卡丹警句·通论　为学之道与断语的分寸

1. Life is short, Art long, Experience not easily obtained, Judgement difficult, and therefore it is necessary, that a Student not only exercise himself in considering several Figures, but also that he diligently read the writings of others who have treated rationally of this Science, and make it his business to find out the true natural causes of things by experiments, to know the certain places and processions of the Planets and Fixed Stars, Constellations, etc., but above all to be a passionate lover of truth.

第一条：人生短促，技艺长久，经验不易获得，判断艰难；因此学者不仅要多多演练、推敲各种星盘，还要勤读前人中依理论述此学者的著作，并致力于以实验寻求事物真正的自然原因，熟知行星、恒星、星群等的确切位置与行进；而最要紧的，是要做一个热爱真理的人。

2. The Principles of Art are three, Reason, Sense, and Experience, but the Principles of Operations four, viz.: The Planets, The Parts of Heaven, The Fixed Stars, and the Site or Position of all those in respect of one another.

第二条：技艺的原则有三，即理性、感觉与经验；而运作的原则有四，即行星、天的各部分、恒星，以及这一切彼此之间的方位或位置。

3. There are some things perfectly known, as the Circle of Ascension, some in a competent measure, as the Revolution of the Sun; some may be known although they yet are not, as the Revolution of the Superiors; some things fall under knowledge, yet cannot be exactly known, as the precise Ingress of the Sun into the Equinoctial Point; some are neither known, nor can be known, as the complete commixtures and distinct virtues of all the Stars.

第三条：有些事是完全知道的，如上升之圈；有些知道得差不多够用，如太阳的回归；有些虽然尚未知道却可以知道，如上行星的回归；有些可以纳入知识，却无法确切知道，如太阳进入分点的精确时刻；有些既不知道，也无法知道，如诸星全部的混合与各自不同的效力。

4. It is much worse for an Artist to conceive he knows those things which he is ignorant of; than to be ignorant of those things which he ought to know.

第四条：一个术者自以为懂得其实不懂的事，比不懂他本应懂的事，要糟糕得多。

5. Mean learning with an excellent judgement, avails more than a mean judgement with the greatest learning, yet is judgement very much assisted and perfected by learning: but everything prospers better, and is far more easily perfected that has nature for its guide and favourable stars, than that which is attempted by human industry though never so diligent.

第五条：平常的学问配上卓越的判断力，胜过平常的判断力配上最渊博的学问；不过判断力确实大大得益于学问，并由学问而臻于完善。然而凡事以天性为向导、又有吉星相助者，比单凭人力去做——无论多么勤勉——都更为顺遂，也更容易成就。

6. He that has too great a conceit of himself will be apt to fall into many errors in his judgement; yet on the other side, he that is too diffident, is not fit for this Science.

第六条：过于自负的人，判断时容易犯许多错误；反过来，过于缺乏自信的人，也不适合这门学问。

7. He that would truly promote Art must insist as much on the confutation of false opinions delivered by others, as in the declaration of truth.

第七条：真心要推进这门技艺的人，驳斥别人所传的谬说，须与阐明真理一样用力。

8. An Astrologer is so far only true and honest, as he depends in his conjectures on principles of natural philosophy, and since those Arts which are inherent in their proper subjects, cannot promise any certainty concerning matters to come, the Astrologer ought never to pronounce anything absolutely or peremptorily of future contingencies.

第八条：占星家只有在他的推测依据自然哲学的原理时，才算真实而诚实；而既然那些内在于其固有对象的技艺，不能对将来之事许诺任何确定，占星家对未来的偶然之事，就绝不应绝对地、斩钉截铁地宣告什么。

9. Truths of themselves are to be desired, for Science itself is a certain good, now the expectation of future good very much delights us, and on the contrary, when future evils are foreseen, we may either avoid them, mitigate them, or at least bear them more contentedly.

第九条：真理本身就值得追求，因为知识本身就是一种确实的好处；而对将来之好事的期待，使我们大为欢欣；反过来，将来的坏事若被预见，我们或可避开它，或可减轻它，至少能较为坦然地承受它。

10. Heaven is the instrument of the most High God, whereby he acts upon, and governs inferior things.

第十条：天是至高上帝的器具，他借它作用于并治理下界之物。

11. He that asserts things that can never be proved by experience is deceived and ambitious, but thus it always happens, those that are most ignorant of Art delight to boast of doing things difficult or wonderful.

第十一条：断言那些永远无法由经验证明之事的人，不是受了骗，就是好虚名；但事情总是这样：最不懂这门技艺的人，最爱夸口能做艰难或神奇的事。

12. It is all one as to promoting of Art, etc., and the knowledge thereof, either from Nativities known, to predict what shall happen, or after accidents have happened, to discover the Nativities before unknown which are thereby rectified, but as to vulgar opinion, the first way far exceeds the last.

第十二条：就推进这门技艺及其知识而言，由已知的本命去预言将要发生的事，与在事情发生之后去发现先前未知的本命、并借此加以校正，二者是一样的；但就世俗的看法而言，前一种远胜过后一种。

13. He that goes about to destroy Art, is far worse than he that is unskilled in it, for his mind is full of malice and idleness as well as ignorance.

第十三条：企图毁掉这门技艺的人，远比不通此术的人更坏，因为他的心中除了无知，还充满恶意与懒惰。

14. Men may be said almost to be compelled by the Stars, even in voluntary actions, by means of their corrupt affections and ignorance.

第十四条：可以说，人几乎是被群星所迫的，即使在自愿的行为中也是如此，那是由于他们败坏的情欲与无知。

15. Always deliver judgements from the Stars in general terms, or if thou dost otherwise let it be when thou hast very evident testimonies and in great and weighty matters.

第十五条：依星象下判断时，总要说得概括些；若你要不这样做，就只在有非常明显的见证、又是重大要紧之事时才这样做。

16. We ought not to use arguments or tedious discourses in giving judgement, much less flatteries, but only to pronounce what is known by experience and firm reason.

第十六条：下判断时，我们不应长篇论证、絮絮叨叨，更不应阿谀奉承，只应宣告由经验与可靠的理由所知道的东西。

17. A main reason why events are so rarely foretold by Astrologers, is because the Art is yet but imperfectly discovered, for hitherto those that have been most excellent in it, being commonly old persons, have despaired to live to see the fortunes of children newly-born, and the Nativities of persons grown up, being uncertain, they scarce thought them worth so much labour.

第十七条：占星家很少能把事情预言准的一个主要原因，是这门技艺至今只被不完全地发现；因为迄今在此术上最出色的人，通常都是老人，他们不指望能活着看到新生婴儿的命运；而成年人的本命又不确定，他们几乎认为不值得费这么大的功夫。

18. When true genitures exactly taken in accidents prove false or absurd, and not agreeable to the things signified, they are to be accounted monstrous, and are to be avoided as anatomists do monstrous bodies in their dissections; for they overthrow Art.

第十八条：真确的命盘，按所发生的事件精确校定之后，若仍显得错谬或荒唐，与所征象之事不相符，就应把它当作畸形之物，像解剖学家在解剖中避开畸形的躯体那样避开它；因为它们会推翻这门技艺。

19. Generals are to be gathered from Singulars, and Singulars from Generals, and an Artist ought always to learn to distinguish between that which is by itself, and that which is only by accident.

第十九条：通则要从个别中归纳，个别要从通则中推出；术者应时时学会分辨什么是出于其自身的，什么只是出于偶然的。

20. The strength and efficacy of Fixed Stars is to be considered from their magnitude, their splendours, their natures or properties, their nearness to the Ecliptic, their place in the World, their multitude, their first oriental appearance, the purity of their place, the similitude or agreement of the body or rays of a Planet with them and their circle of position.

第二十条：恒星的强弱与效力，要从以下几点来考察：它们的星等、亮度、本性或性质、与黄道的远近、在世界中的位置、数目多少、初次东出、所在之处的纯净、行星的星体或光线与它们的相似或相合，以及它们的位置圈。

21. The Light of the time is the Sun in the day, and morning twilight; and the Moon in the night when she is above the Earth, and in her morning rising: so that sometimes there may be two lights of the time, sometimes it so happens that there is none.

第二十一条：当令之光，白天是太阳，清晨的曙光时分也是；夜里则是月亮，当她在地平之上时，以及在她晨升之时；所以有时可能有两个当令之光，有时又恰巧一个也没有。

22. When a Planet is within five degrees of the cusp of any house, it shall be accounted to have virtue in that house though actually posited behind the cusp in another house.

第二十二条：一颗行星离任何一宫的宫头在五度之内时，即使它实际上落在宫头后面、属于另一宫，也应算它在这一宫中有力量。

23. Not only Trines and Sextiles may be counted friendly aspects, but even Squares and Oppositions too, if there happen a Reception.

第二十三条：不仅三分与六分可算友好的相位，连四分与对冲也可以，只要有接纳。