Wisdom No. 10

Whatever secret you carry in your heart, do not share it with a friend, for who knows when he might become an enemy? And any harm you could do, do not inflict it on an enemy, for who knows when he might become a friend? A secret you want kept hidden, tell it to no one, even a sincere friend, for that friend also has his own sincere friends, and so it goes, on and on. Silence is better than telling someone what lies deep in your heart and then saying, 'Do not repeat it.' My innocent friend, shut off the water at its source, for once the stream has filled, you cannot dam it. Do not say in private what should not be said in public.