268．蠢人最后做的事，智者会马上做

蠢人最后做的事，智者会马上做。他们做着同样的事，只是在不同的时间里：智者在恰当的时候做，蠢人则在不当的时候做。一开始心智就混乱的人，会持续这种状态到最后。本该敲头，却去抱脚；错把右边当左边，所有的行动像小孩般幼稚。唯有一种方法能让他们朝着正确的方向，那就是迫使他们去做他们自愿做的事情。智者则相反，他们马上就明白早晚必做的是什么事，而且乐意去做，并因此获得荣誉。

268．The wise does at once what the fool does at last

The wise does at once what the fool does at last. Both do the same thing; the only difference lies in the time they do it: the one at the right time, the other at the wrong. Who starts out with his mind topsy-turvy will so continue till the end. He catches by the foot what he ought to knock on the head, he turns right into left, and in all his acts is but a child. There is only one way to get him in the right direction, and that is to force him to do what he might have done of his own accord. The wise man, on the other hand, sees at once what must be done sooner or later, so he does it willingly and gains honour thereby.