双语智慧书·不要被看成伪君子

219．不要被看成伪君子
　　不要被看成伪君子。尽管你现在不可能不遇见伪君子，也不要被人看成伪君子。要让人认为你是谨慎而不是狡猾。人们喜欢真诚的行为，虽然不是每个人都能把这个体现在行动上。真诚不应成为天真，睿智不应退为狡黠。要因聪明而赢得爱戴，不因狡诈而被人惧怕。敞开心扉受人喜欢，也会被人欺骗。要掩藏被看成是欺诈的行为，需要高超的技巧。纯朴兴盛于黄金时代(1)，而狡诈则盛行于如今这冷铁时代。因识时务而闻名是一种荣誉，可以引发别人对你的信任；但是，如果被看成伪君子，就会失去别人对你的信任。


219．Do not pass for a hypocrite
　Do not pass for a hypocrite, though such men are indispensable nowadays. Be considered rather prudent than astute. Sincerity in behaviour pleases all, though not all can show it in their own affairs. Sincerity should not degenerate into simplicity nor sagacity into cunning. Be rather respected as wise than feared as sly. The open-hearted are loved but deceived. The great art consists in disclosing what is thought to be deceit. In the golden age simplicity flourished, in these days of iron cunning. The reputation of being a man who knows what he has to do is honourable and inspires confidence, but to be considered a hypocrite is deceptive and arouses mistrust.
　　
(1) 指希腊神话中和平、兴隆和幸福的时期。