《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第10则
Do not wait till you are a Sinking Sun. 'Tis a maxim of the wise to leave things before things leave them. One should be able to snatch a triumph at the end, just as the sun even at its brightest often retires behind a cloud so as not to be seen sinking, and to leave in doubt whether he has sunk or no. Wisely withdraw from the chance of mishaps, lest you have to do so from the reality Do not wait till they turn you the cold shoulder and carry you to the grave, alive in feeling but dead in esteem. Wise trainers put racers to grass before they arouse derision by falling on the course. A beauty should break her mirror early, lest she do so later with open eyes.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文原本是一句完整的话：不要等到自己成为沉落之日，才来做那离开之人。葛拉西安构造了一个围绕着“落”与“留”的完整意象群。其文体属于典型的概念主义，精炼到了近乎格言警句的程度，且每一个比喻都在实指与隐喻之间来回滑动。“沉落的太阳”既是天体，也是人在社会声望上的下坠；“退到云后”既是气象，也是一种主动制造的模糊。他动用了太阳的退隐、驯马师的及早…