雙語智慧書·超然于世俗的愚蠢

209．超然于世俗的愚蠢
　　超然于世俗的愚蠢。這是一個特別的策略。這些愚蠢因為常見而有特別的力量，許多人不被個別的愚蠢誤導，但無法擺脫普遍的缺陷。其中包括那些常見的錯誤：沒有誰會對自己的財產感到滿足（不管他多么富有），也沒有誰會對自己的才智不滿（無論他多么愚蠢）。人們不滿足于自身的幸福，總是嫉妒他人的幸福。說得更遠一點，現(xiàn)在的人總是贊美過去的事物，這里的人總是贊美別處的東西--似乎逝去的事物總是最美好的，遙遠的東西都是那么有價值。對一切嗤之以鼻的人和對一切都抱著悲觀態(tài)度的人，一樣愚蠢。


209．Keep yourself free from common follies
　Keep yourself free from common follies. This is a special stroke of policy. They are of special power because they are general, so that many who would not be led away by any individual folly cannot escape the universal failing. Among these are to be counted the common prejudice that any one is satisfied with his fortune, however great, or unsatisfied with his intellect, however poor it is. Or again, that each, being discontented with his own lot, envies that of others; or further, that persons of today praise the things of yesterday, and those here the things there. Everything past seems best and everything distant is more valued. He is as great a fool that laughs at all as he that weeps at all.