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You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
- Naguib Mahfouz, writer (1911- )
A clever man will always tell you answers. He will tell you things you may not even care about. His purpose is to impress. To be more accurate, his purpose is, like that of Narcissus, to see himself reflected in the reaction on your face.
It may be arrogance, hubris or insecurity that causes him to seek a reaction from you. You are the fulfillment of the need of a clever man. You are the audience that satisfies his need.
A wise man will not try to convince you of anything. A wise man is trying to build himself, not to build you. He asks questions because he wants to learn more. He needs to learn more because he is aware of how little he knows about so many things. He is aware less of what he knows than of what he does not yet know.
A wise man will not proselytize you. If you are willing and eager, he may guide you to find your own answers. He will not push you because he is on his own quest.
Then we have those who are neither clever, wanting to convey to us how much they know, nor wise. They do not ask questions. They wish to give the impression that they know as much as they need to know.
They have learned from the ethics of business that they should "never let them see you sweat." Never give the impression that you don't know. When you don't know, fake it. Pretend. Most times the others won't know that you don't know.
While that is the apparent ethic of business, it's not a real one. The person who doesn't ask questions and who doesn't know will never rise against the competition because deep down the others know the truth. The ones who know will reach where they want to go.
The ones who do not ask questions don't try to learn. They remain ignorant. Comfortably ignorant, as they persuade even themselves that they know as much as they need to know.
Yet they are always poor. Poor of spirit because they think of themselves first. Poor of intellect because they close doors of opportunity to learn. Poor of character because they deceive even themselves, thus have no hesitation about deceiving others.
A wise man will share what he knows. But you will have to ask. Otherwise he will be busy.
He has his own quest. He will assume that you have your own.
一个人聪明与否要看他的回答。一个人是否有智慧则要看他的提问。
- 纳吉布.马福兹，作家 (1911- )
聪明人总会告诉你答案。甚至是你没留意过的事情。其目的是给你留下印象。更确切地说，正如纳西塞斯*一样，是为了要从你脸上的反应看到所映衬出的自己。
这也许是由于自负、骄傲以及不安全感导致他要寻求你的反应。你是聪明人需求的实现。你是满足了他需求的听众。
智者不会试图说服你任何事情。智者试图构建自我，而非你。他提出问题，因为他想了解更多东西。他需要了解更多，因为他意识到,有那么多的东西他几乎一无所知。他意识到自己不懂的要多于他懂的。
智者不会对你改宗劝诱。如果你有此意愿并充满渴求，他也许会引导你找出自己的答案。他不会强迫你，因为他有自己的追求。
然后还有一种人，他们既不聪明，也缺乏智慧，总想向我们传达他们知道有多少。他们不会问问题。他们希望给人们留下这样的印象，那就是只要需要，他们都能知道。
他们从商业伦常中已经学会，自己应当“永远也别让人看出焦虑”。绝对不要给人留下这样的印象，好像你不懂。不懂也要装懂。装吧，反正大多数时候别人是看不出你不懂的。
尽管这是很显然的商业伦理，但却不是真的。不懂又不问的人永远也不会挑起竞争，因为（你不问的话）懂得真相的人只有埋藏在心底。而懂得的人能抵达理想王国。
不问问题的人不想学习。他们依旧无知。既然他们连自己都给说服了，好像自己想知道多少就能知道多少，这种无知也就心安理得了。
但他们依旧贫乏。他们精神上是贫乏的，因为总是先考虑自己。他们的知识是贫乏的，因为他们关上了机会之门。 他们品格上是贫乏的，因为他们连自己都欺骗，自然骗起他人来也是毫不含糊。
智者会分享其所知。但你得问他。否则的话他会很忙的。
他有自己的追求，并假设你也有。
