雙語智慧書·提防那些掩飾自己意圖的人

215．提防那些掩飾自己意圖的人
　　提防那些掩飾自己意圖的人。精明人的一個策略就是能在打擊對手之前，先讓他喪失警惕，然后反敗為勝--他們掩飾自己所想之物，然后得到它。他們暫居第二，是為了在最后關(guān)頭沖到最前面。這一招如果不被注意，就很少失敗。當(dāng)別人的意圖很明顯時，我們的注意力就不能沉睡。如果別人讓他自己暫居第二，以隱藏其真正意圖，你就要第一個發(fā)現(xiàn)它。小心謹(jǐn)慎就能夠識破這種人的陷阱，并明白他們用以達到目的的借口。這些人總是指東打西，然后精明地回過頭，直達目的。你最好明白自己所能容忍的限度，有時有必要讓別人知道，你已看穿了他們的意圖。


215．Watch him that acts on second thoughts
　Watch him that acts on second thoughts. It is a device of business men to put the opponent off his guard before attacking him, and thus to conquer by being defeated: they dissemble their desire so as to attain it. They put themselves second so as to come out first in the final spurt. This method rarely fails if it is not noticed. Let therefore the attention never sleep when the intention is so wide awake. And if the other puts himself second so to hide his plan, put yourself first to discover it. Prudence can discern the artifices which such a man uses, and notices the pretexts he puts forward to gain his ends. He aims at one thing to get another; then he turns round smartly and fires straight at his target. It is well to know what you grant him, and at times it is desirable to give him to understand that you understand.