47．避免“为荣誉而决斗”

避免“为荣誉而决斗”，这是审慎行事的最主要的一点。那些雄才大略之人总是远离极端，以确保不偏不倚。从一个极端到另一个极端，有很长的一段路，谨慎之人经常采取中庸之道，所以能够从容应对。避免招惹是非比招惹是非后再全身而退要容易一些。危险考验我们的判断力，最好避开，而不是征服。有时，一个事端能够引发更大的事端，以致可能带来耻辱。因自身秉性或种族关系，有的人容易陷入事端之中。而那些理智行事的人，对这类事总会思虑再三。征服危险并非强者，善于避险才是真正的勇士。当有傻瓜准备冒险时，你就要找借口，避免成为第二个傻瓜。

47．Avoid "affairs of honour"

Avoid "affairs of honour"－one of the chiefest aims of prudence. In men of great ability the extremes are kept far asunder, so that there is a long distance between them, and they always keep in the middle of their caution, so that they take time to break through it. It is easier to avoid such affairs than to come well out of them. They test our judgment; it is better to avoid them than to conquer in them. One affair of honour leads to another, and may lead to an affair of dishonour. There are men so constituted by nature or by nation that they easily enter upon such obligations. But for him who walks by the light of reason, such a matter requires long thinking over. There is more valour needed not to take up the affair than to conquer in it. When there is one fool ready for the occasion, one may excuse oneself from being the second.