傲骨不可无,傲心不可有;无傲骨则近于鄙夫,有傲心不得为君子。
A man must have pride in his character [literally “in his bones”], but not in his heart. Not to have pride in character is to be with the common herd, and to have pride in one’s heart does not belong to a gentleman.
人非圣贤,安能无所不知。只知其一,惟恐不止其一,复求知其二者,上也;止知其一,因人言始知有其二者,次也;止知其一,人言有其二而莫之信者,又其次也;止知其一,恶人言有其二者,斯下之下矣。
No one can know everything. The best and highest kind of man knows something, but is sure that there is something he does not know and seeks it. Next come those who know one point of view, but admit another point of view when told. Next come those who will not accept it when told, and the lowest are those who know one side of a question and hate to have people tell them the other side.
武人不苟战,是为武中之文;文人不迂腐,是为文中之武。
A military man who does not talk lightly of war is also a cultured man; a cultured man who does not rest with his smug opinions has something of the conqueror’s spirit.
文人讲武事,大都纸上谈兵;武将论文章,半属道听途说。
A literary man discussing wars and battles is mostly an armchair strategist; a military man who discusses literature relies mostly on rumors picked up from hearsay.
(林语堂 译)