《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第9则
Finish off well. In the house of Fortune, if you enter by the gate of pleasure you must leave by that of sorrow and vice versa. You ought therefore to think of the finish, and attach more importance to a graceful exit than to applause on entrance. 'Tis the common lot of the unlucky to have a very fortunate outset and a very tragic end. The important point is not the vulgar applause on entrance—that comes to nearly all—but the general feeling at exit. Few in life are felt to deserve an encore. Fortune rarely accompanies any one to the door: warmly as she may welcome the coming, she speeds but coldly the parting guest.
注释摘要
“善终”这则格言，标题与正文合在一起，就是说：一个人在世事里的作为，要看收场收得好不好。葛拉西安把人生比作进入命运女神的宅邸：你要是从享乐的门进去，就注定要从悲痛的门出来，反之亦然。“Fortune”在这里既指运气，也沿用了文艺复兴以来的人格化处理，是一个有意志的女主人。 这句格言的结构本身就是一个工整的对句。开头一句“在命运之宅，若由享乐之门入，必由悲哀…