雙語智慧書·做事時常留有懸念

3．做事時常留有懸念
做事時常留有懸念。若你的成功出人意料，則更能受到欽佩。任何事若昭然若揭，既毫無用處，又讓人感到索然無味。若不急于公開自己所做之事，就會使人期待。若你地位顯赫，將更能引人注目。將任何事都染上一層神秘的色彩，正是神秘引起尊崇。即便是闡明情況，也不要過于直白，就像在日常交往中不會暴露自己真實的想法一樣。謹慎地保持沉默是世間智慧之精髓。公開聲明的決心從不會獲得高的評價，只給他人的品頭論足留下口實。若所行之事恰巧以失敗收場，你就會遭受雙重的打擊。若想引人驚奇與注意，就向那些緘默的神靈學習吧。


3．Keep matters for a time in suspense
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.