《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第29则
Plan out your Life wisely, not as chance will have it, but with prudence and foresight. Without amusements it is wearisome, like a long journey where there are no inns: manifold knowledge gives manifold pleasure. The first day's journey of a noble life should be passed in conversing with the dead: we live to know and to know ourselves: hence true books make us truly men. The second day should be spent with the living, seeing and noticing all the good in the world. Everything is not to be found in a single country. The Universal Father has divided His gifts, and at times has given the richest dower to the ugliest. The third day is entirely for oneself. The last felicity is to be a philosopher.
注释摘要
这则格言讲的是人生需要主动构思，而非随波逐流。葛拉西安把标题和正文连成一体：用审慎和远见来安排生活，否则它就会像一段没有客栈的长路，令人疲惫。而“客栈”是什么？是消遣，是繁杂世事中的停歇与转换。在他看来，多样的知识本身就是最好的消遣，它带来多样的乐趣，不使心灵枯竭。 紧接着的那个“三天”比喻，是这则格言最著名的部分。他给“高贵的生活”画了一条三分式的道路：…