silence is like the difference between the noisy frog and the silent whale.

Wisdom is made up of ten parts—nine of which are silence, and the tenth is brevity of language.

A man conceals his ignorance by his silence.

He who says what he should not say, will have to hear what he would not like to hear.

He who talks much does little.

What is said at night the day blots out.

TRUTHFULNESS

Koran. O ye that believe, fear God and be truthful! Verily God recompenseth the truthfulness of the truthful.

Traditions. Be ever truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to heaven.

Veracity brings peace to the heart.

No man's religion can be right until his heart become right, nor can his heart become right until his tongue is right.

Keep to the truth though it may harm thee, and keep away from falsehood though it may profit thee.

A man can be perfect only when he speaks the truth and acts according to the truth.

Proverbs. Truth is the sword of God, which always cleaves when it smites.

Truth is armed with horns.

By truth man is saved from evil.

If falsehood saves from trouble truth saves much more.

When thou speakest be truthful, and when thou actest be gentle.

An ignorant man who is true is better than a clever man who is false.

There are two kinds of truthfulness, and the greatest of them is that which may do thee harm.

If truth and falsehood were pictured they would be represented by a terrible lion and a cunning fox.

It is better to die a truthful man than to live the life of a liar.

TRUTHFULNESS TO PROMISES

Koran. Be true to a covenant, for a covenant holds a man responsible. Be faithful to your pledged covenants and keep your oaths.

Traditions. A man who keeps not his word has no religion.

A true man's word is like an oath.

Be truthful in what you say, faithful to your promise, and careful of what is entrusted to you.

A pledged word is as if you had made the gift.

Proverbs. A true man keeps his promise.

A pledged word has the same value as a debt.

The promise of a true man is a greater obligation than a debt.

That man is a hypocrite who prays and fasts, but is untruthful in what he says, false to his word, and unfaithful in discharging a trust.

TRUTHFULNESS TO SECRETS

To keep a secret is a divine law.

A secret is a trust, and to betray it is perfidy.

The least of all noble traits is to keep a secret, and the greatest is to forget it.

He controls himself most who hides a secret from his friends.

When a secret is known to more than two, it becomes public.

He who seeks a place to hide his secret reveals it.

Walls have ears.

It is unwise to confide a secret to two tongues and four ears.

Your secret is your captive, betray it and you become its captive.

A man should be a tomb in which a secret is deposited.

If you keep your secret you are safe, and it will be to your sorrow if you reveal it.

Hearts are the depositaries of secrets, lips their locks, and tongues their keys.

The hearts of the wise are the fortresses of secrets.

DECEIT

Deceit does more harm to the deceitful than to the deceived.

If a man commit these three things they will rise against him in judgment and punishment—aggression, perfidy, and deceit.

To be true to the perfidious is perfidy, and to deceive the deceitful is lawful.

In deceiving your neighbour be more wary than when he is trying to deceive you.

When one would deceive you, and you feign to be deceived, you have deceived him.

He who would deceive one who cannot be deceived is only deceiving himself.

He who allows himself to be deceived by what his enemy says is the greatest enemy to himself.

A wise man neither deceives nor is deceived.

If a man believe in a stone it will do him good.

Self-deception is one of the forms of folly.

Most men think well of themselves, and this is self-delusion.

Vain desires are rarely realised, but they may give comfort in sorrow or pleasure in empty hope.

EXERTION, PERSEVERANCE, SUCCESS

A man obtains only what he strives for.

He who seeks and struggles shall find.

Struggles bring the most unlikely things within reach.

When a man makes up his mind to do a thing it becomes easy for him to do it.

If you have a clear thought, be decided, and hesitate not—if you decide, hesitate not, but carry it out speedily.

You must be ready to confront difficulties if you would realise your hopes.

It is the part of man to strive, and not to rely on the favours of Fortune.

Not every one who seeks shall find, nor every one who is indifferent be denied.

Beware of giving up hope in what you earnestly seek.

A wise man perseveres, and is not easily turned away.

Not by fitful efforts, but by constancy, is an end secured.

The most profitable labour is that which is most persevering—though it may not be strenuous.

A moderate success is better than overwhelming work.

Success comes to him who abjures procrastination.

The world is the booty of the skilful.

The most wonderful thing in the world is the success of a fool and the failure of a wise man.

A pleasing manner is a great aid to success.

It is the duty of man to do his utmost, but he is not responsible for success.

Do not undertake a work for which you are not competent.

What can a tirewoman do with an ugly face?

OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities move like clouds, or pass rapidly like meteors.

Seize a thief before he seizes you.

Take advantage of the light of day before the night sets in.

Seize on opportunities, for they are either a spoil if improved, or a grief if neglected.

Good judgment means a seizure of opportunities.

Keep quiet until the occasion presents itself.

An action may be good if done at a fitting season, or evil if done at an improper time.

Procrastination means evil.

Put your bread into the oven while it is hot.

If you undertake a work do it speedily.

Profit by occasions when they turn up, and do not worry about an evil which has not yet come.

Time is a sharp sword—strike with it before you are struck by it.

If you have not sown, and see a reaper in the field, you will regret a lost opportunity.

ECONOMY

Economy saves half the cost of living.

The value of economy is equal to half of your profits.

Frugality saves a man from poverty.

Little with economy is better than much with waste.

Poverty with freedom from debt is great wealth.

If you count beforehand you will thrive.

The sea is made up of drops and the mountain of grains.

My son, take a middle course between stinginess and extravagance, parsimony and prodigality.

Extravagance dissipates great riches, and economy increases them when they are small.

Extravagance ever leads to misery and ruin.

Extravagance does as much harm to life as it adds to the pleasures of living.

In all things take a middle course.

Charity lies between two charities—one to yourself, the other to your needy fellow man.

If you are too soft you will be squeezed, and if you are too dry you will be broken.

He who spends and reckons not, ends in ruin and knows not.