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.

一個人聰明與否要看他的回答。一個人是否有智慧則要看他的提問。
- 納吉布.馬福茲，作家 (1911- )

聰明人總會告訴你答案。甚至是你沒留意過的事情。其目的是給你留下印象。更確切地說，正如納西塞斯*一樣，是為了要從你臉上的反應看到所映襯出的自己。

這也許是由于自負、驕傲以及不安全感導致他要尋求你的反應。你是聰明人需求的實現。你是滿足了他需求的聽眾。

智者不會試圖說服你任何事情。智者試圖構建自我，而非你。他提出問題，因為他想了解更多東西。他需要了解更多，因為他意識到,有那么多的東西他幾乎一無所知。他意識到自己不懂的要多于他懂的。

智者不會對你改宗勸誘。如果你有此意愿并充滿渴求，他也許會引導你找出自己的答案。他不會強迫你，因為他有自己的追求。

然后還有一種人，他們既不聰明，也缺乏智慧，總想向我們傳達他們知道有多少。他們不會問問題。他們希望給人們留下這樣的印象，那就是只要需要，他們都能知道。

他們從商業倫常中已經學會，自己應當“永遠也別讓人看出焦慮”。絕對不要給人留下這樣的印象，好像你不懂。不懂也要裝懂。裝吧，反正大多數時候別人是看不出你不懂的。

盡管這是很顯然的商業倫理，但卻不是真的。不懂又不問的人永遠也不會挑起競爭，因為（你不問的話）懂得真相的人只有埋藏在心底。而懂得的人能抵達理想王國。

不問問題的人不想學習。他們依舊無知。既然他們連自己都給說服了，好像自己想知道多少就能知道多少，這種無知也就心安理得了。

但他們依舊貧乏。他們精神上是貧乏的，因為總是先考慮自己。他們的知識是貧乏的，因為他們關上了機會之門。 他們品格上是貧乏的，因為他們連自己都欺騙，自然騙起他人來也是毫不含糊。

智者會分享其所知。但你得問他。否則的話他會很忙的。

他有自己的追求，并假設你也有。