1．万物已近极致

万物已近极致，为人处世的艺术更是如此。当今若想成就一位智者，花费的工夫比造就希腊七贤(1)还要多；现在要应付一个人，所需的智谋比从前应付整整一个民族还要多。

1．Everything is at its acme

Everything is at its acme, especially the art of making one's way in the world. There is more required nowadays to make a single wise man than formerly to make Seven Sages, and more is needed nowadays to deal with a single person than was required with a whole people in former times.

(1) 指公元前6世纪希腊的Solon、Thales、Pittacus、Bias、Chilo、Periander和Cleobulus。