无精打彩地服务世界关系不大： 但不冷不热地事奉天主，是难以忍受的。 Serving the world halfheartedly matters little; but serving God halfheartedly is not to be borne.

戒避固执；但当事情有好的开始，就坚持到底，切勿因疲累或绝望而可鄙地逃避。 Avoid all obstinacy; but when you have begun a thing well, stick to it, and do not basely flee through weariness or despair.

有关近人得救的事，需要权力， 但不是参与世俗的虚幻权力。 In the matter of your neighbor’s salvation authority is necessary, but not the kind that partakes of the vain authority of the world.

倘若你没法原谅别人太明显的罪，不要谴责罪人，只怪诱惑猛烈，记住自己亦会同样跌倒，甚至更严重。 If your neighbor’s sin is so manifest that you cannot in honesty excuse it, blame not the sinner but the violence of his temptation, remembering that you yourself might have fallen as badly or even worse.

谋求改革世界的人必先由自己开始，否则徒劳无功。 He who goes about to reform the world must begin with himself, or he loses his labor.

因情感或沮丧导致思想偏差时不作决定，直至焦虑消失，为使你的行为，由成熟的理智而非冲动发号施令。 Make no decision about anything when the mind is biased either by affection or by great dejection. Put if off till the anxiety has disappeared, so that you may do what mature reason, not impulse, dictates.

彻底认识一个人，才作朋友。 Know a man thoroughly before becoming his friend.

倘若开始时自己赞同， 亦会轻易赢得他人的赞同。 If you begin by winning your own approval, you will easily command that of others.

不要开展备受公众观察及评论的公共利益事项，除非预先看到让事情圆满成功的方法。 In particular, do not embark on affairs of public interest, which will be open to the observation and criticism of the many, unless you foresee a way of bringing them to a successful conclusion.