《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第7则
Slow and Sure. Early enough if well. Quickly done can be quickly undone. To last an eternity requires an eternity of preparation. Only excellence counts; only achievement endures. Profound intelligence is the only foundation for immortality. Worth much costs much. The precious metals are the heaviest.
注释摘要
葛拉西安在这里把话说得很绝。标题与正文原来是一句话的两条腿：Slow and sure，然后是 Early enough if well——事情做得够好，就不算晚。这句话的完整意思是：快造的东西可以快毁；真要长久，就得以长久的方式去准备。他没有给“速度”留一点情面。在巴洛克时代的西班牙，迅捷原本也被视为一种美德，但葛拉西安偏要在这一则中把“快”打下去：Ce…