237．决不分享上司的秘密

决不分享上司的秘密。也许你认为你们可以共享一个梨，事实上，你们能共享的不过只有梨皮而已。很多人因为成为他人心腹而没有好下场。他们像用面包皮制成的汤匙一样，承受马上就和汤一块被吃掉的危险。君主向你诉说秘密不代表宠信于你，他只是为了释放自己。许多人打碎镜子，以免看见自己的丑陋。我们不愿看见那些见过我们真面目的人；如果别人见过我们的丑陋，我们看到他也会觉得他不光彩。没人会感激我们见过他的隐私，尤其是那些位高权重之人。分享上司秘密不是受他们恩惠，而是恰恰相反。把秘密告诉朋友也很危险。将秘密泄露给他人，就等于把自己置于他人奴隶的位置。任何权贵都不能忍受这种地位，所以这种情况不会长久。他渴望找回失去的自由，为此不惜摧毁一切，包括公正和理性。因此，秘密不能讲，也不能听。

237．Never share the secrets of your superiors

Never share the secrets of your superiors. You may think you will share pears, but you will only share parings. Many have been ruined by being confidants: they are like sops of bread used as forks, they run the same risk of being eaten up afterwards. It is no favour in a prince to share a secret: it is only a relief. Many break the mirror that reminds them of their ugliness. We do not like seeing those who have seen us as we are; nor is he seen in a favourable light who has seen us in an unfavourable one. None ought to be too much beholden to us, least of all one of the great. Let it be for benefits done him rather than for such favours received from him. Especially dangerous are secrets entrusted to friends. He that communicates his secret to another makes himself that other's slave. With a prince this is an intolerable position which cannot last. He will desire to recover his lost liberty, and to gain it will overturn everything, including right and reason. Accordingly neither tell secrets nor listen to them.