双语智慧书·忍受愚蠢

159．忍受愚蠢
　　忍受愚蠢。智者常常没有耐性，因为学问增加了，他们对愚蠢的耐心也减少了。学识渊博之人很难被取悦。生活中第一重要准则便是"忍耐"二字，爱比克泰德(1)如是说，他视其为所有智慧真谛的一半。容忍种种愚蠢，需要极大的耐性。有时候，我们不得不忍受的人恰恰是我们最依赖的人，这是锻炼我们自制力之有用的一课。忍耐产生安宁，这是世间幸福之无价的恩惠。如果没有耐性，就要独处--即便是独处，也不得不忍耐自己。


159．Put up with fools
　Put up with fools. The wise are always impatient, for he that increases knowledge increase impatience of folly. Much knowledge is difficult to satisfy. The first great rule of life, according to Epictetus, is to put up with things: he valued this as half of all wisdom. To put up with all the varieties of folly would need much patience. We often have to put up with most from those on whom we most depend: a useful lesson in self-control. Out of patience comes forth peace, the priceless boon which is the happiness of the world. But let him that has no power of patience retire within himself, though even there he will have to put up with himself.
　　
(1) 古罗马哲学家，晚期斯多葛派主要代表之一。