《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第41则
Put up with Raillery, but do not practise it. The first is a form of courtesy, the second may lead to embarrassment. To snarl at play has something of the beast and seems to have more. Audacious raillery is delightful: to stand it proves power. To show oneself annoyed causes the other to be annoyed. Best leave it alone; the surest way not to put on the cap that might fit. The most serious matters have arisen out of jests. Nothing requires more tact and attention. Before you begin to joke know how far the subject of your joke is able to bear it.
注释摘要
这则格言的原标题与正文在西班牙语中本是一句完整的话：sufrir la burla, pero no usarla——忍受嘲弄，但不要施行嘲弄。葛拉西安在这里采用概念主义（conceptismo）的典型写法，将“忍受”与“施行”并置，形成一种失衡的对称：前一半是积极的、被允许的，后一半则是被规劝禁止的，两半之间靠一个“但”字反转。英译中“raillery”…