《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第15则
Watch him that acts on Second Thoughts. It is a device of business men to put the opponent off his guard before attacking him, and thus to conquer by being defeated: they dissemble their desire so as to attain it. They put themselves second so as to come out first in the final spurt. This method rarely fails if it is not noticed. Let therefore the attention never sleep when the intention is so wide awake. And if the other puts himself second so to hide his plan, put yourself first to discover it. Prudence can discern the artifices which such a man uses, and notices the pretexts he puts forward to gain his ends. He aims at one thing to get another: then he turns round smartly and fires straight at his target. It is well to know what you grant him, and at times it is desirable to give him to understand that you understand.
注释摘要
这一则的西班牙文标题是“Tener tanteados los que obran sobre segunda intención”，直译是“摸清那些按第二意图行事的人”。“第二意图”在十七世纪的天主教道德神学里是一个专门术语：第一意图是行为表面指向的目的，第二意图则是藏在底下、不便明说的真实目的。葛拉西安把这个神学概念搬进了世俗场合，用来描述一种人——他…