致读者：
许多作家都渴望名垂青史，这是他们写作的最大动力。有一部分为数不多的人能成功；还有一些人能够获得更大的成功，他们的声名会伴随作品流传后世，就像古人的杰作之于我们一样，但这样的人或许更少。我们星相学家追求美名的雄心壮志与作家不遑多让，在痛苦地观测与辛劳地计算之后，如果看到作品在年末像废纸般被扔掉，我们会感到万分耻辱。唯一能够安慰我们的是，即使它们生命短暂，也比大部分同代作品寿命更长。
而我们被指责重复着西西弗斯古希腊神话中的一个国王，因触犯宙斯被罚将一块巨石推到山顶上；每次快到山顶时，石头会滚下去，西西弗斯就又要重新开始。劳而无获的悲剧，每年推着大石头，向缪斯山上攀登，却永远无法到达山顶，石块总是很快又轰然滚落下来。
亲爱的读者，这是我第十七个年头的工作成果。你们对我的鼓励即使不能让我戴上桂冠，至少也使我得到财富上的收获，可能后者还更好。生前衣食无忧可能比死后获得赞誉更为实在。
去年历书里有几个小错没改过来；有些是作者的原因，但大部分是印刷商的缘故：就让每个人承担各自的责任，承认过错，亡羊补牢吧。在8月的第2页，我提到仅次于28的吉祥数字是120；这是个错误，120并不是什么吉祥数字；仅次于28的吉祥数字是496。第一个吉祥数字是6；就让那些喜欢数学问题的好奇读者自己算出第四个吉祥数字吧。一部分书在3月的第2页写着地球赤道的周长大约是4000英里，而不是24000英里，漏掉了开头的数字“2”这是印刷商的过失；他还有些吝啬元音，滥用辅音，把诗歌里一处made（制作）印成mad（疯狂）另一处warp’d（扭曲）成了wrapp’d（缠绕）这样一来，文字的意思彻底破坏了，只剩下几个押韵的音节。是原谅还是斥责这些和其他类似的错误，就让读者以他们的头脑来做决定吧。因为发生这种情况时，遭受损失和伤害的主要是读者。如果他头一次阅读时无法领会到我的意思，那他可能永远都不会理解了，因为十有八九他不会再看第二遍。 印书商确实应该加倍谨慎，别漏掉一个数字或字母，因为这时常会谬以千里。我听说，在一本新版英国国教祈祷书中有这么一句话“眨眼之间，我们皆将改变（changed）因为漏掉了一个字母，变成‘我们皆将被吊死（hanged）教徒们第一次读到时吃惊不小。’”
好心的读者，衷心祝愿您和家人新年愉快。
您最忠实的朋友，
R.桑德斯钢铁钻石极度坚硬，了解自己困难重重。
There are three Things extreamly hard, Steel, a Diamond and to know one"s self.
饥饿是最好的开胃菜。肚饿不挑食。
Hunger is the best Pickle.
能控制冲动的人也能统率他人，被冲动控制的人只能臣服于人。
He is a Governor that governs his Passions, and he a Servant that serves them.
谦逊低调让其他优点与美德增价十倍。
A Cypher and Humility make the other Figures & Virtues of tenfold Value.
若不是为填饱肚皮，背上早已披金戴银。温饱第一。
If it were not for the Belly, the Back might wear Gold.
坐怀不乱，敌人自乱。要制服敌手，自己得刚正不阿。
Wouldst thou confound thine Enemy, be good thy self.
骄傲好比乞丐般招摇，且更惹人厌烦。
Pride is as loud a Beggar as Want, and a great deal more saucy.
偿还所欠下的，便知自己价值几何。
Pay what you owe, and what you"re worth you"ll know.
悔恨没有任何用处，只会导致罪恶。
Sorrow is good for nothing but Sin.
许多人以为自己买下了快乐，实际上是出卖自己，成了快乐的奴隶。
Many a Man thinks he is buying Pleasure, when he is really selling himself a Slave to it.
要么栽种好果子，要么什么都别种。
Graft good Fruit all,
Or graft not at all.
贫穷但诚实的确不易做到（但很光荣）空麻袋，站不直，一旦挺直硬梆梆。
Tis hard (but glorious) to be poor and honest: An empty Sack can hardly stand upright; but if it does, "tis a stout one!
能够接受批评并改正，即非智者也离之不远。
He that can bear a Reproof, and mend by it, if he is not wise, is in a fair way of being so.
失去美德，无人欢乐。
No one can be happy without virtue.
即使教义有益，山羊也左耳进右耳出。
即使布道良善，也无法让人克制悔过。
Sound, & sound Doctrine, may pass through a Ram"s Horn, and a Preacher, without straitening the one, or amending the other.
要指出我的缺点，先洗干净你的手指。镜子不能只照别人不照自己。
Clean your Finger, before you point at my Spots.
打翻朗姆酒，不过是喝不到酒；若是喝下肚，常常酒没魂也散。饮酒误事。
He that spills the Rum, loses that only; He that drinks it,
often loses both that and himself.
书写是一个多么令人赞叹的发明啊！一个人可以不必开口便交流自己的思想，而且可以传播到1000里格里格，古代距离单位，1里格约合4.8公里，这里言其极远。之外，甚至是未来，只要利用22个字母，就可以获得5852616738497664000种组合，能够在非常有限的范围内表达一切事情。可惜的是，这么杰出的艺术，却没有记载下创造者的大名和事迹。
What an admirable Invention is Writing, by which a Man may communicate his Mind without opening his Mouth, and at 1000 Leagues Distance, and even to future Ages, only by the Help of 22 Letters, which may be joined 5852616738497664000 Ways, and will express all Things in a very narrow Compass. "Tis a Pity this excellent Art has not preserved the Name and Memory of its Inventor.
事情太多，难免出错。
Those that have much Business must have much Pardon.
换床治不好发烧，转行解决不了愤懑。
Discontented Minds, and Fevers of the Body are not to be cured by changing Beds or Businesses.
小斧子砍倒大橡树。水滴石穿。
Little Strokes,
Fell great Oaks.
可以聪明一时，无法聪明一世。
You may be too cunning for One, but not for All.
缺乏教育的天才好比矿山里的白银。
Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine.
许多人靠耍小聪明过活，奈何智慧有限，落得穷困窘境。
Many would live by their Wits, but break for want of Stock.
穷而待人坦诚，死后没有麻烦。
Poor Plain dealing! dead without Issue!
你可以原谅自己的错，为何不能原谅妻子的小瑕疵？
You can bear your own Faults, and why not a Fault in your Wife.
谦虚是美德，扭捏却是错。
Tho" Modesty is a Virtue, Bashfulness is a Vice.
别掩藏你的天赋，天生我材必有用。
如果不用，就像把日晷日晷，古人利用太阳光照射角度的变化进行计时的一种工具。放在树荫下！
Hide not your Talents, they for Use were made.
What"s a SunDial in the Shade!
若不了解事物本质，徒知表面又有何用？
What signifies knowing the Names, if you know not the Natures of Things.
提姆学识渊博，会用九种语言说“马”但愚蠢的是，他买了头牛来骑。四体不勤，五谷不分。
Tim was so learned, that he could name a Horse in nine Languages; So ignorant, that he bought a Cow to ride on.
黄金时代永远不会是当下。
The Golden Age never was the present Age.
以家族为荣，那是耻辱！
成为家族的荣耀才是正道。
"Tis a Shame that your Family is an Honour to you! You ought to be an Honour to your Family.
玻璃、瓷器和名声，易碎而且难修复。
Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack"d, and never well mended.