尊敬的读者：
在这里，我想大概可以宣布自己写这本历书别无所图，只为让公众受益，以此有幸获得各位的好感，不过这样说我就不算诚恳了。而且现在的人都聪明得很，再圆的谎也瞒不过他们。那就实话实说吧，我穷得叮当响，我妻子，一个好女人，我说她心高气傲。她说她坐在那里忙着纺纱织布，而我只知道瞪眼看星星，啥也不干，真让她受不了。她还不止一次威胁说，如果我不利用我的书和那些叮铃咣啷的玩意儿（她这样称呼我的仪器）为这个家做点贡献，她就把它们全都付之一炬。印刷商向我承诺了一笔可观的利润分成，我便遵敝夫人之命，动笔撰写这本历书了。
其实这个动机多年前就足够驱使我出版历书了，可是出于对我的好友兼同窗泰坦·利兹先生的敬意，我实在不愿伤害他的利益。不过这一障碍（我很不愿意用这个词）很快就要消失了。冷酷无情的死亡从不会尊敬人类的成就，它已经做好准备发动致命的冲刺。毁灭女魔已经伸出她那致命的剪刀，那位天才很快就不得不离我们而去。应他的要求，我掐算他会在1733年10月17日下午3点29分，正好是太阳和水星交汇的时刻死去。可按他的计算，他会活到当月26日。这点小小的差异害得我们在过去的九年中，每次碰面都会为此争论不休，不过他终于倾向于认可我的判断了。我们俩究竟谁算得准，很快便可见分晓。由于今年之后，他可能就没机会庆祝生日了，我想我也可以接下这个任务，并期望得到人们的鼓励。因而我殷切希望购买敝人历书的顾客们能把这看作不仅是在购买一件有用的工具，而且也是在行善举，帮助你们穷苦的朋友和奴仆，
R.桑德斯
永远不要节约牧师赐的酒，也不要吝啬面包师给的布丁。
Never spare the Parson"s wine, nor the Baker"s pudding.
编者注：此书原文的单词拼写、首字母大小写、语法和行文习惯等，与现代英语用法有诸多不同之处，为保留文字原貌，编者未作任何改动或修饰。特此说明。
到别人家中去拜访，要像冬季的白昼那样短，免得被人嫌弃遭驱赶。
Visits should be short, like a winters day, Lest you"re too troublesome hasten away.
无女人与炉火之房屋，犹如无灵魂或精神之身体。
A house without woman & Firelight, is like a body without soul or sprite.
伴君如伴虎。
Kings & Bears often worry their keepers.
荷包瘪，心事重。
Light purse, heavy heart.
傻瓜才会让他的医生成为继承人。
He"s a Fool that makes his Doctor his Heir.
勿娶老婆，直到有房（和炉火）让她安身。
Ne"er take a wife till thou hast a house (& a fire) to put her in.
他走了，什么都没忘，只忘记和债主告别。
He"s gone, and forgot nothing but to say Farewell to his creditors.
爱之深，责之切。
Love well, whip well.
腹饥不挑食。
Hunger never saw bad bread.
当心煮过两次的肉和修好的旧敌。
Beware of meat twice boil"d, & an old foe reconcil"d.
说话的巨人，行动的矮子。
Great Talkers, little Doers.
有钱的恶棍，如一只肥猪，从不做啥好事，直到一命呜呼。
A rich rogue, is like a fat hog, who never does good till as dead as a log.
是熟人但无友情，有友情但无权力，有权力但无意志，有意志但无成效，有成效但无收益，有收益但无美德，归根到底，都是一文不值。
Relation without friendship, friendship without power, power without will, will without effect, effect without profit, & profit without virtue, are not worth a farto.
吃饭是为了活着，但活着不是为了吃饭。
Eat to live, and not live to eat.
三月起风，四月下雨，五月因此风和日丽。
March windy, and April rainy, makes May the pleasantest month of any.
伟人之恩赐不是白得的遗产。
The favour of the Great is no inheritance.
愚者设筵，智者赴宴。
Fools make feasts and wise men eat "em.
行医的年轻易犯错，理发的年老易破头。
Beware of the young Doctor & the old Barber.
他用独眼马换盲马。火上浇油，雪上加霜。
He has chang"d his one ey"d horse for a blind one.
穷人所持无几，乞丐两手空空，富人盆满钵盈，均不恰到好处。
The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.
姑娘、客人和雨天，男人三天就厌倦。
After 3 days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, & weather rainy.
要长寿，少吃肉。
To lengthen thy Life, lessen thy Meals.
检验金子的是烈火，检验女人的是金子，检验男人的是女人。
The proof of gold is fire, the proof of woman, gold; the proof of man, a woman.
每一顿饕餮盛宴后都有一位绞尽脑汁的厨师。
After feasts made, the maker scratches his head.
享用过度，产业无多。女人只顾喝茶，忘了纺衣织布。
Many estates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forsook spinning & knitting.
躺下同狗睡，起来满身虱。近朱者赤，近墨者黑。
He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.
食物越肥美，意志越薄弱。
A fat kitchin, a lean Will.
多心多安全，小心小风险。
Distrust & caution are the parents of security.
言多易失。
Tongue double, brings trouble.
把酒好交流，决策要清醒。
Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.
喝酒快者买单慢。
He that drinks fast, pays slow.
大饥荒，狼吃狼。
Great famine when wolves eat wolves.
失去好妻子就是失去上帝的礼物。
A good Wife lost is God"s gift lost.
被教化的马，需教化的女人，常教化的老师。
A taught horse, and a woman to teach, and teachers practising what they preach.
人无美德，好比衣衫褴褛。
He is ill cloth"d, who is bare of Virtue.
笨蛋的心在口中，智者的口在心上。
The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
西瓜难定生熟，人心难知善恶。
Men & Melons are hard to know.
知道大多数药物无效，只有这样的医生最好。
He"s the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.
天才在自己的国家里，就像藏在矿山里的黄金。
A fine genius in his own country, is like gold in the mine.
老人将一切都传给了儿子：傻孩子！记得睡觉之前脱掉衣服。
The old Man has given all to his Son: O fool! to undress thyself before thou art going to bed.
没有毫无威胁的敌人。
There is no little enemy.
他丢掉了靴子，但保住了马刺。凡事要看光明的一面。
He has lost his Boots but sav"d his spurs.
咸肉和奶酪当省着点吃。
Cheese and salt meat, should be sparingly eat.
门和墙防不住小人。偷盗难防。
Doors and walls are fools paper.
对恶棍好，他反而会欺负你；给恶棍点颜色看，他却对你尊敬。
Anoint a villain and he"ll stab you, stab him & he"l anoint you.
口渴要喝，脚湿要烘。此句为行军要诀。
Keep your mouth wet, feet dry.
想要面包的人，什么都能出卖。
Where bread is wanting, all"s to be sold.
要和恶棍做交易，破财失信行不得。
There is neither honour nor gain, got in dealing with a villain.
我猜傻瓜空许愿，永不会让火熄灭。
The fool hath made a vow, I guess, Never to let the Fire have peace.
瑞雪兆丰年。
Snowy winter, a plentiful harvest.
醉酒的人最接近于傻瓜。
Nothing more like a Fool, than a drunken Man.
上帝时常创造奇迹；君不见，昔日君子，今日律师。
God works wonders now & then; Behold! a Lawyer, an honest Man!
生活纵欲，生命易朽。
He that lives carnally, won"t live eternally.
清者自清。
Innocence is its own Defence.
古诗人云，时间吞噬一切。
时代变迁，如今时间洗刷一切。
Time eateth all things, could old Poets say;
The Times are chang"d, our times drink all away.
不必介意，假期后她便会清醒，一如从前。
Never mind it, she"l be sober after the Holidays.