§19ἡγοῦ τῶν ἀκουσμάτων πολλὰ πολλῶν εἶναι χρημάτων κρείττω· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ταχέως ἀπολείπει, τὰ δὲ πάντα τὸν χρόνον παραμένει· σοφία γὰρ μόνον τῶν κτημάτων ἀθάνατον.
Consider that many of the teachings are better than many riches; for the former quickly leave, but the latter remain for all time; for wisdom alone of possessions is immortal.
μὴ κατόκνει μακρὰν ὁδὸν πορεύεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς διδάσκειν τι χρήσιμον ἐπαγγελλομένους· αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τοὺς μὲν ἐμπόρους τηλικαῦτα πελάγη διαπερᾶν ἕνεκα τοῦ πλείω ποιῆσαι τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν οὐσίαν, τοὺς δὲ νεωτέρους μηδὲ τὰς κατὰ γῆν πορείας ὑπομένειν ἐπὶ τῷ βελτίω καταστῆσαι τὴν αὑτῶν διάνοιαν.
Do not hesitate to travel a long way to those who promise to teach something useful; for it is shameful that merchants should cross such great seas for the sake of making their existing substance greater, but that the young should not even endure journeys by land to establish their own intellect in a better state.
§20τῷ μὲν τρόπῳ γίγνου φιλοπροσήγορος, τῷ δὲ λόγῳ εὐπροσήγορος.
Be friendly in your character, and affable in your speech.
ἔστι δὲ φιλοπροσηγορίας μὲν τὸ προσφωνεῖν τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας, εὐπροσηγορίας δὲ τὸ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῖς οἰκείως ἐντυγχάνειν.
It belongs to friendliness to address those who meet you, and to affability to converse intimately with them in actual words.
ἡδέως μὲν ἔχε πρὸς ἅπαντας, χρῶ δὲ τοῖς βελτίστοις· οὕτω γὰρ τοῖς μὲν οὐκ ἀπεχθὴς ἔσει, τοῖς δὲ φίλος γενήσει.
Be pleasant toward all, but associate with the best; for thus you will not be hateful to the former, and you will become a friend to the latter.
τὰς ἐντεύξεις μὴ ποιοῦ πυκνὰς τοῖς αὐτοῖς, μηδὲ μακρὰς περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν· πλησμονὴ γὰρ ἁπάντων.
Do not make your meetings frequent with the same persons, nor long concerning the same things; for there is satiety in all things.
§21γύμναζε σεαυτὸν πόνοις ἑκουσίοις, ὅπως ἂν δύνῃ καὶ τοὺς ἀκουσίους ὑπομένειν.
Train yourself in voluntary labors, so that you may be able to endure also the involuntary ones.
ὑφʼ ὧν κρατεῖσθαι τὴν ψυχὴν αἰσχρόν, τούτων ἐγκράτειαν ἄσκει πάντων, κέρδους, ὀργῆς, ἡδονῆς, λύπης.
Practice self-control over all those things by which it is shameful for the soul to be ruled: gain, anger, pleasure, and pain.
ἔσει δὲ τοιοῦτος, ἐὰν κέρδη μὲν εἶναι νομίζῃς διʼ ὧν εὐδοκιμήσεις ἀλλὰ μὴ διʼ ὧν εὐπορήσεις, τῇ δὲ ὀργῇ παραπλησίως ἔχῃς πρὸς τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ὥσπερ ἂν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἔχειν ἀξιώσειας, ἐν δὲ τοῖς τερπνοῖς, ἐὰν αἰσχρὸν ὑπολάβῃς τῶν μὲν οἰκετῶν ἄρχειν ταῖς δʼ ἡδοναῖς δουλεύειν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πονηροῖς, ἐὰν τὰς τῶν ἄλλων ἀτυχίας ἐπιβλέπῃς καὶ αὑτὸν ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὢν ὑπομιμνήσκῃς.
And you will be such a person, if you consider those things as gains through which you will win high repute, but not those through which you will abound in wealth; and if you hold yourself toward those who err in a similar way as you would expect others to hold themselves toward you when you err; and in pleasant things, if you consider it shameful to rule over servants but to be a slave to pleasures; and in adversities, if you look upon the misfortunes of others and remind yourself that you are human.
§22μᾶλλον τήρει τὰς τῶν λόγων ἢ τὰς τῶν χρημάτων παρακαταθήκας· δεῖ γὰρ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας τρόπον ὅρκου πιστότερον φαίνεσθαι παρεχομένους.
Guard deposits of discourses more than those of money; for good men must show themselves presenting a character more trustworthy than an oath.
προσήκειν ἡγοῦ τοῖς πονηροῖς ἀπιστεῖν, ὥσπερ τοῖς χρηστοῖς πιστεύειν.
Consider that it is fitting to distrust the wicked, just as it is fitting to trust the good.
περὶ τῶν ἀπορρήτων μηδενὶ λέγε, πλὴν ἐὰν ὁμοίως συμφέρῃ τὰς πράξεις σιωπᾶσθαι σοί τε τῷ λέγοντι κἀκείνοις τοῖς ἀκούουσιν.
Speak to no one about secrets, unless it is equally advantageous for both you who speak and those who hear that the matters be kept silent.
§23ὅρκον ἐπακτὸν προσδέχου διὰ δύο προφάσεις, ἢ σεαυτὸν αἰτίας αἰσχρᾶς ἀπολύων, ἢ φίλους ἐκ μεγάλων κινδύνων διασώζων.
Accept an imposed oath for two reasons: either clearing yourself of a shameful charge, or saving friends from great dangers.
ἕνεκα δὲ χρημάτων μηδένα θεῶν ὀμόσῃς, μηδʼ ἂν εὐορκεῖν μέλλῃς· δόξεις γὰρ τοῖς μὲν ἐπιορκεῖν, τοῖς δὲ φιλοχρημάτως ἔχειν.
But for the sake of money, swear by none of the gods, not even if you are about to swear truly; for you will seem to some to commit perjury, and to others to be covetous of money.
§24μηδένα φίλον ποιοῦ, πρὶν ἂν ἐξετάσῃς πῶς κέχρηται τοῖς πρότερον φίλοις· ἔλπιζε γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ περὶ σὲ γενέσθαι τοιοῦτον, οἷος καὶ περὶ ἐκείνους γέγονε.
Make no one a friend before you have examined how he has treated his former friends; for expect that he will become such toward you as he has also been toward them.
βραδέως μὲν φίλος γίγνου, γενόμενος δὲ πειρῶ διαμένειν· ὁμοίως γὰρ αἰσχρὸν μηδένα φίλον ἔχειν καὶ πολλοὺς ἑταίρους μεταλλάττειν.
Become a friend slowly, but having become one, try to remain so; for it is equally shameful to have no friend and to change many companions.
μήτε μετὰ βλάβης πειρῶ τῶν φίλων, μήτʼ ἄπειρος εἶναι τῶν ἑταίρων θέλε.
Neither try your friends with damage, nor wish to be untried of your companions.
τοῦτο δὲ ποιήσεις, ἐὰν μὴ δεόμενος τὸ δεῖσθαι προσποιῇ.
And you will do this, if you pretend to be in need when you are not in need.
§25περὶ τῶν ῥητῶν ὡς ἀπορρήτων ἀνακοινοῦ· μὴ τυχὼν μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν βλαβήσει, τυχὼν δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτῶν τὸν τρόπον ἐπιστήσει.
Consult about spoken things as if they were secrets; for if you fail, you will be harmed in nothing, but if you succeed, you will rather understand their character.
δοκίμαζε τοὺς φίλους ἔκ τε τῆς περὶ τὸν βίον ἀτυχίας καὶ τῆς ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις κοινωνίας· τὸ μὲν γὰρ χρυσίον ἐν τῷ πυρὶ βασανίζομεν, τοὺς δὲ φίλους ἐν ταῖς ἀτυχίαις διαγιγνώσκομεν.
Test friends both from misfortune in life and from companionship in dangers; for we test gold in fire, but we discern friends in misfortunes.
οὕτως ἄριστα χρήσει τοῖς φίλοις, ἐὰν μὴ προσμένῃς τὰς παρʼ ἐκείνων δεήσεις, ἀλλʼ αὐτεπάγγελτος αὐτοῖς ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς βοηθῇς.
You will treat your friends best in this way, if you do not wait for requests from them, but of your own accord help them in times of need.
§26ὁμοίως αἰσχρὸν εἶναι νόμιζε τῶν ἐχθρῶν νικᾶσθαι ταῖς κακοποιίαις καὶ τῶν φίλων ἡττᾶσθαι ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις.
Consider it equally shameful to be overcome by the evil deeds of enemies and to be surpassed by the good deeds of friends.
ἀποδέχου τῶν ἑταίρων μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς κακοῖς δυσχεραίνοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μὴ φθονοῦντας· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀτυχοῦσι μὲν τοῖς φίλοις συνάχθονται, καλῶς δὲ πράττουσι φθονοῦσι.
Accept of your companions not only those who are displeased at your misfortunes, but also those who do not envy your good fortunes; for many grieve with their friends when they are unfortunate, but envy them when they fare well.
τῶν ἀπόντων φίλων μέμνησο πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας, ἵνα δοκῇς μηδὲ τούτων ἀπόντων ὀλιγωρεῖν.
Mention absent friends to those who are present, so that you may seem not to disregard them even when they are absent.