雙語(yǔ)智慧書·慎防巧言令色

191．慎防巧言令色
　　慎防巧言令色，那是騙人的手法。有的人不用奇異藥草就能制成迷魂藥，他們只憑一個(gè)優(yōu)雅的問候就能迷惑傻蛋。他們開辦了一個(gè)"面子銀行"，支付手段為花言巧語(yǔ)。什么都許諾就是什么都沒許諾--許諾是陷害傻瓜的圈套。真正的謙恭是在履行自己的職責(zé)，偽裝而特別無(wú)用的謙恭就是欺騙--這不是尊敬，而是趨炎附勢(shì)。他們不是被某人所折服，而是被某人的權(quán)力折服；他們恭維一個(gè)人不是因?yàn)檎J(rèn)可其人品，而是因?yàn)樗麄兿霃乃幍玫胶锰帯?br />

191．Do not take payment in politeness
　Do not take payment in politeness; for it is a kind of fraud. Some do not need the herbs for their magic potion, 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 recognized but to the advantages that are desired.