六九、偏激之人 難建功業

69. Those who are liable to go to extremes can hardly make any contributions.

燥性者火熾，遇物則焚；寡恩者冰清，逢物必殺①；凝滯②固執者，如死水腐木，生機已絕。俱難建功業而延福祉。

【注 釋】

① 逢物必殺：意即遇到什麼就加害什麼。

② 凝滯：呆板且缺乏活力。

【今文解譯】

性情暴躁的人就像熾熱的火焰，遇到什麼就焚毀什麼；寡恩薄義的人就像冷酷的冰塊，遇到什麼就扼殺什麼；呆板固執的人就像一潭死水或一塊朽木，毫無生的氣息。這三種人都難以建立功業，也不足以承傳福祉。

【English Translation】

Those who have irascible temperament are as fierce as raging flames; whatever they come across they burn it up. Those who grudge bestowing favors on others are as cold as ice; whatever they run into they do it harm. Those who are idiotic and obstinate are like dead water or rotten wood, without any vitality. Such people mentioned above can hardly make contributions to the society and carry forward good fortune.