revenge is a kind of wild justice; which the more man’s nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out for as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong, putteth the law out of office. certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior: for it is a prince’s part to pardon. and solomon, i am sure, saith, it is the glory of a man to pass by an offence. that which is past, is gone, and irrevocable; and wise men have enough to do, with things present, and to come: therefore, they do but trifle with themselves, that labour in past matters. there is no man doth a wrong, for the wrong’s sake; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honour, or the like. therefore why should i be angry with a man, for loving himself better than me?

復(fù)仇是一種野生的裁判。人類底天性越是向著它，法律就越應(yīng)當(dāng)耘除它。因?yàn)轭^一個(gè)罪惡不過(guò)是觸犯了法律;可是報(bào)復(fù)這件罪惡的舉動(dòng)卻把法律底位子奪了。無(wú)疑地，復(fù)了仇不過(guò)使一個(gè)人和他底仇人得平而已，但若置而不較，他就比他底仇人高出一等了;因?yàn)閷掑冻饠呈蔷醯讱飧乓?。確信所羅門有言：“人有怨仇而不報(bào)是他底光榮”。過(guò)去的事情是已經(jīng)過(guò)去了，并且是叫不回來(lái)了;明智的人留心現(xiàn)在和將來(lái)的事情已經(jīng)夠忙的了;所以那些勞勞于過(guò)去的事情的人簡(jiǎn)直是枉費(fèi)心力而已。沒(méi)有人是為了作惡而作惡的;而是為了要給自己取得利益、樂(lè)趣、或榮譽(yù)、或類此的事情的。因此為什么我要對(duì)著某人因?yàn)樗麗?ài)自己勝于愛(ài)我而生氣呢?