《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第38则
The Art of letting Things alone. The more so the wilder the waves of public or of private life. There are hurricanes in human affairs, tempests of passion, when it is wise to retire to a harbour and ride at anchor. Remedies often make diseases worse: in such cases one has to leave them to their natural course and the moral suasion of time. It takes a wise doctor to know when not to prescribe, and at times the greater skill consists in not applying remedies. The proper way to still the storms of the vulgar is to hold your hand and let them calm down of themselves. To give way now is to conquer by and by. A fountain gets muddy with but little stirring up, and does not get clear by our meddling with it but by our leaving it alone. The best remedy for disturbances is to let them run their course, for so they quiet down.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文构成一个完整的判断：越是身处公私生活的狂涛骇浪，越要学会随它去。葛拉西安在此处讲的不是消极退缩，而是一种有意的无为——在风暴最猛烈时退回港湾，放下船锚，任凭外面翻腾。他把这称为一种“艺术”，意味着它并非本能反应，而是需要判断与训练才能掌握的审慎之道。 全文的核心隐喻来自医学。他写道，药物常常使病情加重，此时最明智的做法是让疾病顺着自然进…