勿炫耀你的地位。吹嘘自己尊贵比吹嘘自己有魅力更令人讨厌。动不动就摆出大人物的姿态让人讨厌——肯定会遭到许多妒忌。你越想获得他人的尊敬，就越得不到，因为值不值得尊敬取决于别人的看法。你不能白白得到它，你只能从别人那里赢得它。重要的职位要求你有足够的威信——若没有威信，你就不能尽职。所以，你要保持足够的尊严，以履行你的职责。要试图让别人尊敬你，而不是强迫别人尊敬你。有些人一味强调自己职位的尊严，反而显得他们不配——这个职位对他们来说过高了。如果你想被尊重，就让别人尊重你的才能，而非任何偶然所得。即便是国王，也愿意以其资质而非地位赢得荣耀。
do not parade your position. to outshine in dignity is more offensive than in personal attractions. to pose as a personage is to be hated: envy is surely enough. the more you seek esteem the less you obtain it, for it depends on the opinion of others. you cannot take it, but must earn and receive it from others. great positions require an amount of authority sufficient to make them efficient: without it they cannot be adequately filled. preserve therefore enough dignity to carry on the duties of the office. do not enforce respect, but try and create it. those who insist on the dignity of their office, show they have not deserved it, and that it is too much for them. if you wish to be valued, be valued for your talents, not for anything adventitious. even kings prefer to be honoured for their personal qualifications rather than for their station.
