163.决不因同情而卷入他人的不幸
决不因同情而卷入他人的不幸。一人的不幸也许是另一人的幸运。因为如果没有很多人的不幸,他又怎能走运?不幸之人的一个特点就是经常激起人们的善心。人们试图用于事无补的恩惠来补偿他所受到的打击。结果那些发达时人人妒忌之人,身处逆境之时,突然成了无人不怜的对象。人们对他高飞之时的仇恨,转化为对他落难之时的同情。但是,我们不应忘记命运是如何洗牌的。有的人总是与不幸之人结交,总让昔日飞黄腾达之人可怜兮兮地站在他身边。这也许显示其灵魂的高尚,但并不能表明其处世之智慧。
163.Never,fromsympathywiththeunfortunate,involveyourselfinhisfate
Never,fromsympathywiththeunfortunate,involveyourselfinhisfate。Oneman'smisfortuneisanotherman'sluck,foronecannotbeluckywithoutmanybeingunlucky。Itisapeculiarityoftheunfortunatetoarousepeople'sgoodwill,whodesiretocompensatethemfortheblowsoffortunewiththeiruselessfavour,andithappensthatonewhowasabhorredbyallinprosperityisadoredbyallinadversity。Vengeanceonthewingisexchangedforcompassionafoot。Yetitistobenoticedhowfateshufflesthecards。Therearemenwhoalwaysconsortwiththeunlucky,andhethatyesterdayflewhighandhappystandstodaymiserableattheirside。Thatarguesnobilityofsoul,butnotworldlywisdom。