《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第25则
Join in the Game as far as Decency permits. Do not always pose and be a bore: this is a maxim for gallant bearing. You may yield a touch of dignity to gain the general good-will: you may now and then go where most go, yet not beyond the bounds of decorum. He who makes a fool of himself in public will not be regarded as discreet in private life. One may lose more on a day of pleasure than has been gained during a whole life of labour. Still you must not always keep away: to be singular is to condemn all others. Still less act the prude—leave that to its appropriate sex: even religious prudery is ridiculous. Nothing so becomes a man as to be a man: a woman may affect a manly bearing as an excellence, but not vice versa.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文原本是同一句话的前后两半，合起来说的是：参与世间的游戏，但只参与到体面允许的限度为止。不要总摆出一副姿态，惹人生厌——这是有风度的立身格言。你可以稍微放下一点尊严来换取众人的好感，偶尔也可以去众人云集之处，却不可逾越礼仪的边界。那种在众人面前出丑的人，回到私生活里也不会被人视为审慎通达；一个人可能在一日的享乐中失去的，比他毕生劳作所获还…