巴尔塔沙·葛拉西安/Balthasar Gracian
A sage once reduced all virtue to the golden mean. Push right to the extreme and it becomes wrong; press all the juice from an orange and it becomes bitter. Even in enjoyment never go to extremes.
You should learn to seize things not by the blade, which cuts, but by the handle, which saves you from harm: especially is this the role with the doings of your enemies. A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends. Their ill will often levels mountains of difficulties which one would otherwise not face…… Flattery is more dangerous than hatred because it covers the stains which the other causes to be wiped out. The wise will turn ill will into a mirror more faithful than kindness, and remove or improve the faults referred to.
Everyone would have excelled in something if he had known his strong point. Notice in what quality you surpass, and take charge of that. In some, judgment excels, in others valor. Most do violence to their natural aptitude and thus attain superiority in nothing. Time disillusions us too late of what first flattered the passions.
圣人曾把所有的美德都归于中庸之道。如果把对的推到极端，那么对的也会变成错的了；如果把橘子的汁全部榨干，那么橘子也会变得苦涩。即使在享乐方面，也不要走极端。
你应该学会在拿东西的时候不握锋刃，因为锋刃会把你割伤，而要握着把柄，因为这样你就可以免受伤害。对于你的敌人的种种行为，尤其要遵循这项规则。一个智者从他的敌人那儿所得到的益处，远比一个愚人从他的朋友那儿所得到的要多得多。敌人的恶意常能促使我们克服重重困难，如果没有那种恶意的激励，我们也许不能如此勇敢……阿谀奉承远比仇恨危险，因为前者把人的污点掩饰起来，而后者促使那些污点被抹掉。智者会把恶意化为一面更加忠实的、善意的镜子，以消灭或者改善镜子中反映出来的不完美。