智慧書（中英雙語） · 279．不要回應駁斥你的人

279．不要回應駁斥你的人 不要回應駁斥你的人。對他人之駁斥，你必須搞清楚是出於狡詐還是出於粗魯。駁斥並非總是出自頑固，還可能是個陰謀。對此，你須小心：前者讓你受困，後者讓你涉險。預防他人刺探，如何謹慎都不算過分。要防止撬鎖者偷啟你的心門，你只能用警惕的鑰匙將其反鎖。 279．Do not contradict the contradictor Do not contradict the contradictor. You have to distinguish whether the contradiction comes from cunning or from vulgarity. It is not always obstinacy, but may be artfulness. Notice this: for in the first case one may get into difficulties, in the other into danger. Caution is never more needed than against spies. There is no such countercheck to the picklock of the mind as to leave the key of caution in the inside lock of the door.