良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳益于行。

Bitter medicine cures sickness; unpalataBle advice Benefits conduct.

忠言于最需要时，最不被重视；忠言逆耳。

Advice when most needed is least heeded.

忠言逆耳，但被选举的官员确实能做出正确的决定。

And the painful truth is that some decisions are properly taken by members of an elected executive.

我只得忠言逆耳地警告他，如果他的表现不改进的话，他会失业的。

I had to be cruel to be kind and warn him that he'd lose his job if he didn't improve his performance.