《智慧书·第四辑·一五一至二百》第21则
Waste not Influence. The great as friends are for great occasions. One should not make use of great confidence for little things: for that is to waste a favour. The sheet anchor should be reserved for the last extremity. If you use up the great for little ends what remains afterwards? Nothing is more valuable than a protector, and nothing costs more nowadays than a favour. It can make or unmake a whole world. It can even give sense and take it away. As Nature and Fame are favourable to the wise, so Luck is generally envious of them. It is therefore more important to keep the favour of the mighty than goods and chattels.
注释摘要
这则格言原文标题“Not to waste influence”与正文是一体的：影响——或者更准确地说，贵人、庇护者所给予的“青睐”（favor）——是一种极其珍贵、用一次就少一次的资本，因而不该为小事动用。这不仅是谨慎，更是在一种以恩惠流通为命脉的社会里维持生存地位的核心判断。 关键概念是“influence”一词在葛拉西安这套语言里所包裹的复合含义：它…