《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第4则
Never despise an Evil, however small, for they never come alone: they are linked together like pieces of good fortune. Fortune and misfortune generally go to find their fellows. Hence all avoid the unlucky and associate with the fortunate. Even the doves with all their innocence resort to the whitest walls. Everything fails with the unfortunate—himself, his words, and his luck. Do not wake Misfortune when she sleeps. One slip is a little thing: yet some fatal loss may follow it till you do not know where it will end. For just as no happiness is perfect, so no ill-luck is complete. Patience serves with what comes from above; prudence with that from below.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文构成了一个严密的论证链条。葛拉西安起笔就提出一个看似悖论的命题：灾祸与好运一样，具有相互连结、彼此寻找的特性。他说“它们从不单独到来，它们像好运一样彼此串在一起”。这不是在赞美灾祸，而是在指出一种冷峻的经验事实：事物的运动具有累积效应，不幸会像滚雪球一样越滚越大。紧接着他引入人际层面的观察：人人都躲避不幸者而亲近幸运者，连鸽子都懂得落在…