桑德斯太太写的前言
亲爱的读者：
我先生上周启程去帕托马克，拜访他的一位老朋友，也是个占星师，顺便看看有没有一块小地方能让我们安顿下来，聊度余生。他将历书封好口，吩咐我交给印刷厂。我多了个心眼，等他一走就打开了信封，看看他有没有拿我来取乐。果不其然，如我所料，他又没话找话地，在前言里数落着他老婆布丽吉特这个，布丽吉特那个。真是无理取闹！难道我每犯点小错误，都要被印在书上，让全国人民看到吗！所有人都知道，这次我心高气傲，那次又大喊大叫，一会儿我买了新裙子，一会儿又买了点杂货。哼！当然！全世界都得知道，穷迪克（理查的昵称，编者注）的老婆最近爱上了喝茶，时不时小酌一点。这件事可了不得，值得大书一笔，广而告之！我是从印刷商那里受赠了一些茶叶，那又怎么样？难道我要把它丢到垃圾桶里吗？长话短说，总之我认为这篇序言不值得付诸印刷，所以我把它全都抹去了，我相信你们不会希望我们的历书质量下降吧？
纵观全年，我发现他在今年的大部分日子里都写着坏天气，因此我在写得下的地方都插进了“好天气”“阳光明媚”“风和日丽”让好主妇们可以好好晒晒衣服。如果老天不顺人意，至少我已表达了我的好意，希望太太们领情。
我本准备再做一些修改，特别是那些我不太喜欢的歪诗，但是刚才我不小心打坏了眼镜，真倒霉，因此只好照原样给你看了。
此致
您可爱的朋友，布丽吉特·桑德斯
忠实的朋友有三种：老妻，老狗和现金。
There are three faithful friends, an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.
话痨的耳朵不如切掉，反正他们也不需要。
Great talkers should be cropt, for they"ve no need of ears.
欲鞋耐穿，勿钉钉子。
If you"d have your shoes last, put no nails in "em.
难道别人欺骗你会比你自欺欺人的次数还要多吗？
Who has deceiv"d thee so oft as thy self?
还有比自寻烦恼更令人痛苦的行为吗？
Is there any thing Men take more pains about than to render themselves unhappy?
太快乐会带来痛苦，过度自由反成束缚。物极必反。
Nothing brings more pain than too much pleasure; nothing more bondage than too much liberty, (or libertinism.)
多读书，但不能滥读书。
Read much, but not many Books.
落笔阳春白雪，开口下里巴人。
Write with the learned, pronounce with the vulgar.
放飞快乐，快乐便会跟随你。
Fly Pleasures, and they"ll follow you.
对恺撒而言，比起脚踏凯旋战车，更重要的是战胜自己。
Caesar did not merit the triumphal Car, more than he that conquers himself.
想拥有美德吗？也要去追求美德的风度和它的美丽。
Hast thou virtue? Acquire also the graces & beauties of virtue.
不必要的东西买得太多，不久你就得卖掉必需品。
Buy what thou hast no need of; and e"er long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.
如果你拥有聪敏和学识，就再添上智慧和谦逊吧。
If thou hast wit & learning, add to it Wisdom and Modesty.
拥有美德的人比君主更快乐。
You may be more happy than Princes, if you will be more virtuous.
人一入土，名声作古。
若想留名，以传后世，
那就写写值得一读的书，
或是做做值得一书的事。
If you wou"d not be forgotten As soon as you are dead and rotten, Either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.
不要出卖美德以换取财富，也不要出卖自由以换取权力。
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.
不要带着恶习入土。
Let thy vices die before thee.
婚前务必擦亮眼，婚后不妨睁只眼闭只眼。
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
古人之理虽睿智，却还需分辨是否适用于现世。
The ancients tell us what is best; but we must learn of the moderns what is fittest.
我连自己的牙齿里面的舌头都管不住，怎么能指望管住别人的舌头？
Since I cannot govern my own tongue, tho" within my own teeth, how can I hope to govern the tongues of others?
讨价还价不丢脸，为蝇头小利折腰才真正羞耻。
"Tis less discredit to abridge petty charges, than to stoop to petty Gettings.
既然你把握不了一分钟，就不要扔掉一个小时。
Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.
做了不应做之事，就得听不中听的话。
If you do what you should not, you must hear what you would not.
行善不可推延；别像圣乔治，一直骑在马上，却从不策马向前。
Defer not thy welldoing; be not like St. George, who is always a horseback, and never rides on.
活得长不如活得好。
Wish not so much to live long as to live well.
我们必须消灭每一句无聊的话，同样也必须打破每一次无聊的沉默。
As we must account for every idle word, so we must for every idle silence.
未曾见过点金石把石头变成金子，倒见过追寻点金石的人把金子变成石头。
I have never seen the Philosopher"s Stone that turns lead into Gold, but I have known the pursuit of it turn a Man"s Gold into Lead.
永远不要和仆人同居一室。
Never intreat a servant to dwell with thee.
时间是包治百病的良药。
Time is an herb that cures all Diseases.
阅读让人充实，沉思让人深刻，演说让人明晰。
Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man, discourse a clear Man.
即使对方是挚友，得到奉承也需以奉承相还。
If any man flatters me, I"ll flatter him again; tho" he were my best Friend.
祝愿吝啬鬼长寿，他可不会领情。
Wish a miser long life, and you wish him no good.
只有教养良好之人才懂得如何坦诚自己的错误。
None but the wellbred man knows how to confess a fault, or acknowledge himself in an error.
做工作的主人，别做工作的奴隶。
Drive thy business; let not that drive thee.
假装是个好人与效仿一个好人，可有天壤之别。
There is much difference between imitating a good man, and counterfeiting him.
小错放得下，大错记心间。不要拘泥小错，避免犯下大错。
Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.
在饮食上，让自己欢喜；
在穿着上，让他人欢喜。
Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.
寻找他人的优点，反思自己的缺点。
Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.
每年改正一点恶习，恶棍也能变成善人。
Each year one vicious habit rooted out,
In time might make the worst Man good throughout.
