231．不让他人看到未成之事

不让他人看到未成之事。只有完成了的作品才能让人欣赏。万物在起初之时都不成形，这种不成形会给人留下很深的印象。想起曾看见的不完美，就会妨碍人们欣赏已经完成的作品。一口吞下大块食物，就难以分辨其中的成分，但人的味觉却可得到满足。事在形成之前，什么都不是；就算在形成过程中，也依然等于零。看着别人制作最美味的菜肴，也会感到倒胃口，而非食欲大开。每位大师都应注意，不要让作品在形成阶段被人看见。要向自然之母学习，在胎儿可以见人之后，才让其出生。

231．Never let things be seen half-finished

Never let things be seen half-finished. They can only be enjoyed when complete. All beginnings are misshapen, and this deformity sticks in the imagination. The recollection of having seen a thing imperfect disturbs our enjoyment of it when completed. To swallow something great at one gulp may disturb the judgment of the separate parts, but satisfies the taste. Till a thing is everything, it is nothing, and while it is in process of being it is still nothing. To see the tastiest dishes prepared arouses rather disgust than appetite. Let each great master take care not to let his work be seen in its embryonic stages: they might take this lesson from Mother Nature, who never brings the child to the light till it is fit to be seen.