《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第35则
Do not nourish the Spirit of Contradiction. It only proves you foolish or peevish, and prudence should guard against this strenuously. To find difficulties in everything may prove you clever, but such wrangling writes you down a fool. Such folk make a mimic war out of the most pleasant conversation, and in this way act as enemies towards their associates rather than towards those with whom they do not consort. Grit grates most in delicacies, and so does contradiction in amusement. They are both foolish and cruel who yoke together the wild beast and the tame.
注释摘要
这一则的标题与正文其实是一句完整的话：不要滋养好辩的习气，因为它只会证明你愚蠢或乖戾，审慎之人应当竭力提防。葛拉西安在这里用的 prudencia，在他自己的词汇系统里并非指谨小慎微的圆滑，而是指一种能够看清处境、选择恰当行动的实践智慧。这则格言的出发点正是：一个拥有 prudencia 的人不会纵容自己沉溺于无谓的争辩，因为争辩所带来的不是智识上的胜利，…