15Aprilапреля · 15-е апреля
Последствия наших поступков никогда не могут быть доступны нам, потому что последствия наших поступков в бесконечном мире представляются нам бесконечными.
The consequences of our acts can never be within our grasp, because in an infinite world the consequences of our acts appear to us infinite.
1. Наши поступки — это наше, последствия же их — дело небес.
1. Our acts are our own; their consequences are the business of heaven.
Source not found yet .
Not found yet.
Not found. The Jubilee name index refers «Франциск» on vol. 41, p. 259, to Francis of Assisi, without a source; no saying of Francis of Assisi or of Francis de Sales with this sense was found. An unconfirmed lead: nineteenth-century English quotation books are thought to print 'Our actions are our own; their consequences belong to Heaven' over the bare name 'Francis' (Sir Philip Francis). No copy of it was found in a saved or searchable text. If it holds, «Франциск» is Tolstoy's reading of that signature.
Searched: Jubilee vols. 40 and 42; Southgate's two anthologies, Tileston, and Coit for 'consequences'; web searches for the English 'their consequences belong to Heaven' and for the French 'nos actions sont à nous'.
Translation note. The name is given as Tolstoy wrote it, «Франциск», “Francis”; which Francis is meant is uncertain. The Russian italic is broken only at the dashes; it is set here as one span.
2. Ты — поденщик; отработай свой день и получи свою поденную плату.
2. You are a day laborer: work your day through and receive your day’s wage.
Probably from Pirkei Avot · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorSigned “the Talmud”; the nearest passage found, Rabbi Tarfon’s in Pirkei Avot 2:15–16, has the laborers, the day, and the Employer who pays, but the words may render another passage, and Tolstoy’s two Russian anthologies of the Talmud were not found.
Original · Hebrewהַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק: …
וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ.
Source text: sefaria.orgIn English · Joseph I. Gorfinkle, 1913… faithful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor; …
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньТы поденщик; отработай свой день и получи свою поденную плату.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
A likely source, not certain. Pirkei Avot (Mishnah), 2:15–16 (Sefaria); 2:20–21 (Gorfinkle).
Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), March 23, word for word but for the dash after «Ты»: the first of three sayings printed there under one signature «Талмуд» (4-15.2, 4-15.3, 4-15.4). The nearest passage found is Rabbi Tarfon's in Pirkei Avot 2:15–16: "The day is short, the task is great, the laborers are sluggish, the reward is much, and the Master of the house is urgent", and "faithful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor". Tolstoy's day-labourer («поденщик»), his day, and his day's wage answer Tarfon's labourers, day, and Employer who pays; the shortness of the day, the size of the work, and the urgent master are absent, and the saying becomes a direct command («отработай свой день и получи свою поденную плату»). Candidate only: the words may render another passage. Tolstoy's Talmud sayings in that book came from his two Russian anthologies, Gurvich's «Живая мораль» (1901) and «Мировоззрение талмудистов» (1874–76) (Jubilee vol. 40 commentary), neither of them online.
3. Тщетны усилия людей проникнуть в тайну бытия бога: их дело только в том, чтобы соблюдать закон его.
3. Vain are the efforts of men to penetrate the mystery of God’s being: their business is only to keep his law.
Probably from Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorSigned “the Talmud”; probably Ben Sira’s counsel as the Talmud quotes it in Hagigah 13a, but the thought is common in rabbinic writing, so the source is only a candidate.
Original · Hebrewעד כאן יש לך רשות לדבר מכאן ואילך אין לך רשות לדבר שכן כתוב בספר בן סירא במופלא ממך אל תדרוש ובמכוסה ממך אל תחקור במה שהורשית התבונן אין לך עסק בנסתרות
Source text: sefaria.orgIn English · King James Version (Apocrypha), Ecclesiasticus 3:21–22, 1611Seek not out things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength.
But what is commanded thee, think thereupon with reverence, for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are in secret.
Source text: gutenberg.orgRelated · Wisdom of Jesus the Son of SirachЧрез меру трудного для тебя не ищи, и, что свыше сил твоих, того не испытывай.
Что заповедано тебе, о том размышляй; ибо не нужно тебе, что сокрыто.
Source text: ru.wikisource.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньТщетны усилия людей проникнуть в тайну бытия бога: их дело только в том, чтобы соблюдать закон его.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
A likely source, not certain. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 13a, quoting Ben Sira 3:21–22 (Synodal and KJV Sirach 3:21–22).
Word for word from Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), March 23, with 4-15.2 and 4-15.4 under one signature «Талмуд». Probably Ben Sira's counsel as the Talmud quotes it in Hagigah 13a, where the teaching on the divine chariot stops: "up to here you may speak, from here on you may not, for so it is written in the book of Ben Sira: what is too wonderful for you, do not seek; what is hidden from you, do not search; reflect on what you have been permitted; you have no business with hidden things". Tolstoy's «тайну бытия бога» (the mystery of God's being) is more pointed than Ben Sira's "what is too wonderful" and "hidden things", and «их дело только в том, чтобы соблюдать закон его» (their business is only to keep his law) turns "reflect on what you have been permitted" toward the commandments, as the Greek Sirach does ("what is commanded thee, think thereupon"; Synodal «Что заповедано тебе, о том размышляй»). Candidate only: the thought is common in rabbinic writing. Tolstoy's Talmud sayings in that book came from his two Russian anthologies, Gurvich's «Живая мораль» (1901) and «Мировоззрение талмудистов» (1874–76) (Jubilee vol. 40 commentary), neither of them online.
4. Исполняй долг свой, а последствия предоставь возложившему его на тебя.
4. Do your duty, and leave the consequences to him who laid it upon you.
Probably from Pirkei Avot · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorSigned “the Talmud”; the nearest passage found, Rabbi Tarfon’s in Pirkei Avot 2:16, has the work one may not desist from and the Employer who pays its reward, but it is only a candidate, and Tolstoy’s two Russian anthologies of the Talmud were not found.
Original · Hebrewלֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.
וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ.
Source text: sefaria.orgIn English · Joseph I. Gorfinkle, 1913It is not thy duty to complete the work, but neither art thou free to desist from it; …
… faithful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor; …
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньИсполняй долг свой, а последствия предоставь возложившему его на тебя.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
A likely source, not certain. Pirkei Avot (Mishnah), 2:16 (Sefaria); 2:21 (Gorfinkle).
Word for word from Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), March 23, the third saying under the signature «Талмуд». The nearest passage found is Rabbi Tarfon's in Pirkei Avot 2:16: "It is not thy duty to complete the work, but neither art thou free to desist from it; ... and faithful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor". Tolstoy makes the work a duty («Исполняй долг свой») and turns the Employer who pays into the one who laid the duty on you, to whom the consequences are left («а последствия предоставь возложившему его на тебя»); the reward is gone. Candidate only. Tolstoy's Talmud sayings in that book came from his two Russian anthologies, Gurvich's «Живая мораль» (1901) and «Мировоззрение талмудистов» (1874–76) (Jubilee vol. 40 commentary), neither of them online.
5. Результаты ваших дел оценят другие; старайтесь только о том, чтобы сердце ваше сейчас, в настоящую минуту, было чисто и правдиво.
5. Others will assess the results of your deeds; take care only that your heart be pure and truthful now, at this present moment.
From The Ethics of the Dust · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedRuskin’s question, “Was the heart pure and true—tell us that?”, becomes a precept, “take care only that your heart be pure and truthful now, at this present moment,” and “What you were, others may answer for” becomes “Others will assess the results of your deeds.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
After John Ruskin’s own wordsBut the main judgment question will be, I suppose, for all of us, "Did you keep a good heart through it?
What you were, others may answer for,-- what you tried to be, you must answer for yourself.
Was the heart pure and true--tell us that?
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньРезультаты ваших дел оценят другие; старайтесь только о том, чтобы сердце ваше было чисто и справедливо.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Ethics of the Dust (1866), Lecture V 'Crystal Virtues', Lecture V, the Lecturer to the girls, on 'the main judgment question'.
Changed from a question into a precept, and signed 'after Ruskin'. 'What you were, others may answer for' becomes 'Others will judge the results of your deeds'; 'what you tried to be, you must answer for yourself' is left out; and Ruskin's question, 'Was the heart pure and true—tell us that?', becomes a command: 'take care only that your heart, now, at this present moment, be pure and true' (чтобы сердце ваше сейчас, в настоящую минуту, было чисто и правдиво). The 1903 version (Thoughts of Wise Men, 10 March, signed 'John Ruskin') has 'pure and just' (чисто и справедливо) and no 'now, at this present moment'; the Circle has Ruskin's 'true' (правдиво), adds the present moment, and signs it «По Джону Рёскину». The match rests on the two halves (what others answer for, and a heart pure and true); no closer passage was found in the saved Ruskin texts. The Jubilee commentary on Thoughts of Wise Men names the source of its Ruskin: L. P. Nikiforov's Russian selection (Posrednik, 1902). No printable.
6. Святой муж заботится о внутреннем, а не о внешнем; он пренебрегает внешним, а избирает внутреннее.
6. The holy man cares for the inner and not the outer; he disdains the outer and chooses the inner.
From Daodejing · close to the original .
What Tolstoy read · Paul Carus, Lao-Tze's Tao-Teh-KingTherefore the holy man attends to the inner and not to the outer.
He abandons the latter and chooses the former.
Source text: archive.orgIn English · James Legge, 1891Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes.
He puts from him the latter, and prefers to seek the former.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньСвятой муж заботится о внутреннем, а не о внешнем; он пренебрегает внешним, а избирает внутреннее.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Daodejing, ch. 12.
Carus's English, word for word as in Tolstoy's Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), 10 March. The Chinese says the sage acts 'for the belly, not for the eye' (為腹不為目): Carus renders belly and eye as 'the inner' and 'the outer' (his note: the word means both stomach and soul), and Tolstoy keeps his reading.
7. Одно из определенных условий труда человека состоит в том, что чем отдаленнее цель наших стремлений, чем меньше мы желаем сами видеть плоды наших трудов, тем больше и обширнее будет мера нашего успеха.
7. One of the fixed conditions of man’s labor is that the more distant the aim of our striving, the less we wish to see the fruits of our labors ourselves, the greater and wider will be the measure of our success.
From The Seven Lamps of Architecture · shortened by Tolstoy .
John Ruskin’s own wordsAnd this the more, because it is one of the appointed conditions of the labor of men that, in proportion to the time between the seed-sowing and the harvest, is the fulness of the fruit; and that generally, therefore, the farther off we place our aim, and the less we desire to be ourselves the witnesses of what we have labored for, the more wide and rich will be the measure of our success.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньОдно из определенных условий труда человека состоит в том, что полнота находится в соответствии между временем посева и жатвой, и потому чем отдаленнее вообще цель наших стремлений, чем меньше мы желаем сами видеть плоды наших трудов, тем больше и обширнее будет мера нашего успеха.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849), ch. VI 'The Lamp of Memory', § IX, on building for those who come after us.
Shortened. Tolstoy keeps Ruskin's sentence closely and leaves out its middle, 'in proportion to the time between the seed-sowing and the harvest, is the fulness of the fruit', with the 'generally, therefore' that follows from it. The 1903 version (Thoughts of Wise Men, 12 August) keeps them (полнота находится в соответствии между временем посева и жатвой, и потому чем отдаленнее вообще цель). 'The more wide and rich will be the measure of our success' becomes 'the greater and wider'. The saved text is the Boston printing of Dana Estes (Gutenberg). The Jubilee commentary on Thoughts of Wise Men names the source of its Ruskin: L. P. Nikiforov's Russian selection (Posrednik, 1902). No printable.
8. Самые важные и нужные для самого и для других дела человека — это те, последствия которых он не увидит.
8. Our most important deeds, the most needed for ourselves and for others, are those whose consequences we will not see.
9. Каждый человеческий поступок тем почетнее, лучше и великолепнее, чем отдаленнее его последствия.
9. Every human act is the more honorable, the better, and the more magnificent, the more remote its consequences.
From The Seven Lamps of Architecture · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedAn action that gains honor “by its regard to things that are to come” becomes one that is the more honorable “the more remote its consequences”: Ruskin measures an act by the doer’s regard for the future, Tolstoy by how far its effects reach.
John Ruskin’s own wordsEvery human action gains in honor, in grace, in all true magnificence, by its regard to things that are to come.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньКаждый человеческий поступок тем почетнее, лучше и великолепнее, чем больше он делается в виду будущего.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849), ch. VI 'The Lamp of Memory', Opening of § X.
Changed in what an act is measured by. Ruskin's action 'gains in honor, in grace, in all true magnificence, by its regard to things that are to come'; in the Circle it is 'the more honourable, better and more magnificent, the more distant its consequences' (чем отдаленнее его последствия). Ruskin measures an act by the doer's regard for the future, the Circle by how far its effects reach. The 1903 version (Thoughts of Wise Men, 9 February) is close to Ruskin, 'the more it is done with a view to the future' (чем больше он делается в виду будущего), and goes on with his next sentence. 'In grace' becomes 'better'. It stands a few lines after the sentence Tolstoy gives as 4-15.7. No printable.
10. Поступок, совершенный без всяких соображений о каких бы то ни было последствиях, в виду только исполнения воли бога, есть наилучший поступок, который может быть совершен человеком.
10. An act done without any thought of any consequences whatever, with a view only to fulfilling the will of God, is the best act that a human being can perform.
11. В мире, как порох в мине, скрыты огромные залежи зла и неправды. Когда нам приходится делать в эту мину новые вклады тех же зла и лжи, то, повидимому, мы не нарушаем этим общего спокойствия и равновесия людского общежития; когда же в виде вклада в мину мы приносим не зло и ложь, а добро и правду, то добро и правда, как искры, взрывают порох зла и лжи, и зло и ложь обнаруживаются, делаются явными.
Воздерживаться от совершения добра людям и продолжать участвовать в поддержании царящей неправды только во избежание взрыва пороха в мине — значит не понимать значения взрыва пороха, который лишь разряжает накопившееся зло и тем не увеличивает, а уменьшает его количество.
Христос, сам признавший, что принес своим учением не мир, но меч и разделение на земле, не смущался тем злом, которое вызывал таким образом наружу, а радовался явному столкновению добра со злом и света с тьмою, которое и должно доставить явное торжество свету и добру.
11. In the world, like powder in a mine, vast stores of evil and untruth lie hidden. When we come to make new deposits of the same evil and falsehood in this mine, we apparently do not thereby disturb the general calm and balance of human society; but when, as our deposit in the mine, we bring not evil and falsehood but good and truth, then good and truth, like sparks, blow up the powder of evil and falsehood, and the evil and falsehood come to light and become manifest.
To refrain from doing good to people, and to go on taking part in upholding the reigning untruth only so as to avoid an explosion of the powder in the mine, is to fail to understand the meaning of the explosion, which only discharges the evil that has built up, and thereby does not increase but lessens its amount.
Christ, who himself acknowledged that by his teaching he had brought not peace, but a sword and division on earth, was not troubled by the evil that he thus brought out into the open, but rejoiced in the open clash of good with evil and of light with darkness, which is what must bring the manifest triumph of light and good.
Source not found yet .
Not found yet.
Not found. No online text of Strakhov's holds the reflection (evil and falsehood lie stored in the world like powder in a mine; adding good and truth sets them off and brings them into the open; to refrain from doing good for fear of the explosion is to misunderstand it, since it discharges the evil and lessens it; Christ, who said he brought a sword and division, rejoiced at the open clash of good and evil). Its Gospel allusion is Matthew 10:34–35 (Luke 12:51). It may come from his manuscripts (Jubilee vol. 42 commentary).
Searched: Strakhov's «Вопросы жизни» (Christchurch: Свободное слово, 1903; saved, its old-orthography OCR) for порох-, мин-, взрыв-, мечъ/меч, разделен-; the saved Jubilee vols. 40, 41, 42, 43 and 45 (Tolstoy did not reprint the thought in «На каждый день» or «Путь жизни»); the Jubilee vol. 42 commentary and name index, which list Strakhov's entries (vol. 41, pp. 64, 85, 122, 238, 242, 261, …) without naming a source; a web search in Russian for the thought's own words. February's tracer found no online text of his «Искание истины», «Духовный облик человека» or «Умственные течения».
Translation note. Two near words are kept apart: «неправда», “untruth”, and «ложь», “falsehood”. Compare Matthew 10:34 and Luke 12:51 (KJV): “I came not to send peace, but a sword”; “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division.”
12. Жизнь Христа особенно важна, как образец невозможности для человека видеть плоды своих трудов. И тем меньше, чем важнее дело. Моисей мог войти с своим народом в обетованную землю, но Христос никак не мог видеть плодов своего учения, если бы он жил до сих пор. А мы хотим делать дело божье, а награду получать людскую.
12. The life of Christ is especially important as an example of how impossible it is for us to see the fruits of our labors. And the more important the work, the less possible it is. Moses could have entered the promised land with his people, but Christ could in no way have seen the fruits of his teaching, even if he had lived until now. And we want to do God’s work but receive a human reward.
Translation note. In Deuteronomy 34 Moses is shown the promised land and dies before entering it. «Мог войти» can mean “was able to enter” or “could have entered”; the second is taken here.
Если ты можешь видеть все последствия своей деятельности, то знай, что эта деятельность ничтожна.
If you can see all the consequences of your activity, know that this activity is insignificant.
Tolstoy TodayТолстой сегодня · tolstoytoday.org/april/15