254．勿因恶小而轻视它

勿因恶小而轻视它。福有双至，祸不单行。幸与不幸常常都各寻同类。因此，所有人都想避开不幸，而与幸运同行。就连头脑简单的鸽子，也常飞往最白的墙壁。不幸之人一事无成——他本身、他的言语、他的运气，全都不顺。不要叫醒厄运之神，当她还在沉睡之时。一次跌倒算不了什么，但是致命的损失就会接踵而至，你不知道何时才是尽头。没有幸运是无暇的，也没有厄运是彻底的。对上苍的安排，要有耐心；对尘世的无常，也须谨慎。

254．Never despise an evil, however small

Never despise an evil, however small, for they never come alone: they are linked together like pieces of good fortune. Fortune and misfortune generally go to find their fellows. Hence all avoid the unlucky and associate with the fortunate. Even the doves with all their innocence resort to the whitest walls. Everything fails with the unfortunate－himself, his words, and his luck. Do not wake Misfortune when she sleeps. One slip is a little thing; yet some fatal loss may follow it till you do not know where it will end. For just as no happiness is perfect, so no ill-luck is complete. Patience serves with what comes from above; prudence with that from below.