《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第13则
In Prosperity prepare for Adversity. It is both wiser and easier to collect winter stores in summer. In prosperity favours are cheap and friends are many. 'Tis well therefore to keep them for more unlucky days, for adversity costs dear and has no helpers. Retain a store of friendly and obliged persons; the day may come when their price will go up. Low minds never have friends; in luck they will not recognise them: in misfortune they will not be recognised by them.
注释摘要
这则格言谈论的是一套冷静得近乎冷酷的处逆之道。标题与首句连在一起，意思非常直接：身处顺境时，要为逆境储备资粮。葛拉西安用的意象是夏天采集过冬的存粮，这不只是比喻，还点出了他整个推论的逻辑前提——人情是一种可以储存、并且会在未来升值的资源。顺境时恩惠来得容易，朋友也多，但他立刻指出这两个现象各自暗藏的问题：恩惠容易，所以你可能不珍惜；朋友多，却未必个个能在你…