Pride thyself on what virtue thou hast, and not on thy parentage.
Use a sweet tongue, courtesy, and gentleness, and thou mayest manage to guide an elephant by a hair.
Better hold the hand for coin, though small, Than lose, for one half a dang, it all.
Publish not men's secret faults, for by disgracing them you make yourself of no repute.
To use the hands in making quicklime into mortar is better than to cross them on the breast in attendance on a prince.
Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!