19Julyиюля · 19-е июля
Истинно полезное, истинно доброе и потому истинно великое всегда просто.
What is truly useful, truly good, and therefore truly great is always simple.
1. Язык правды прост.
1. The language of truth is simple.
From Epistulae morales ad Lucilium · close to the original .
What Tolstoy read · Beautiful Thoughts from Latin AuthorsThe language of truth is simple.
Source text: archive.orgOriginal · Latin… nam, ut ait ille tragicus, 'veritatis simplex oratio est', ideoque illam implicari non oportet; …
Source text: thelatinlibrary.comIn English · Richard M. Gummere (Loeb, 1917), 1917The language of truth is simple.
We should not, therefore, make that language intricate; since there is nothing less fitting for a soul of great endeavour than such crafty cleverness.
Source text: en.wikisource.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, 49.12.
Seneca's Latin, "veritatis simplex oratio est", as Ramage prints it under the heading "Language of Truth" with the English "The language of truth is simple", which Tolstoy's «Язык правды прост» renders word for word. Ramage's Beautiful Thoughts from Latin Authors is on Tolstoy's list of sources (Jubilee vol. 42) and gave him other Cicero and Seneca entries; its scan reads "Yeritatis". Seneca quotes the line as a tragic poet's ("ut ait ille tragicus"): it is Euripides, Phoenissae 469, "ἁπλοῦς ὁ μῦθος τῆς ἀληθείας ἔφυ". The printed editions of the Circle left the thought unsigned; the Jubilee editors signed it «Сенека» (Jubilee vol. 42, list of corrected attributions, July 19, 1), which is right for the Latin Tolstoy read through Ramage.
2. Доброе свойственно человеку, и потому всё доброе просто и незаметно.
2. The good is natural to human beings, and therefore all that is good is simple and inconspicuous.
3. Истинное величие человеческой жизни почти всегда совершенно невидимо. Очень может быть, что перед нами молчаливо и тайно совершается величайший подвиг, великодушнейшая жертва, зарождается возвышеннейший замысел, а мы и не подозреваем этого. Я верю, что такое величие очень обыкновенно среди многих людей, имен которых мы не слышим и не знаем. Я уверен, что среди так называемого простого народа чаще встречаются мужественно перенесенные страдания, чаще встречаются неприкрашенная правда, твердая вера и то истинное великодушие, которое отдает то, что необходимо дающему, и, главное, чаще, чем между богатыми, встречается верное понимание смысла жизни и смерти.
3. The true greatness of human life is almost always wholly invisible. It may very well be that before our eyes, silently and secretly, the greatest of great deeds is being done, the most magnanimous sacrifice made, the loftiest design conceived, and we do not even suspect it. I believe that such greatness is very common among many people whose names we do not hear and do not know. I am sure that among the so-called simple people one more often meets with sufferings bravely borne, more often with unvarnished truth, firm faith, and that true magnanimity which gives away what the giver himself needs; and, above all, more often than among the rich, one meets with a true understanding of the meaning of life and death.
From Self-Culture: Address introductory to the Franklin Lectures, Boston, September 1838 · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“The more prosperous” become “the rich,” “religious trust” becomes “firm faith,” and “a wise estimate of life and death,” set “above all” the rest, becomes “a true understanding of the meaning of life and death”; greatness “most common among the multitude” becomes “very common among many people.”
After Channing’s own words… so that the true greatness of human life is almost wholly out of sight.
Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice made, and we do not suspect it.
I believe this greatness to be most common among the multitude, whose names are never heard.
Among common people will be found more of hardship borne manfully, more of unvarnished truth, more of religious trust, more of that generosity which gives what the giver needs himself, and more of a wise estimate of life and death, than among the more prosperous.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Self-Culture: Address introductory to the Franklin Lectures, Boston, September 1838, The paragraph on moral greatness, after 'The greatest man is he who chooses the right with invincible resolution'; The Works of William E. Channing (Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1890), pp. 13–14.
Signed 'After Channing': the end of Channing's paragraph, kept in its order, with changes. Left out: the list before it of what is unseen ('The solemn conflicts of reason with passion' and the rest). 'the true greatness of human life is almost wholly out of sight' becomes 'is almost always wholly invisible' (always is added). 'Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice made, and we do not suspect it' is close. 'I believe this greatness to be most common among the multitude, whose names are never heard' becomes 'I believe that such greatness is very common among many people whose names we do not hear and do not know' (most becomes very). 'Among common people will be found more of hardship borne manfully, more of unvarnished truth, more of religious trust, more of that generosity which gives what the giver needs himself, and more of a wise estimate of life and death, than among the more prosperous' becomes 'I am sure that among the so-called simple people one meets more often sufferings courageously borne, ... unadorned truth, firm faith, and that true generosity which gives what the giver needs, and, above all, more often than among the rich, a true understanding of the meaning of life and death': 'I am sure', 'so-called', and 'above all' (главное) are added, 'religious trust' becomes 'firm faith' (твердая вера), 'a wise estimate of life and death' becomes 'a true understanding of the meaning of life and death', and 'the more prosperous' becomes 'the rich'. No printable.
Translation note. «Простой народ», usually “the common people,” is given as “the simple people” to keep the day’s word «простой», “simple.”
4. Часто самые простые, неученые и необразованные люди вполне ясно, сознательно и легко воспринимают истинное, разумное учение жизни, тогда как часто самые ученые люди именно этой своей ученостью лишены возможности воспринять то, что одно нужно им и всякому человеку.
4. Often the simplest, unlearned, and uneducated people take in the true, rational teaching of life quite clearly, consciously, and easily, while often the most learned people, by this very learning of theirs, are deprived of the possibility of taking in the one thing that they and every person need.
5. Для того, чтобы прокормиться, одеться и иметь жилище, нужно очень немного; остальное же приобретается для того, чтобы приспособиться к чужим вкусам или чтобы затмить других.
5. Very little is needed to feed oneself, to clothe oneself, and to have a dwelling; the rest is acquired in order to fit in with other people’s tastes or to outshine others.
Source not found yet .
Not found yet.
«Для того, чтобы прокормиться, одеться и иметь жилище, нужно очень немного; остальное же приобретается для того, чтобы приспособиться к чужим вкусам или чтобы затмить других» (to feed, clothe, and house oneself needs very little; the rest is acquired to suit the tastes of others or to outshine them). No source was found. The day's theme is the simplicity of what is truly useful.
Searched: Conway's Sacred Anthology (1874; its chapters on wealth and contentment); Thoughts of Wise Men (1903) and the Jubilee commentary (vols. 40-42); Jubilee vols. 39, 43, and 45; Southgate, Coit, Tileston, and the saved issues of The World's Advance-Thought; web searches for 'food, clothing and shelter … very little … the rest … to outshine others' and variants.
6. Простота жизни, языка, привычек придает силу народу, а роскошь жизни, вычурность языка и изнеженность привычек ведет к слабости и погибели.
6. Simplicity of life, of language, and of habits gives strength to a people, while luxury of life, affectation of language, and softness of habits lead to weakness and ruin.
From Inaugural Address delivered at the Cambridge School of Art, 29 October 1858 · close to the original .
John Ruskin’s own wordsWhat is the main lesson which, as far as we seek any in our classical reading, we gather for our youth from ancient history?
Surely this — that simplicity of life, of language, and of manners gives strength to a nation ; and that luxuriousness of life, subtlety of language, and smoothness of manners bring weakness and destruction on a nation.
You cannot charge me with any exaggeration in this matter; it is impossible to state the truth too strongly, or as too universal.
Source text: archive.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньПростота жизни, языка, привычек придает силу нации, а роскошь жизни, вычурность языка и изнеженность привычек ведет к слабости и погибели.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Inaugural Address delivered at the Cambridge School of Art, 29 October 1858 (Cambridge: Deighton, Bell, 1858), p. 22, after the causes of national decline, 'luxury, effeminacy, love of pleasure, fineness in Art, ingenuity in enjoyment'.
Close, with three words shifted. Ruskin gives it as 'the main lesson … we gather for our youth from ancient history': 'simplicity of life, of language, and of manners gives strength to a nation; and … luxuriousness of life, subtlety of language, and smoothness of manners bring weakness and destruction on a nation'. Tolstoy keeps the two triads and the outcome. 'Manners' becomes 'habits' (привычек) both times; 'subtlety of language' becomes 'pretentiousness of language' (вычурность языка), and 'smoothness of manners' 'effeminacy of habits' (изнеженность привычек), a word Ruskin uses in the sentence before ('luxury, effeminacy, love of pleasure'). The lesson serves Ruskin's warning, on the page before, that 'Art has always destroyed the power and life of those who pursued it for pleasure only'. Tolstoy printed the thought first in Thoughts of Wise Men (1903, 15 January; Tolstoy's own version), with «нации» where the Circle has «народу», and again in На каждый день (11 May, no. 9). The commentary of Jubilee vol. 40 names L. P. Nikiforov's Russian «Избранные мысли Джона Рёскина» (Posrednik, 1902) as the source of Tolstoy's Ruskin in that book; earlier months did not find it online. The address was found by archive.org full text ('simplicity of life, of language'); George Allen reprinted it in 1879 (archive.org, not saved). No printable, because the words for manners are changed.
7. Самые ясные понятия часто затемняются сложными рассуждениями.
7. The clearest notions are often obscured by complicated reasoning.
From De natura deorum · close to the original .
What Tolstoy read · Beautiful Thoughts from Latin AuthorsPerspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur.
The clearest subjects are often obscured by lengthened reasoning.
Source text: archive.orgOriginal · LatinNam ego neque in causis, si quid est evidens, de quo inter omnis conveniat, argumentari soleo …
… perspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur …
Source text: thelatinlibrary.comIn English · Thomas Francklin (1741), revised by C. D. Yonge in The Treatises of M. T. Cicero, 1853… for, when I plead, I do not dwell upon any point agreed to be self-evident, because long reasoning only serves to confound the clearest matters; …
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. De natura deorum, III.9 (Nat. D. iii. 4 in Ramage).
Tolstoy translates Ramage's English, "The clearest subjects are often obscured by lengthened reasoning", closely: «Самые ясные понятия часто затемняются сложными рассуждениями» (the clearest notions are often darkened by complicated reasonings). Ramage widens Cicero, whose Cotta says of his practice in court that where a thing is evident and agreed by all he does not argue it, "for clearness is weakened by argument" (perspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur); "often" is Ramage's. Cotta is answering Balbus, who had spent long arguments proving that the gods exist.
Если хочешь найти пример для подражания, то ищи его среди простых, смиренных людей. Только там истинное, не только не выставляющееся, но не сознающее себя величие.
If you want to find an example to follow, look for it among simple, humble people. Only there is the true greatness that not only does not put itself on display but is not conscious of itself.
Tolstoy TodayТолстой сегодня · tolstoytoday.org/july/19