《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第13则
Many things of Taste one should not possess oneself. One enjoys them better if another's than if one's own. The owner has the good of them the first day, for all the rest of the time they are for others. You take a double enjoyment in other men's property, being without fear of spoiling it and with the pleasure of novelty. Everything tastes better for having been without it: even water from another's well tastes like nectar. Possession not alone hinders enjoyment: it increases annoyance whether you lend or keep. You gain nothing except keeping things for or from others, and by this means gain more enemies than friends.
注释摘要
这则格言的原标题与正文是一句连绵的断言：品味之物，多数不应自己拥有。葛拉西安在这里铺陈的是一条反直觉的心理原理——拥有即贬损，不拥有反而能加倍享受。他用了一个味觉上的比喻来贯穿全段：cosa de gusto 既指令人愉悦的事物，也是字面意义上的“味道好的东西”。所以他可以说，别人井里的水喝起来像琼浆，而一旦归了自己，第一日尚可，此后便索然无味。这种概念主…