《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第5则
Do Good a little at a time, but often. One should never give beyond the possibility of return. Who gives much does not give but sells. Nor drain gratitude to the dregs, for when the recipient sees all return is impossible he breaks off correspondence. With many persons it is not necessary to do more than overburden them with favours to lose them altogether: they cannot repay you, and so they retire, preferring rather to be enemies than perpetual debtors. The idol never wishes to see before him the sculptor who shaped him, nor does the benefited wish to see his benefactor always before his eyes. There is a great subtlety in giving what costs little yet is much desired, so that it is esteemed the more.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文是同一个论断的展开与收束：做好事要一点一点地做，但要经常做。它的出发点不是慷慨本身，而是施予者与被施予者之间微妙的权力关系，以及感恩这种情感能承载的分量有多么有限。葛拉西安把一个表面上很道德的题目，完全放在人际地位升降的框架里来处理，所以从头到尾讲的都不是善，而是分寸。 开篇就是一句非常冰冷的原则：永远不要超出对方有能力回报的程度。这不…