《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第30则
Be Trustworthy. Honourable dealing is at an end: trusts are denied: few keep their word: the greater the service, the poorer the reward: that is the way with all the world nowadays. There are whole nations inclined to false dealing: with some treachery has always to be feared, with others breach of promise, with others deceit. Yet this bad behaviour of others should rather be a warning to us than an example. The fear is that the sight of such unworthy behaviour should override our integrity. But a man of honour should never forget what he is because he sees what others are.
注释摘要
这一则在整本书的语调里有些异样。葛拉西安通常是以一个冷静的战术家口吻，教你在一个人人算计的世界上怎么打牌，但这则忽然收起了谋略，转而谈一种无条件的操守。他用三段话搭了一个简单的论证：先描绘一幅全面失信的世界图景，然后做一个关键的转向——正因为别人都这么干，我们才更要警惕，不要把他们的坏榜样当成自己的通行证，最后再落回那个肯定句式：一个有荣誉感的人，不该因为…