《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第14则
Do not turn one Blunder into two. It is quite usual to commit four others in order to remedy one, or to excuse one piece of impertinence by still another. Folly is either related to, or identical with the family of Lies, for in both cases it needs many to support one. The worst of a bad case is having to fight it, and worse than the ill itself is not being able to conceal it. The annuity of one failing serves to support many others. A wise man may make one slip but never two, and that only in running, not while standing still.
注释摘要
这一则的标题与正文构成一句巴尔塔沙·葛拉西安式的警句：不要用一个蠢行去补救另一个。原文读起来像一个紧咬不放的三段论，环环相扣，一句追着一句，几乎不留喘息。他的逻辑是：人为了补救一个愚蠢之举，常常顺手再犯下四个别的蠢行，或者用一个失礼去为前一个失礼开脱。蠢行与谎言有亲缘关系，因为两者都需要一连串的同类来支撑那最初的一个。糟糕处境中最糟糕的，是你不得不与之缠斗…