慎防巧言令色，那是骗人的手法。有的人不用奇异药草就能制成迷魂药，他们只凭一个优雅的问候就能迷惑傻蛋。他们开办了一个“面子银行”，支付手段为花言巧语。什么都许诺就是什么都没许诺——许诺是陷害傻瓜的圈套。真正的谦恭是在履行自己的职责，伪装而特别无用的谦恭就是欺骗——这不是尊敬，而是趋炎附势。他们不是被某人所折服，而是被某人的权力折服；他们恭维一个人不是因为认可其人品，而是因为他们想从他处得到好处。
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.
