双语智慧书·不要冲动行事

69．不要冲动行事
　　不要冲动行事。从不为他人印象所左右的人是了不起的。自我反省可以提升智慧。了解自身秉性，并加以注意，甚至有意识地反其道而行，平衡修养与天性。提升自我始于认识自我。有的人性情怪异、变幻莫测，这样或那样的情绪摆布他们，代替了他们真正的意愿。他们的心智因这种不和谐而分裂，于是做事总是自相矛盾。这种放浪的性格会破坏他们的意志，打击他们的判断力，并使他们的欲望与理智背道而驰。


69．Do not give way to every common impulse
　Do not give way to every common impulse. He is a great man who never allows himself to be influenced by the impressions of others. Self-reflection is the school of wisdom. To know one's disposition and to allow for it, even going to the other extreme so as to find a balance between nature and art. Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement. There are some whose humors are so monstrous that they are always under the influence of one or other of them, and put them in place of their real inclinations. They are torn asunder by such disharmony and get involved in contradictory obligations. Such excesses not only destroy firmness of will; all power of judgment gets lost, desire and knowledge pulling in opposite directions.