Chapter 13 Maxim 201～220

201．Most people who look like fools are fools, and half of those who don't look like fools are fools Idiots run the world: if there is any wisdom left, it is foolishness in the sight of God.The greatest fool is the one who sees others as fools but thinks he is not.To be wise, it is not enough to look wise, it is even worse to be wise.Those who admit that they don't know know, and those who don't see what others see don't see.The world is full of stupid people, but no one thinks they are stupid, or tries not to be stupid. 202．Words and deeds make a perfect man Say the right thing, do the right thing.The former shows a perfect mind, the latter a perfect heart, both born of a superior spirit.Language is the shadow of action.Words are female, actions are male.Accepting compliments is far better than praising others; easier said than done.Actions are the essence of life, and proverbs are just adornments.Fame lives on in deeds but dies in words.Behavior is the product of deliberation.Speech expresses wisdom, and deeds express nobility.

203．Get to know the greats of your time Great men are few and far between.There is only one phoenix in the whole world, only one great chief, one perfect orator and one wise man in every century, and one wise king in hundreds of years.The mediocre abounds and is seldom respected.The outstanding ones are few and far between, because they strive for perfection.The higher the grade, the harder it is to achieve.Many people use the good names of Caesar and Alexander to claim to be "great", but it is in vain; there is no performance, and that big word is just a big word.There have never been many Seneca-like characters, and after all, only one Apelles has won a long-lasting reputation.

204．Take it lightly, take it easy Take it lightly and lightly to avoid overconfidence or self-defeating.Avoid doing something as if it has already been done.But diligence can conquer the impossible.In a crisis, you don't even have to think, just act.Don't waste your energy on difficulties. 205．learn to use contempt The best way to acquire rare things is to dismiss them.The things of the world are hard to find and can't be found, but later, you don't have to work hard, they come rushing.All things on earth are shadows of heaven, and they act like shadows; you chase them, and they flee; you flee from them, but they chase you.Contempt is also one of the most astute means of retaliation.Here is a wise motto: Never use your pen to defend yourself, for this will give your enemies a chance and make them famous, not punish them.The mean are often cunning against the great: indirectly they try to gain glory which they do not deserve.If the great ones ignore their opponents, the villainous ones will remain forever in obscurity.There is no better revenge than indifference: to bury those people in the ashes of their ignorance.The delusional want to achieve immortality by setting fire to the wonders of the world and history.One of the ways to quell gossip is to ignore it.Blaming them will only do you harm.Responding to them will only tarnish one's own honor.You should be glad that other people want to match you, and though their words can cloud perfection, it is difficult to really conceal it.

206．Know that vulgar people are everywhere Vulgarity is everywhere, even in Corinth and the most illustrious families.Everyone will see them in their own home.Not only the usual philistines, but also philistines from famous families, and such people are even more philistine.These people reflect cheesy substance, like shards of a mirror, but more damaging.They talk like idiots and often criticize others.They are apostles of ignorance, godfathers of stupidity, and self-deprecating gossip.It is okay to ignore their words, let alone how they feel.To get to know them is to avoid them: to avoid collaborating with or being targeted by them.Any stupidity is vulgarity, and the country of vulgarity is made up of fools.

207．have self-control Be highly vigilant against accidental events.The impassioned jerks throw caution off balance, and that's where you risk a somersault.A person has more thoughts in a moment of rage or contentment than in a state of equanimity.A second of rage will make you regret for a lifetime.The scheming man lays these traps for the prudent, in order to find out the details and to test the minds of his opponents.In order to detect secrets, they must delve into the depths of the greatest souls.So what is your countermeasure?Control yourself, especially your sudden impulses.Controlling your impulses is akin to riding a galloping horse; if you're smart on horseback, you'll be smart in everything you do.He who can foresee danger finds his way by groping.Impulsive words may be insignificant to the person who blurts them out, but they are weighed by the listener.

208．don't die from a stupid disease Smart people usually die stupidly.Fools choke to death on advice.If you reason too much, you will die of stupidity.Some people die from their hypersensitivity, others from their insensitivity.Some people are fools because they never know regret, and others are fools because they regret everything.It's stupid to die from being too smart.Some died violently because they knew everything, others lived because they didn't know everything.Though many die of stupidity, few fools die because they never live. 209．free yourself from general stupidity

Doing so requires a special kind of coolness.Universal stupidity is legitimized by custom, and those who can resist individual ignorance cannot resist the power of crowds.The worldly man is never satisfied with his fortune, even if it is the most fortunate; but he is never dissatisfied with his intelligence, even if it is the worst.Dissatisfied with their own pleasures, they covet others'.People today look forward to the things of yesterday, but yearn for things elsewhere when they are here.The past always seems to be better, and everything in the distance is more perfect.He who laughs at everything is as stupid as he who finds everything miserable.

210．know how to deal with the truth The truth is dangerous, but a good man cannot help telling it, and that requires skill.The empathetic doctor invents the sweeteners that make the truth more acceptable, because the truth is so bitter when it is told to those involved.This requires flawless skill and decent manners.For the same truth, some people will express their gratitude, while others will fly into a rage. Of course, when you deal with smart people, a hint is enough, and sometimes you don't even need to say anything at all.Don't give bitter medicine to princes and nobles, it's better to sugar coat them.

211．heaven and hell Everything in heaven is happy, and everything in hell is suffering. Only on the earth that lives between the two, we have both happiness and suffering.We live in a place between two extreme realms, and thus can have what both extremes bestow.Misfortune and fortune are impermanent: it is impossible to be happy forever, and it is impossible to suffer for life.Life is like zero, nothing in itself.Add the Kingdom of Heaven, and it's no small feat.It is a good recipe for prudence to look at the ups and downs of the world with indifference; the real wise are often indifferent to novelty.Life is like a play, there is an opening and there is an end, wise people must pay attention to a happy ending.

212．People with special skills should not show all their skills to others When a great teacher teaches his subtle and subtle arts, the method he imparts is often subtle and subtle.Only by hiding your special skills deeply can you be a teacher forever.Therefore, when you demonstrate your magic skills, you must pay attention to strategy, and you must not reveal all your housekeeping skills, so that you can enjoy a long-term reputation and make others always rely on you.When guiding or helping those who need you, you should arouse their admiration for you, and show your accomplishments bit by bit.Subtlety is the key to survival and success, especially in important matters.

213．rebuttal The best way to irritate others is to let them be fully involved while you stay out of it.You can use conflict to make other people's emotions spin out of control.You act as if you don't believe it, and you induce others to be indignant and reveal their secrets, which can be said to be the key to open the closed city.As long as you use clever tactics, you can often detect the wishes and judgments of others.For other people's inscrutable words, you have to dismiss them with vigilance, but you actually have to track down their deepest secrets based on them, and lead these secrets to their tongues bit by bit, and finally fall into the world Your ingenious net.The taciturnity of the prudent man often leads others to talk, and his voice often involuntarily reveals secrets where they should be kept secret.Fake skepticism is the master key to making your curiosity get what it wants.The same is true even in matters of learning. An excellent student will refute his teacher, making him more eager to expound and defend the truth.Deliberately challenge the teacher to complete his teaching. 214．stupid things should not be repeated We often commit four stupid things to correct one stupid thing.It is often said that once a lie has been started, it will get out of control, and it will get bigger and bigger.The same goes for doing stupid things.It's always bad to be stubborn when you're wrong, and it's even worse if you're wrong and don't know how to hide it.People always have to pay for their lack, but if you have deficiencies but want to defend them or even intensify them, the cost will be even greater.A wise man also makes mistakes, but he doesn't repeat them; it doesn't matter if he makes a mistake occasionally, and never clings to that mistake, or is willing to make it his home. 215．beware of schemers A shrewd person is good at distracting others' minds so as to attack them.Once the mind is scattered, it is easy to be frustrated. Those who plan to do something wrong are good at hiding their true intentions. The original intention is to be the number one, but they are often willing to be second.The best time for them to do harm is when no one can see their bows and arrows.Since they are never dead against me, I should always be on the defensive.When his intention to seek me is hidden, he must be more vigilant.Be careful to see through the conspiracies and tricks of others.Beware of them coming and going, waiting for an opportunity to snatch their prey.In order to finally succeed in their conspiracy, they often have to make a fuss and go back and forth.If they make superficial concessions, you must not be credulous and let go.Sometimes the best thing to do is let them know that you've seen their tricks. 216．Express yourself clearly, not only easily but with fluency Some people have many pregnancies, but often have difficult deliveries.Because of slurred expression, the children of thought—concepts and ideas—are seldom seen.Some people are like wine jars, although they have a lot in their stomachs, they can pour out very little; while some people can express their thoughts vividly.The will to decide, the intellect to articulate: both are great gifts.A clear mind is admired, a muddled mind dismissed; but vagueness is sometimes better than vulgarity.But if we don't know what we're talking about, how can we understand it when others are listening? 217．Love and hate don't stay the same When dealing with friends, consider that they may become your sworn enemies.Since these things do happen in reality, we should take precautions early.We should not be disarmed by friendship; otherwise, the most difficult wars may break out here.On the contrary, when facing an adversary, don't forget the possibility of compromise.Constant vigilance is the best way.The thrill of revenge sometimes turns to torture, and the pleasure of hurting sometimes turns to pain. 218．Don't be stubborn, do things carefully Going your own way will do more harm than good -- no good will come out of sentimentality.There are people who can stir up trouble in everything, they do everything like bandits, they want to conquer others in everything they do.They don't understand peaceful coexistence at all.Such people are especially harmful when they become rulers.They divided the government into gangs, turning even those who were docile as children into enemies.They were sneaky in everything they did, and when they succeeded they thought they were resourceful.Once others discover their perverse temper, they will become angry with embarrassment.They get nothing for it.They cannot digest all their troubles, while others take pleasure in their bellyaches.Their judgment, and sometimes even their hearts, are impaired.Dealing with such monsters was possible only by escaping civilization and joining the company of savages.For the ignorance of the savage is better than the savagery of the ignorant. 219．don't be known for being clever Don't be known for your ingenuity, even though you can't live without it.Prudence far outweighs ingenuity.Everyone likes others to treat themselves with sincerity, but not everyone is willing to treat others with sincerity.Let not sincerity be simple, nor wisdom be cunning; it is better to be respected for wisdom than to be feared for mystery.A sincere man is loved, but often deceived.Cleverness is seen as fraud, so the best strategy is to hide it.Sincere honesty was born in a golden age, our cruel age is filled with hostility and resentment.Being seen as capable is an honor, it inspires confidence; but being seen as shrewd is always a nuisance. 220．If you can't wear lion's skin, wear fox's fur To follow the trend of the times is to lead the trend.If you get your wish, your reputation will not be tarnished.If you are not brave enough, you might as well use clever tricks; if this road does not work, change another road.There are bright avenues opened with courage, and shortcuts paved with ingenuity.Compared with courageous schemes, one seeks more; brave schemes fight each other, and schemers win more. This is an unpublished theory.If you can't get what you want, you are often in danger of being looked down upon.