《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第1则
Know how to Choose well. Most of life depends thereon. It needs good taste and correct judgment, for which neither intellect nor study suffices. To be choice, you must choose, and for this two things are needed: to be able to choose at all, and then to choose the best. There are many men of fecund and subtle mind, of keen judgment, of much learning, and of great observation who yet are at a loss when they come to choose. They always take the worst as if they had tried to go wrong. Thus this is one of the greatest gifts from above.
注释摘要
这一则的标题和正文是一句话的两半：善于选择，人生大半就系于此事。葛拉西安在这里说的不是做决定的技术，而是选择这件事本身对人格层次的要求。他列出两个条件：第一，你得有选择的能力，也就是说你身处的处境允许你选择，你自身也有选择的心力；第二，你得有本事挑中最好的那一条。这两步并不重叠，许多人具备第二步的智识，却根本没有进入第一步。 原文中 good taste …