《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第1则
One half of the World laughs at the other, and Fools are they all. Everything is good or everything is bad according to the votes they gain. What one pursues another persecutes. He is an insufferable ass that would regulate everything according to his ideas. Excellences do not depend on a single man's pleasure. So many men, so many tastes, all different. There is no defect which is not affected by some, nor need we lose heart if things please not some, for others will appreciate them. Nor need their applause turn our head, for there will surely be others to condemn. The real test of praise is the approbation of famous men and of experts in the matter. You should aim to be independent of any one vote, of any one fashion, of any one century.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题本身就是一个三段论：世界的一半嘲笑另一半，而他们全都是愚人。葛拉西安劈头盖脸地将人类的判断癖连根拔起，不是为了倡导宽容，而是为了拆穿一个幻觉——你以为你的好恶有什么稳固的根基么？ 标题里的 fools 和正文里的 insufferable ass 互为呼应。那个 intolerable fool 的原型在西语里是 un insufrible …