《君主论·第二十一章·君主如何博得尊崇》第5节
Never let any Government imagine that it can choose perfectly safe courses; rather let it expect to have to take very doubtful ones, because it is found in ordinary affairs that one never seeks to avoid one trouble without running into another; but prudence consists in knowing how to distinguish the character of troubles, and for choice to take the lesser evil. A prince ought also to show himself a patron of ability, and to honour the proficient in every art. At the same time he should encourage his citizens to practise their callings peaceably, both in commerce and agriculture, and in every other following, so that the one should not be deterred from improving his possessions for fear lest they be taken away from him or another from opening up trade for fear of taxes; but the prince ought to offer rewards to whoever wishes to do these things and designs in any way to honour his city or state. Further, he ought to entertain the people with festivals and spectacles at convenient seasons of the year; and as every city is divided into guilds or into societies, he ought to hold such bodies in esteem, and associate with them sometimes, and show himself an example of courtesy and liberality; nevertheless, always maintaining the majesty of his rank, for this he must never consent to abate in anything.
注释摘要
这一段是马基雅维利全书中一个重要的思维转向：从前面大篇幅讨论站队、结盟、战争的锋利政治的抉择，忽然落脚到治国理政中关于风险、才能与尊严的更为日常的判断上。他首先抛出的是一条几乎带有普遍哲理色彩的原则：任何政府都别幻想能选择一条绝对安稳的路。政治事务的本质就是这样吊诡——你为了躲开一个麻烦，往往不知不觉踏入另一个麻烦。他的重点不在于劝人放弃谨慎，而在于重新定…