智慧書（中英雙語） · 59．要有完美的收場

59．要有完美的收場 要有完美的收場。在造訪命運之屋時，假如你從快樂之門進入，肯定會從悲傷之門離開，反之亦然。因此，做事時，你必須考慮如何收場。追求功德圓滿的退場，勝過轟轟烈烈的開場。倒霉之人常常有極其幸運的開端，但結局卻很悲慘。重要的不是一上場時大家的掌聲——他們幾乎對誰都如此——而是退場時大家對你的依戀。在人生的舞台上，很少有人被認為值得重新再來。幸運女神幾乎不會送人到門口——她總是對初到之人熱情似火，對將去之人冷若寒冰。 59．Finish off well Finish off well. In the house of Fortune, if you enter by the gate of pleasure you must leave by that of sorrow and vice versa . You ought therefore to think of the finish, and attach more importance to a graceful exit than to applause on entrance. It is the common lot of the unlucky to have a very fortunate outset and a very tragic end. The important point is not the vulgar applause on entrance－that comes to nearly all-but the general feeling at exit. Few in life are felt to deserve an encore. Fortune rarely accompanies any one to the door: warmly as she may welcome the coming, she speeds but coldly the parting guest.