民之从事，常于几成而败之。慎终如始，则无败事。
《老子》第64章
People often fail when they are about to succeed in their work. If they are as careful in the end as at the beginning, they will not ruin their work.
[注释]
几:将要。贾谊《论积贮疏》:“汉之为汉，几四十年矣。”慎终:谨慎小心，始终如一。败事:把事情办坏。
老子认为，无论做什么事情，不仅要有坚强的毅力，从小处做起，而且还必须谨慎小心，始终如一，才能成就大事业。
[译文]
人们做事，常常在快要成功的时候失败了。如果谨慎小心，始终如一，就不会把事情办坏。