（三十三，一、忌浮言，二、知真医）
医不贵能愈病，而贵于能愈难病；病不贵于能延医，而贵于能延真医。夫天下事，我能
之，人亦能之，非难事也；天下病，我能愈之，人亦能愈之，非难病也。惟其事之难也，斯
非常人之可知；病之难也，斯非常医所能疗。故必有非常之人，而后可为非常之事，必有非
常之医，而后可疗非常之病。第以医之高下，殊有相悬。譬之升高者，上一层有一层之见，
而下一层者不得而知之；行远者，进一步有一步之闻，而近一步者不得而知之。是以错节盘
根，必求利器；阳春白雪，和者为谁？夫如是，是医之于医尚不能知，而矧夫非医者。昧真
中之有假，执似是而实非；鼓事外之口吻，发言非难，挠反掌之安危，惑乱最易。使其言而
是，则智者所见略同。精切者已算无遗策，固无待其言矣。言而非，则大隳任事之心，见几
者宁袖手自珍，其为害岂小哉！斯时也，使主者不有定见，能无不被其惑而致误事者，鲜矣
。此浮言之当忌也。又若病家之要，虽在择医，然而择医非难也，而难于任医；任医，非
难也。而难于临事不惑，确有主持。而不致朱紫混淆者之为更难也。倘不知此而偏听浮议，
广簇医，则骐骥不多得，何非冀北驽群？帷幄有神筹，几见圯桥杰竖？危急之际，奚堪庸妄
之误投；疑似之秋，岂可纷纭之错乱，一着之谬，此生付之矣。以故议多者无成，医多者必
败。多何以败之？君子不多也。欲辨此多，诚非易也，然而尤有不易者，则正在知医一节耳
。夫任医如任将，皆安危之所关。察之之方，岂无其道？第欲以慎重与否观其仁，而怯懦者
实似之；颖悟与否观其智，而狡诈者实似之；果敢与否观其勇，而猛浪者实似之；浅深与否
观其博，而强辩者实似之。执拗者，若有定见。夸大者，若有奇谋。熟读几篇，便见滔滔不
竭；道闻数语，谓非凿凿有凭。不反者，临涯已晚；自是者，到老无能。执两端者，冀自然
之天功；废四诊者，犹瞑行之瞎马。得稳当之名者，有耽阁之误；昧经权之妙者，无格致之
明。有曰专门，决非通达。不明理性，何物圣神？又若以己之心，度人之心者，诚接物之要
道，其于医也，则不可谓人己气血之难符；三人有疑，从其二同者，为决断之妙方。其于医
也，亦不可谓愚智寡多之非类。凡此之法，何非征医之道，而征医之难，于斯益见。然必有
小大方圆全其才，仁圣工巧全其用，能会精神于相与之际，烛幽隐于玄冥之间者，斯足谓之
真医。而可以当性命之任矣。惟是皮质之难窥，心口之难辨，守中者无言，怀玉者不 ，此
知医之所以为难也。故非熟察于平时，不足以识其蕴蓄；不倾信于临事，不足以尽其所长。
使必待渴而穿井，斗而铸兵，则仓卒之间，何所趋赖？一旦有急，不得已而付之庸劣之手，
最非计之得者。子之所慎斋战疾。凡吾侪同有性命之虑者，其毋忽于是焉。噫，惟是伯牙常
有也，而钟期不常有；夷吾常有也，而鲍叔不常有。此所以相知之难，自古苦之，诚不足为
今日怪。倘亦有因余言而留意于未然者，又孰非不治已病治未病，不治已乱治未乱之明哲乎
。惟好生者略察之。
（三十三、一、忌浮言，二、知真医）
医生可贵之处不在于能治愈普通疾病，而在于能治愈疑难重症；病人可贵之处不在于能请动医生，而在于能请到真正的良医。天下的事情，我能做，别人也能做，这就不是难事；天下的病，我能治好，别人也能治好，这就不是难治的病。只有那些事情艰难，所以非常人所能知晓；病情复杂，所以非一般医生所能治疗。因此，必须有非凡的人，才能成就非凡的事业；必须有非凡的医生，才能治疗非凡的疾病。只是医生的水平高低，相差悬殊。譬如登高的人，每一层都有每一层的见识，而站在低处的人无法得知；行远路的人，每一步都有每一步的见闻，而只走了一小步的人无法得知。因此，遇到盘根错节的难题，必须寻求锋利的工具；如同高深的艺术，能与之唱和的人又有几个呢？像这样，医生之间尚且难以互相了解，何况是非医生的人呢？他们混淆真假，执着于似是而非的东西；夸夸其谈，说话容易，却轻易动摇关乎生死的安危，最容易造成迷惑混乱。如果他们的言论是正确的，那么有智慧的人见解大致相同，精辟确切的人已经算无遗策，本来就不需要依赖这些人的言论了。如果他们的言论是错误的，就会大大挫伤做事的决心，明察秋毫的人宁愿袖手旁观以自珍，这种危害难道还小吗！在这个时候，如果主持者没有坚定的主见，能不受到迷惑而导致误事的，是很少见的。这就是应当忌讳浮泛之言的原因。
另外，对于病人来说，关键虽然在于选择医生，然而选择医生并不难，难在于信任医生；信任医生并不难，难在于面对情况时不被迷惑，确有坚定的主张。而不让好坏混淆就更难了。倘若不知道这一点而偏听浮议，聚集众多医生，那么千里马不多得，哪里不是冀北地区的劣马群？帷幄之中若有神妙的筹划，哪里见过在圯桥上拾鞋的狂傲少年（指张良遇黄石公）？在危急关头，怎能忍受庸医妄自误投药物；在疑似不明的时刻，岂可让纷纭的意见造成混乱，一步棋走错，这一生就完了。所以议论多的人往往没有成功，医生多的人必定失败。为什么人多会失败？因为君子不随波逐流。想要辨别这“多”中的优劣，确实不容易，然而尤其不容易的，就在于识别医生这一环节罢了。任用医生如同任用将领，都关系到安危。考察的方法，难道没有门道吗？只是想要通过是否慎重来观察他的仁爱，但怯懦的人实际上也显得慎重；通过是否聪颖来观察他的智慧，但狡诈的人实际上也显得聪颖；通过是否果敢来观察他的勇气，但鲁莽的人实际上也显得果敢；通过学识深浅来观察他的渊博，但强词夺理的人实际上也显得渊博。固执己见的人，好像有坚定的主见；夸大其词的人，好像有奇谋妙计。熟读几篇文章，便见滔滔不绝；偶然听到几句话，就说是有确凿依据。不知变通的人，到了悬崖边才后悔已晚；自以为是的人，到老也无能。执持两端的人，期望自然的天成之功；废除四诊（望、闻、问、切）的人，如同蒙眼行走的瞎马。得到稳妥名声的人，有延误治疗的失误；不懂经权变通之妙的人，没有格物致知的明智。自称专门家，决非通达之人。不明晓理性和本质，算什么圣神？又如用自己的心去揣度别人的心，这确实是待人接物的要道，但在医学上，不能说病人的气血状况与医生完全相符；三人中有两人意见相同，这是决断的妙方，但在医学上，也不能说愚笨与聪明、少数与多数就一定不同类。所有这些方法，哪一条不是考察医生的途径，而考察医生的困难，由此更加显现。然而必须有方圆大小全备其才，仁圣工巧全尽其用，能在相面之际汇聚精神，在玄冥之间洞察幽隐的人，这才足以称为真医。才可以担当起性命的重任。只是皮囊难以窥探，心口难以分辨，守中的人不说话，怀藏宝玉的人不炫耀，这就是识别医生之所以困难的原因。所以如果不是在平时仔细考察，不足以认识他的蕴蓄；不是在临事时完全信任，不足以发挥他的长处。如果一定要等到口渴了才挖井，战斗开始了才铸造兵器，那么在仓促之间，有什么可以依靠的呢？一旦有紧急情况，不得已而交给平庸低劣的人手中，是最不得当的计策。您所慎重的斋戒、战争和疾病，凡是我们要考虑性命安危的人，不要忽视这一点啊。唉，只有伯牙常有，而钟子期不常有；管仲常有，而鲍叔牙不常有。这就是相知之难，自古人们就为此苦恼，实在不值得为今天感到奇怪。倘若也有人因我的话而在事前留心，那谁又不是那种“不治已病治未病，不治已乱治未乱”的明智之人呢？希望爱惜生命的人稍微考察一下。
(33. 1. Avoid Empty Talk, 2. Know the True Physician)
A physician's value lies not in curing ordinary diseases, but in curing difficult and critical conditions; a patient's value lies not merely in engaging a doctor, but in engaging a true master of medicine. In the world, if I can do something, others can also do it; this is not a difficult task. If I can cure a disease, others can also cure it; this is not a difficult condition. It is only when matters are arduous that they elude the understanding of ordinary people; it is only when diseases are complex that they defy the treatment of average physicians. Therefore, extraordinary individuals are required to achieve extraordinary feats, and exceptional physicians are needed to treat exceptional illnesses. However, the disparity in medical skill is vast. Like climbing a height, each level offers a unique perspective unknown to those below; like traveling a long distance, each step brings new insights inaccessible to those who have only taken a few steps. Thus, for knotty problems, sharp tools are essential; just as high art finds few companions. In such cases, even physicians may fail to recognize one another, let alone laypeople. They confuse truth with falsehood, cling to the plausible yet incorrect, use empty rhetoric, speak easily, yet recklessly jeopardize life-and-death situations, causing the most confusion. If their words were correct, wise minds would agree, and precise practitioners would already have flawless strategies, rendering such talk unnecessary. If their words are wrong, they severely undermine confidence in treatment; discerning individuals would rather stand aside than risk error, and the harm caused is significant. At such times, if the person in charge lacks firm judgment, how many can avoid being misled and causing mistakes? This is why empty talk must be avoided.
Furthermore, while the key for patients lies in selecting a physician, selection itself is not the hardest part; trusting the chosen physician is harder. Trusting them is not the hardest part; maintaining clarity and resolve without being confused by conflicting opinions during treatment is even harder. If one ignores this and listens to all rumors, gathering many doctors, then among the multitude, rare talents (like thoroughbreds) are scarce, leaving mostly inferior horses. Just as strategic brilliance is rare, so too are exceptional healers. In crises, how can one bear the errors of incompetent practitioners? In ambiguous situations, how can one tolerate chaotic advice? A single mistake can ruin a life. Hence, excessive deliberation leads to failure, and having too many doctors guarantees defeat. Why does "many" lead to failure? Because gentlemen do not follow the crowd. Distinguishing quality amidst this abundance is difficult, yet the greatest difficulty lies precisely in identifying the true physician. Appointing a physician is like appointing a general; both concern life and death. Is there no method for evaluation? One might judge benevolence by caution, yet timidity mimics caution; wisdom by acuity, yet cunning mimics acuity; courage by decisiveness, yet rashness mimics courage; erudition by depth, yet argumentativeness mimics depth. Stubbornness appears as conviction; exaggeration appears as strategy. Reading a few texts makes one sound eloquent; hearing a few phrases seems like solid evidence. Those who cannot adapt regret it too late; those who are self-righteous remain incompetent until old age. Those who hedge bets rely on luck; those who abandon the Four Diagnostic Methods (Wang, Wen, Wen, Qie - Observation, Auscultation/Olfaction, Inquiry, Palpation) ride blindfolded horses. Those seeking a reputation for safety cause delays; those lacking flexibility lack deep understanding. Claiming specialization does not imply versatility. Without understanding principles and nature, what sanctity exists? Empathy—judging others by one's own heart—is a key social skill, but in medicine, one cannot assume a patient's Qi and Blood match the physician's. While majority rule works in some decisions, it does not apply here where expertise varies regardless of numbers. All these methods are ways to evaluate physicians, highlighting the difficulty of doing so. Only those who possess comprehensive talent, embody Benevolence, Sagacity, Skill, and Craftsmanship, who can focus their spirit during consultation and perceive hidden truths, can be called true physicians, worthy of entrusting lives. Since character is hard to see and intentions hard to distinguish, and since modesty hides virtue, identifying true masters is difficult. Therefore, thorough observation in peacetime is needed to understand their potential, and absolute trust during crisis is needed to utilize their strengths. Waiting until thirst arises to dig a well, or until battle begins to forge weapons, leaves one helpless in emergencies. Entrusting life to mediocre hands out of desperation is unwise. As you rightly emphasize caution regarding fasting, war, and illness, all who care about life should heed this. Alas, just as Boya was common but Zhong Ziqi rare, and Guan Zhong common but Bao Shuya rare, the difficulty of mutual understanding has plagued humanity since ancient times, making today's struggles unsurprising. If anyone heeds my words and prepares beforehand, they will surely embody the wisdom of "treating disease before it arises and disorder before it occurs." Let those who cherish life reflect upon this.