尊敬的读者：
尽管我的历书只能向您提供一些诸如每个月的吉时良辰、重要的日子、月亮的阴晴圆缺、太阳和月亮的升落以及潮汐和天气的预报等信息，除此之外没有什么别的用处，但我相信它还是对得起您花的钱。我年复一年地精心准备这些知识和其他一些天文常识，供您使用，让您愉悦，并且当下正准备介绍土星两次新的公转。不过我希望您获益的不仅是这些，我在每一处空白的地方见缝插针，加入了很多道德箴言、智慧谚语与节俭格言，力求让读者对诚实、理智、勤奋和节俭的好处留下深刻印象。如果您有注意到这点并身体力行，很可能已经更加智慧和富有，得到的收获数倍于为我的劳作支付的几个小钱。当然我的历书不会因为您变得富有而涨价，正相反，为了感谢您一直以来的支持，我还加入了一些修身养性、有益健康的小窍门。这些都是由专业人士推荐，或是经过实践证明的方法。愿相信并有意实践的人幸福安康。
您忠实的朋友，
R.桑德斯
智者不会受时运影响，正如月圆月缺也无法动摇他。
A Change of Fortune hurts a wise Man no more than a Change of the Moon.
尽管伤害、过失和争斗令你不悦，
想信上天的祝福会使你重新振作。
Does Mischief, Misconduct, & Warrings displease ye;
Think there"s a Providence, "twill make ye easy.
“我的”好过“我们的”
Mine is better than Ours.
爱你的敌人吧，他们指出了你的缺陷。
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
人有一技之长，不愁钱财名誉。
He that has a Trade, has an Office of Profit and Honour.
对所有人彬彬有礼；
助很多人一臂之力；
和一些人交情甚好；
和一个人结为挚友；
说到敌人一个没有。
Be civil to all; serviceable to many; familiar with few; Friend to one; Enemy to none.虚荣只开花不结果。
VainGlory flowereth, but beareth no Fruit.
如何省下十万英镑
Plan for saving one hundred thousand pounds
去年冬天有几周，我走访泽西岛的老朋友，老是听他抱怨没钱，付不起的账单越积越多。朋友和乡亲们，我对此人的建议不会花您一个子儿。如果您不会因为这些而对我生气的话，我可以保证，就算你并不接受它们，我也不会感到被冒犯。
据说，您每年花在欧洲、东印度群岛和西印度群岛的商品上的钱至少有二十万英镑：假设有一半开销是完全必需的，另一半可以称为多余开销，或者说好听点，是便利资金，没有这些钱您也可以过上一年，而且也不会受很多苦。为了节省这一半钱，需按以下几点去做。
1. 当您想买新衣服的时候，先好好看一看旧衣服，要是洗净或者缝补之后，时不时可以在明年继续穿。记住，衣服上多一块补丁，口袋里多一分钱，总要比被人上诉和没钱还债要好得多，也更值得信赖。
1. When you incline to have new Cloaths, look first well over the old Ones, and see if you cannot shift with them another Year, either by Scouring, Mending, or even Patching if necessary. Remember a Patch on your Coat, and Money in your Pocket, is better and more creditable than a Writ on your Back, and no Money to take it off.
2. 当您打算买瓷器、中药、印度丝绸，或是其他一些轻薄易坏的产品时，我不会为难您，坚持说服您抛弃这想法。我所有的建议归结成一句，推迟到下一年（您的后悔也将一样推迟）这在一定程度上或许能使您免于后悔。
2. When you incline to buy China Ware, Chinces, India Silks, or any other of their flimsey slight Manufactures; I would not be so hard with you, as to insist on your absolutely resolving against it; all I advise, is, to put it off (as you do your Repentance) till another Year; and this, in some Respects, may prevent an Occasion of Repentance.
3. 如果您现在是潘趣酒、葡萄酒和茶的爱好者，每天要喝上两次的话，那么在接下来的一年里，每天喝上一次就停。如果您现在是一天喝一次，就减少到几天一次。如果您是一周喝一次，就减少到两周一次。假如您在减少次数的同时没有提升饮用量，花在这几样上的钱就可以节省一半。
3. If you are now a Drinker of Punch, Wine or Tea, twice a Day; for the ensuing Year drink them but once a Day. If you now drink them but once a Day, do it but every other Day. If you do it now but once a Week, reduce the Practice to once a Fortnight. And if you do not exceed in Quantity as you lessen the Times, half your Expence in these Articles will be saved.
4. 最后一点，当您打算喝朗姆酒的时候，在杯子里装一半水。
4thly and lastly, When you incline to drink Rum, fill the Glass half with Water.这样，到年末，您的国家就会多出十万英镑。
Thus at the Year"s End, there will be An Hundred Thousand Pounds more Money in your Country.虽然印制的纸币数量惊人，但没人可以不劳而获。不过，以这些方法节约下来的所有钱，都毫不费力地归他自己所有；国家也会真正富裕起来。之后，陈年旧债和糊涂帐都能偿还清楚。生意即使不太成功，从此以后也会更加稳当。
If Paper Money in ever so great a Quantity could be made, no Man could get any of it without giving something for it. But all he saves in this Way, will be his own for nothing; and his Country actually so much richer. Then the Merchants old and doubtful Debts may be honestly paid off, and Trading become surer thereafter, if not so extensive.刑责太轻，无人遵守；刑责太严，无法实施。
Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.
赋闲带来困扰；安逸产生辛劳。
Trouble springs from Idleness; Toil from Ease.
爱，且被爱。
Love, and be loved.
智者正当收获，合理使用，愉快分发，心满意足地离开，不会要求更多。
A wise Man will desire no more, than what he may get justly,use soberly, distribute chearfully, and leave contentedly.勤转动的纺织机干活快。
The diligent Spinner has a large Shift.
虚假的朋友就像影子，只有当太阳照耀时才出现在你身边。
A false Friend and a Shadow, attend only while the Sun shines.
明天，所有的错误都会改正；但是那样的明天永远不会来。
Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes.
懒鬼睡觉，你勤耕种；
庄稼满仓，可卖可藏。
Plough deep, while Sluggards sleep;
And you shall have Corn, to sell and to keep.
懒惰走得如此之慢，贫穷很快就会赶上它。
Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him.
亲兄弟，明算帐，
朋友才能做得长。
When a Friend deals with a Friend
Let the Bargain be clear and well penn"d,
That they may continue Friends to the End.
从不暴饮暴食的人也从不偷懒。
He that never eats too much, will never be lazy.为学识沾沾自满，好比被光弄花眼；恃美德而自傲，无异于解毒药吃过了头。
To be proud of Knowledge, is to be blind with Light; to be proud of Virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote.
能赚就赚，赚到守好；
这是点石成金的诀窍。
Get what you can, and what you get, hold;
"Tis the Stone that will turn all your Lead into Gold.
诚实的人不会接受自己不应得到的钱财和赞赏。
An honest Man will receive neither Money nor Praise, that is not his Due.
说和做，吵了嘴，分了手。
Saying and Doing, have quarrel"d and parted.
指出我的错误，改正你自己的错误。
Tell me my Faults, and mend your own.
好了，我的朋友，您现在来到又一年的最后一个月了。如果您是个细心经营的商人，现在应该可以盘点，搞清楚自己在过去的一年里是赚还是亏，赚了多少，亏了多少，以便来年更有效地调整经营方法或控制日常消费。这是值得称赞的，但还不够。您难道不打算反省下自己的道德准则，看看自己在日常行为上是否有所进步，改正了哪些缺陷，学到了哪些美德；就像计算您增加了多少财产一样，看看您是否也变得更好、更智慧了？如果一个人得到整个世界，却失去自己的灵魂，他又能如何？如果不在意这个方面，就算腰缠万贯，您在有见识的人眼里，依然一贫如洗，并且永远都是如此。
Well, my Friend, thou art now just entering the last Month of another Year. If thou art a Man of Business, and of prudent Care, belike thou wilt now settle thy Accounts, to satisfy thyself whether thou hast gain"d or lost in the Year past, and how much of either, the better to regulate thy future Industry or thy common Expences. This is commendable.——But it is not all.——Wilt thou not examine also thy moral Accompts, and see what Improvements thou hast made in the Conduct of Life, what Vice subdued, what Virtue acquired; how much better, and how much wiser, as well as how much richer thou art grown? What shall it profit a Man, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Without some Care in this Matter, tho" thou may"st come to count thy Thousands, thou wilt possibly still appear poor in the Eyes of the Discerning, even here, and be really so for ever hereafter.