Laudator Temporis Acti

Baltasar Gracián (1601-1658), Oráculo manual y arte de prudencia 221 (tr. Christopher Maurer):

Don't be hotheaded, putting yourself or others at risk. Some are obstacles to their own dignity, and to that of others. They are always on the verge of foolishness. They are easy to find and difficult to get along with. They are not content with a hundred annoyances a day. Everything rubs them the wrong way, and they contradict as many people as they rub up against. They put their judgment on backward and disapprove of everything. But those who most try our prudence are those who do nothing well and speak ill of everything. The land of discontent is a spacious one, filled with monsters.

No ser ocasionado, ni para empeñarse, ni para empeñar. Ai tropieços del decoro, tanto proprio como ageno, siempre a punto de necedad. Encuéntranse con gran facilidad y rompen con infelicidad. No lo hazen al día con cien enfados. Tienen el humor al repelo, y assí contradizen a quantos y quanto ai. Calçáronse el juizo al revés, y assí todo lo reprueban. Pero los mayores tentadores de la cordura son los que nada hazen bien y de todo dizen mal, que ai muchos monstros en el estendido país de la impertinencia.