双语智慧书·做事有道

78．做事有道
　　做事有道。蠢人仓促行事，因为愚蠢总是鲁莽。他们头脑简单，疏于防范，这也使他们在失败后不感到羞耻。但是，审慎之人做事则十分谨慎，小心探查前路是否有危险。小心谨慎可避免每次因鲁莽而陷入危险，尽管有时候时运可助人一臂之力。如果不知前路深浅，小心慢行才是。即便有所防范，明智之人依然小心谨慎，慎重前行。如今，人际交往中有许多不可预知的陷阱，走每一步都投石问路，是很有必要的。


78．The art of undertaking things
　The art of undertaking things. Fools rush in through the door; for folly is always bold. The same simplicity which robs them of all attention to precautions deprives them of all sense of shame at failure. But prudence enters with more deliberation. Its forerunners are caution and care; they advance and discover whether you can also advance without danger. Every rush forward is freed from danger by caution, while fortune sometimes helps in such cases. Step cautiously where you suspect depth. Sagacity goes cautiously forward while precaution covers the ground. Nowadays there are unsuspected depths in human intercourse, you must therefore cast the lead at every step.