雙語智慧書·知道如何逃避

33．知道如何逃避
　　知道如何逃避。懂得如何拒絕是人生最重要的一課，其中，更重要的是懂得如何拒絕牽涉某些事與人。那些無關(guān)之事只是徒耗寶貴時光。忙于無關(guān)之事，還不如什么都不做。對一個謹慎細致的人來說，不僅不干涉他人，還要注意不被他人干涉。別完全屬于他人，以免完全失去自己。對于朋友，你不能濫用其幫助，你所求之幫助不能超過他們愿意給你的。過猶不及，人際交往最忌失衡。明智地適可而止，可贏得別人的善意和尊重，用這種方法，別人才會始終對你客客氣氣。懂得逃避，你才能保住自己的才華，去自由選擇最好的東西，而不違背追求高品位的不成文法則。

33．Know how to withdraw
　Know how to withdraw. If it is a great lesson in life to know how to deny, it is a still greater to know how to deny oneself as regards both affairs and persons. There are extraneous occupations which eat away precious time. To be occupied in what does not concern you is worse than doing nothing. It is not enough for a careful man not to interfere with others, he must see that they do not interfere with him. One is not obliged to belong so much to all as not to belong at all to oneself. So with friends, their help should not be abused or more demanded from them than they themselves will grant. All excess is a failing, but above all in personal intercourse. A wise moderation in this best preserves the goodwill and esteem of all, for by this means that precious boon of courtesy is not gradually worn away. Thus you preserve your genius free to select the elect, and never sin against the unwritten laws of good taste.