《智慧书·第四辑·一五一至二百》第1则
Think beforehand. To-day for to-morrow, and even for many days hence. The greatest foresight consists in determining beforehand the time of trouble. For the provident there are no mischances and for the careful no narrow escapes. We must not put off thought till we are up to the chin in mire. Mature reflection can get over the most formidable difficulty. The pillow is a silent Sibyl, and it is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterwards. Many act first and then think afterwards—that is, they think less of consequences than of excuses: others think neither before nor after. The whole of life should be one course of thought how not to miss the right path. Rumination and foresight enable one to determine the line of life.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文合在一起，形成了一条严密的主张：人应当在今天为明天，乃至为许多天之后做好思考上的预备。葛拉西安把最高层次的前瞻定义为“事先确定困境来临的时刻”。他接下来的对句十分锋利：对有先见之明者而言，无所谓意外；对谨慎者而言，无所谓侥幸脱险。这话不是在描述一种好运附体的状态，而是在说，一个真正事先思考过的人，已经把麻烦的形态、时刻和应对都估算在内，…