The wise one does not speak to one whom he fears he shall be belied, he does not ask anyone of anything if he fears he shall not give, and he does not repose hope on one whom he does not trust.

A wise man distrusts his neighbor. A wiser man distrusts both his neighbor and himself. The wisest man of all distrusts his government.

Do not trust all men, but trust men of worth; the former course is silly, the latter a mark of prudence.

A man must know when to retreat from a woman, but a wise man knows that sometimes he must stand and face her.

The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life — knowing that under certain conditions it is not worth while to live. He is of a disposition to do men service, though he is ashamed to have a service done to him. To confer a kindness is a mark of superiority; to receive one is a mark of subordination... He does not take part in public displays... He is open in his dislikes and preferences; he talks and acts frankly, because of his contempt for men and things... He is never fired with admiration, since there is nothing great in his eyes. He cannot live in complaisance with others, except it be a friend; complaisance is the characteristic of a slave... He never feels malice, and always forgets and passes over injuries... He is not fond of talking... It is no concern of his that he should be praised, or that others should be blamed. He does not speak evil of others, even of his enemies, unless it be to themselves. His carriage is sedate, his voice deep, his speech measured; he is not given to hurry, for he is concerned about only a few things; he is not prone to vehemence, for he thinks nothing very important. A shrill voice and hasty steps come to a man through care... He bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of his circumstances, like a skillful general who marshals his limited forces with the strategy of war... He is his own best friend, and takes delight in privacy whereas the man of no virtue or ability is his own worst enemy, and is afraid of solitude.

A wise man, recognising that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real, so he escapes the suffering

If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

The wise man refuses to be led beyond his own depth.

"A man may say, "From now on I'm going to speak the truth." But the truth hears him and runs away and hides before he's even done speaking."

keeping one’s distance from an ignorant person is equivalent to keeping company with a wise man.

Keeping ones distance from an ignorant person is equivalent to keeping company with a wise man.

A friend may be waiting behind a stranger's face.

When an acquaintance goes by I often step back from my window, not so much to spare him the effort of acknowledging me as to spare myself the embarrassment of seeing that he has not done so.

The implication of this particular tale is: Trust strangers. Believe in magic.

The wise man finds it better not to enter the encounter than to conquer.