Chief Justice John Roberts has tough words for graduating class

— -- A graduation speech given by Chief Justice John Roberts has been called "the best thing" he's written all term and a speech that "should make Donald Trump's ears burn."

The June 3 speech became a talking point after The Washington Post published excerpts of it.

Roberts addressed his son's ninth grade graduating class at the Cardigan Mountain School, an elite boys' boarding school in New Hampshire.

He advised the young graduates to take life's setbacks in stride. But he did not wish them good luck.

"Now, the commencement speakers will typically also wish you good luck and extend good wishes to you. I will not do that, and I will tell you why," Roberts said.

"From time to time, in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. I hope that you will suffer betrayal because that will teach you the importance of loyalty. Sorry to say, but I hope you will be lonely from time to time, so that you don't take friends for granted. I wish you bad luck again, from time to time, so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and the failure of others is not completely deserved either."

He continued, "And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then, your opponent will gloat over your failure. It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship."

"I hope you will be ignored, so you know the importance of listening to others, and I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion," he said.

Roberts then warned, "Whether I wish these things or not, they're going to happen. And whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon your ability to see the message in your misfortunes."

"You are also privileged young men," he reminded the boys. "My advice is, don't act like it."

Roberts' speech wasn't all serious.

"Most of you will be going to a school with girls. I have no advice for you," he said to laughter and applause from the crowd of graduates and parents.

Each graduate received a pocket-size copy of the Constitution, signed by Roberts.