三一、富宜寬厚 智宜斂藏

31. Be generous even if you are rich and honorable and keep your talents obscured even if you are replete with wisdom.

富貴家宜寬厚，而反忌刻①，是富貴而貧賤其行矣！如何能享？聰明人宜斂藏②，而反炫耀，是聰明而愚懵③其病矣！如何不敗？

【注 釋】

① 忌刻：對人忌妒刻薄。

② 斂藏：收斂鋒芒之意。

③ 愚懵：愚昧。

【今文解譯】

富貴人家處世要寬容大度些，不要刻薄挑剔；刻薄挑剔是貧賤者的行為，富貴人家若此豈能安享富貴？！

聰明人平時最好低調些，不要炫耀自己的才華；炫耀自己的才華是愚蠢的毛病，聰明人染此毛病豈有不敗的道理？！

【English Translation】

A family of wealth and rank should be magnanimous, and should not be harsh and stingy; otherwise it will be no more than the poor and the lowly. How could it enjoy its wealth and rank?

An intelligent man should have his wisdom and talents obscured, and should not parade them; otherwise he will make the same mistake as the ignorant do. How could he not be defeated?