《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第31则
Renew your Brilliance. 'Tis the privilege of the Phoenix. Ability is wont to grow old, and with it fame. The staleness of custom weakens admiration, and a mediocrity that's new often eclipses the highest excellence grown old. Try therefore to be born again in valour, in genius, in fortune, in all. Display startling novelties, rise afresh like the sun every day. Change too the scene on which you shine, so that your loss may be felt in the old scenes of your triumph, while the novelty of your powers wins you applause in the new.
注释摘要
凤凰是古代传说中浴火重生的鸟，葛拉西安在这里把“更新光彩”直接定性为“凤凰的特权”——只有凤凰能做到的事，才配得上这种再生的等级。这句话的完整意思是：才能会衰老，名望也随之枯萎；习惯带来的陈旧感会削弱人们先前的仰慕，一个平庸的新东西常常盖过已趋于老旧的最高卓越。所以他给出的对策非常极端：在勇气、才智、运势等所有方面都“再次出生”，像太阳那样每天重新升起，并…