做事时常留有悬念。若你的成功出人意料，则更能受到钦佩。任何事若昭然若揭，既毫无用处，又让人感到索然无味。若不急于公开自己所做之事，就会使人期待。若你地位显赫，将更能引人注目。将任何事都染上一层神秘的色彩，正是神秘引起尊崇。即便是阐明情况，也不要过于直白，就像在日常交往中不会暴露自己真实的想法一样。谨慎地保持沉默是世间智慧之精髓。公开声明的决心从不会获得高的评价，只给他人的品头论足留下口实。若所行之事恰巧以失败收场，你就会遭受双重的打击。若想引人惊奇与注意，就向那些缄默的神灵学习吧。
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.
