion of himself, especially those who have least ground for it. Every one dreams of his good-luck and thinks himself a wonder. Hope gives rise to extravagant promises which experience does not fulfil. Such idle imaginations merely serve as a well-spring of annoyance when disillusion comes with the true reality. The wise man anticipates such errors: he may always hope for the best. but he always expects the worst, so as to receive what comes with equanimity. True, It is wise to aim high so as to hit your mark, but not so high that you miss your mission at the very beginning of life. This correction of the ideas is necessary, because before experience comes expectation is sure to soar too high. The best panacea against folly is prudence. If a man knows the true sphere of his activity and position, the can reconcile his ideals with reality.
194. Have realistic views of yourself and your situation, especially when starting out in life. Everyone tends to think highly of themselves, particularly those with the least reason to do so. People often dream of success and believe they're exceptional. Hope leads to unrealistic expectations that experience fails to meet. Such daydreams only become a source of frustration when reality sets in. Wise individuals anticipate these errors: they hope for the best but expect the worst, allowing them to face whatever comes with composure. It's good to set high goals to achieve your targets, but not so high that you miss your purpose from the outset. This adjustment of expectations is crucial because, before gaining experience, aspirations tend to be unrealistic. The best defense against foolishness is prudence. If you understand your true capabilities and position, you can align your ideals with reality.
195. Know how to appreciate. There is none who cannot teach somebody something, and there is none so excellent but he is excelled. To know how to make use of every one is useful knowledge. Wise men appreciate all men, for they see the good in each and know how hard it is to make anything good. Fools depreciate all men, not recognising the good and selecting the bad.
195. Know how to value others. Everyone has something to teach, and no one is so skilled that they can't be surpassed. Learning to make the most of each person is a valuable skill. Wise individuals appreciate everyone, recognizing the good in each person and understanding how challenging it is to excel. Foolish people, however, belittle everyone, failing to see the good and focusing only on the flaws.
196. Know your ruling star. None so helpless as not to have one; if he is unlucky, that is because he does not know it. Some stand high in the favour of princes and potentates without knowing why or wherefore, except that good luck itself has granted them favour on easy terms, merely requiring them to aid it with a little exertion. Others find favour with the wise. One man is better received by one nation than by another, or is more welcome in one city than in another. He finds more luck in one office or position than another, and all this though his qualifications are equal or even identical. Luck shuffles the cards how and when she will. Let each man know his luck as well as his talents, for on this depends whether he loses or wins. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it, for that would be to miss the North, though its neighbour (the polestar) calls us to it with a voice of thunder.
196. Know your lucky star. Everyone has one; if you're unlucky, it's because you haven't found it yet. Some people gain favor with the powerful without knowing why, simply because good fortune has smiled upon them, asking only for a little effort in return. Others are admired by the wise. A person might be more welcome in one country or city than another, or find more success in one job or position than another, even with the same qualifications. Luck deals the cards as it pleases. Understand your own luck as well as your talents, for this determines whether you win or lose. Follow your guiding star and support it, but don't mistake another for it. Doing so would be like missing the North Star, even as its neighbor shouts for your attention.
197. Do not carry fools on your back. He that does not know a fool when he sees him is one himself: still more he that knows him but will not keep clear of him. They are dangerous company and ruinous confidants. Even though their own caution and others' care keeps them in bounds for a time, still at length they are sure to do or to say some foolishness which is all the greater for being kept so long in stock. They cannot help another's credit who have none of their own. They are most unlucky, which is the nemesis of fools, and they have to pay for one thing or the other. There is only one thing which is not so bad about them, and this is that though they can be of no use to the wise, they can be of much use to them as signposts or as warnings.
197. Don't associate with fools. If you can't recognize a fool, you might be one yourself. Even worse is recognizing a fool but not avoiding them. Fools are dangerous companions and unreliable confidants. Though caution may keep them in check temporarily, they'll eventually say or do something foolish, often worse for having been held back. They can't help others' reputations when they have none themselves. Fools are unlucky and always pay the price for their foolishness. Their one redeeming quality is that while they're useless to the wise, they can serve as examples of what not to do.
198. Know how to transplant yourself. There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make one's value felt, especially in great posts. Their native land is always a stepmother to great talents: envy flourishes there on its native soil, and they remember one's small beginnings rather than the greatness one has reached. A needle is appreciated that comes from one end of the world to the other, and a piece of painted glass might outvie the diamond in value if it comes from afar. Everything foreign is respected, partly because it comes from afar, partly because It is ready made and perfect. We have seen persons once the laughing-stock of their village and now the wonder of the whole world, honoured by their fellow-countrymen and by the foreigners [among whom they dwell]; by the latter because they come from afar, by the former because they are seen from afar. The statue on the altar is never reverenced by him who knew it as a trunk in the garden.
198. Know how to transplant yourself. Some countries only appreciate your talents once you've crossed their borders, especially for high-ranking positions. Your homeland often acts like a stepmother to great talents: envy thrives there, and people tend to remember your humble beginnings rather than your current achievements. A needle from across the world is valued more highly, and imported glass might rival a diamond in worth. Foreign items are respected, partly due to their distant origin and partly because they arrive fully formed and flawless. We've seen individuals once mocked in their villages now admired worldwide, honored by both their countrymen and foreigners. The latter respect them for coming from afar, while the former appreciate them from a distance. The statue on the altar is never revered by those who knew it as a mere log in the garden.
199. To find a proper place by merit, not by presumption. The true road to respect is through merit, and if industry accompany merit the path becomes shorter. Integrity alone is not sufficient, push and insistence is degrading, for things arrive by that means so besprinkled with dust that the discredit destroys reputation. The true way is the middle one, half-way between de-serving a place and pushing oneself into it.
199. Find your place through merit, not arrogance. The best way to earn respect is through genuine achievement. If you combine talent with hard work, you'll advance even faster. However, integrity alone isn't enough, and being pushy or aggressive is off-putting. Such forceful methods often tarnish your reputation, negating any potential benefits. The ideal approach lies in the middle ground: strive to deserve a position without desperately forcing your way into it.
200. Leave something to wish for, so as not to be miserable from very happiness. The body must respire and the soul aspire. If one possessed all, all would be disillusion and discontent. Even in knowledge there should be always something left to know in order to arouse curiosity and excite hope. Surfeits of happiness are fatal. In giving assistance it is a piece of policy not to satisfy entirely. If there is nothing left to desire, there is everything to fear, an unhappy state of happiness. When desire dies, fear is born.
200. Leave room for desire to avoid being miserable from too much happiness. Both body and soul need something to strive for. Having everything leads to disillusionment and discontent. Even in knowledge, there should always be more to learn to keep curiosity alive and hope burning. Too much happiness can be overwhelming. When helping others, it's wise not to solve everything completely. If there's nothing left to want, there's everything to fear—an unfortunate state of contentment. When desire fades, fear takes its place.