You must study to be frank with the world:frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do, on every occasion. If a friend asks a favor, you should grant it, if it is reasonable; if not, tell him plainly why you cannot. You would wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.

Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one. The man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice. Deal kindly but firmly with all your classmates. You will find it the policy which wears best. Above all, do not appear to others what you are not.

If you have any fault to find with any one, tell him, not others, of what you complain. There is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to do one thing before a man's face and another behind his back. We should say and do nothing to the injury of any one. It is not only a matter of principle, but also the path of peace and hornor.

By Robert E. Lee

參考譯文

在世間必須學會以真誠示人：率真乃是誠實與勇敢之子。無論在何種場合，都應該道出自己的真實想法。如果朋友對你有所求，對于合情合理之請，應該欣然同意;不然，應該明明白白地告訴朋友拒絕的理由。任何模棱兩可的話語將會讓別人誤解，也會使自己蒙受冤屈。

千萬不要為了結交朋友或者挽留友情而做錯一事。對你有這種要求的人也會付出沉重的代價。與同學真心相對，絕不背叛。你將發現這是最有效用的準則。總之，要以真實面目示人。

如果發現某人身有瑕疵，直接告訴他你的意見，而不是訴之他人。人前一套，背后又是一套，沒有什么比這更加危機四伏。任何有損他人的言語或者事情我們都應該避免。這不僅是一種做人的原則，而且也是通向平和的人際關系、獲得他人尊敬之道。