280．做个值得信赖的人

做个值得信赖的人。光荣的行为已经绝迹，信任被人抛弃，没有几个人信守承诺，付出越多回报越少，这就是当今的世道。还有一些国家，全民均倾向于弄虚作假：要么是背信弃义让人害怕，要么总是言而无信，要么诡计多端。这种不良行为应成为警示，而不是榜样。我们所担心的是，耳濡目染此类卑劣行为可能会毁掉我们的正直。但是，值得尊敬之人从不会因为看到别人如何而忘记自己应该如何。

280．Be trustworthy

Be trustworthy. Honourable dealing is at an end, trusts are denied, few keep their word: the greater the service, the poorer the reward: that is the way with all the world nowadays. There are whole nations inclined to false dealing: with some treachery has always to be feared, with others breach of promise, with others deceit. Yet this bad behaviour of others should rather be a warning to us than an example. The fear is that the sight of such unworthy behaviour should override our integrity. But a man of honour should never forget what he is because he sees what others are.