Роздуми
Book 4
What’stheretocomplainabout?People’smisbehavior?Buttakeintoconsideration:
•thatrationalbeingsexistforoneanother;
•thatdoingwhat’srightsometimesrequirespatience;
•thatnoonedoesthewrongthingdeliberately;
•andthenumberofpeoplewhohavefeudedandenviedandhatedandfoughtanddiedandbeenburied.
...andkeepyourmouthshut.
Orareyoucomplainingaboutthethingstheworldassignsyou?Butconsiderthetwooptions:Providenceoratoms.Andalltheargumentsforseeingtheworldasacity.
Orisityourbody?Keepinmindthatwhentheminddetachesitselfandrealizesitsownnature,itnolongerhasanythingtodowithordinarylife—theroughandthesmooth,eitherone.Andrememberallyou’vebeentaught—andaccepted—aboutpainandpleasure.
Orisityourreputationthat’sbotheringyou?Butlookathowsoonwe’reallforgotten.Theabyssofendlesstimethatswallowsitall.Theemptinessofallthoseapplaudinghands.Thepeoplewhopraiseus—howcapricioustheyare,howarbitrary.Andthetinyregioninwhichitalltakesplace.Thewholeearthapointinspace—andmostofituninhabited.Howmanypeopletherewillbetoadmireyou,andwhotheyare.
Sokeepthisrefugeinmind:thebackroadsofyourself.Aboveall,nostrainandnostress.Bestraightforward.
