The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [10]
14. He will not wish to dwell on men’s faults, or carp at his fellows, but by diligently observing and practising precepts he will direct his actions by the commandments of reason.
15. The wise know that the good and the bad can be absolute, and can be relative:
16. Absolute, when the demand is to seek good and act upon it;
17. Relative, when one recognises that the same thing can be good, bad or indifferent according to circumstance,
18. As when music is good to one who is melancholy, bad to one who mourns, indifferent to the deaf.
19. The wise call things good when they enhance the activity of life and bring benefit;
20. The wise call things bad when they hinder activity, and bring malignity, discord and pain.
21. But the wise recognise too that misperception of things, and inadequacy of ideas, can make things seem bad that have good in them, or are inevitable and must be borne;
22. For the grace of bearing life’s inevitable evils is itself a good, and makes goodness arise even from evils by opposing them or enduring them with courage.
23. The mind has power over the emotions, and can be free. Whence it appears how potent are the wise, and how much they surpass the ignorant, who are driven by appetites and fears.
24. For the ignorant are distracted by external causes which never gain the true acquiescence of their minds, so that they live unwitting of themselves and of things.
25. Whereas the wise are less disturbed because they are more aware of themselves and of things, and understand necessities, and are capable of true acquiescence of mind.
26. The question to be asked at the end of each day is, ‘How long will you delay to be wise?’
Chapter 7
1. Some things lie under our control and others not. Things we may control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions.
2. Things far less in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.
3. What we can ourselves control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish, limited, and belong to others.
4. Remember, then, that if you wrongly suppose that things which are slavish by nature are also free, and that what belongs to others is your own, you will be hindered.
5. You will lament, you will be disturbed, you will find fault both with the people about you and with the tools you use.
6. But if you rightly suppose those things are your own which are truly your own, and what belongs to others is not your own, then no one will be able to compel or hinder you.
7. And you will find fault with no one or accuse no one. To the extent possible in a world of conflicts, you will do nothing against your will, no one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, you will not be harmed.
8. Aiming therefore at such great things, remember that you must not allow yourself to be carried, even with a slight tendency, towards the attainment of lesser things.
9. Instead, entirely quit what is bad, and postpone what is doubtful. But if you would have these great things, and also desire power and riches, consider:
10. How can he gain the latter with honour and peace, if he aims at the former too?
11. Only the former guarantees happiness and freedom, while the latter are always uncertain.
12. Work, therefore, to be able to say to every harsh appearance, ‘You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you appear to be.’
13. Examine appearances by the rules of reason, first and chiefly by this: whether it concerns the things which are in our own control, or those which are not;
14. And, if it concerns anything not in our control, be prepared to say that it is nothing to you.
15. The question to be asked at the end of each day is, ‘How long will you delay to be wise?’
Chapter 8
1. It has been said, that to learn how to philosophise is to learn how to die.
2. The wise die less than the unwise; the wise die fewer times than the unwise;