30Julyиюля · 30-е июля
Только тот, кто знает все свои слабости, может быть справедлив к слабостям ближнего.
Only those who know all their own weaknesses can be just to the weaknesses of their neighbor.
1. Дети мои! Если кто нанесет вам обиду словом, то не придавайте этому значения, а смотрите на это как на дело, не заслуживающее внимания. Если же у вас вырвалось оскорбительное слово о другом, то не вступайте в сделку со своею совестью, говоря: «Что же мы такое сказали, ведь это мелочь, что за важность». Нет, не рассуждайте так, а смотрите на свой поступок, как на дело великой важности, и не успокаивайтесь до тех пор, пока вам собственными мольбами или посредничеством друзей не удастся склонить обиженного к совершенному примирению.
1. My children! If anyone offends you with a word, attach no importance to it, but look on it as a matter not worth attention. But if an insulting word about another has escaped you, do not strike a bargain with your conscience, saying: “Why, what did we say? It is a trifle, of no importance.” No, do not reason so, but look on your act as a matter of great importance, and do not rest until, by your own entreaties or through the mediation of friends, you have prevailed on the one you offended to be wholly reconciled.
From Derekh Eretz Zuta · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedThe saying is expanded: the counsel not to answer those who speak evil of you drops out, a bargain with one’s conscience is added, “It is a trifle, of no importance,” and going to appease the one offended becomes “do not rest until, by your own entreaties or through the mediation of friends, you have prevailed on the one you offended to be wholly reconciled.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
Original · Hebrewאם אומרים עליך אחרים דבר רע אל תענם. גדול יהיה בעיניך כקטן.
אם אמרת על אחרים דבר רע קטן יהיה בעיניך כגדול עד שתלך ותפייס עליו
Source text: sefaria.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньДети мои! если кто нанесет вам обиду словом, то не придавайте этому слишком большого значения, а смотрите на это, как на мелочь.
Нет, не рассуждайте так, а смотрите на то, как на дело великой важности, пока вам собственными мольбами или посредничеством друзей не удастся склонить обиженного к полному извинению и совершенному примирению.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Derekh Eretz Zuta, 1:7 (Vilna ed.); the same saying is a baraita in Kallah Rabbati 3; Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), 23 December.
The saying of Derekh Eretz Zuta 1:7, a minor tractate printed with the Babylonian Talmud: 'If others speak evil of you, do not answer them; let a great thing be in your eyes as small. If you have spoken evil of others, let a small thing be in your eyes as great, until you go and appease him.' Kallah Rabbati 3 has it as a baraita. Tolstoy's version, taken from his Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), 23 December, expands it: it opens «Дети мои!» (my children), leaves out 'do not answer them', adds the excuse made to one's conscience («Что же мы такое сказали, ведь это мелочь, что за важность»), and has the offended man won over «собственными мольбами или посредничеством друзей» (by your own pleas or through friends). None of these is in the Hebrew. Yoma 87a has the friends: whoever offends his fellow even with words must appease him, and if he has no money to offer, 'let him bring many friends to him'; it reads this out of Proverbs 6:1-3, which opens 'My son'. The expansion was probably made in the Russian collection Tolstoy used (Gurvich, 1901, or «Мировоззрение талмудистов», 1874–76; neither online). For the Circle Tolstoy changed his 1903 text in four places: «слишком большого значения» (too great importance) became «значения»; «как на мелочь» (as a trifle), «как на дело, не заслуживающее внимания» (as a thing not worth attention); «смотрите на то» (look on it), «смотрите на свой поступок» (look on your deed); and «пока вам … не удастся склонить обиженного к полному извинению и совершенному примирению» (to full apology and complete reconciliation), «и не успокаивайтесь до тех пор, пока вам … не удастся склонить обиженного к совершенному примирению» (and do not rest until … to complete reconciliation). No public-domain English of Derekh Eretz Zuta was found.
2. Если бы мы переносили себя на место других лиц, то часто освобождались бы от чувств ненависти, которые мы питаем к ним; и если бы ставили других на свое место, то часто уменьшали бы свою гордость.
2. If we put ourselves in the place of others, we would often be freed from the feelings of hatred we bear toward them; and if we put others in our own place, we would often lessen our pride.
3. Кто не умеет прощать, разрушает мост, через который ему самому придется проходить, ибо всякий человек нуждается в прощении.
3. Whoever cannot forgive breaks down the bridge over which he himself will have to pass, for every man stands in need of forgiveness.
From The Life of Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, written by himself · close to the original .
What Tolstoy read · Many Thoughts of Many Minds, compiled by Henry SouthgateHe that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.
Source text: archive.orgLord Herbert’s own wordsThat he that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself, for every man hath need to be forgiven.
Source text: archive.orgTolstoy’s own version · На каждый деньКто не умеет прощать, разрушает мост, через который ему самому придется проходить, ибо всякий человек нуждается в прощении.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Life of Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, written by himself (first printed by Horace Walpole, 1764), The first of the 'three considerations' that inclined him to forgive (the year 1599); The Autobiography of Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, ed. Sidney Lee, second edition (London: Routledge, 1906), p. 34.
A close translation: 'He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven' (Кто не умеет прощать, разрушает мост, через который ему самому придется проходить, ибо всякий человек нуждается в прощении); Tolstoy leaves out 'others' (Кто не умеет прощать, 'He who cannot forgive'). Tolstoy read it in Southgate's Many Thoughts of Many Minds, the first series, which the Jubilee list of sources names (What Tolstoy read), in Southgate's modernized wording ('has need'); Herbert wrote 'hath need'. The Jubilee name index identifies «Герберт Эдуард (1582—1648) — английский философ» on vol. 41, p. 539, that is Lord Herbert of Cherbury, not his brother the poet George Herbert, to whom the saying is also credited. Tolstoy reprinted it in «На каждый день» (16 January; Tolstoy's other version). No printable, since 'others' is left out.
4. Лучший ответ безумцу — молчание. Каждое слово ответа отскочит от безумца на тебя. Платить обидой за обиду — всё равно, что подкидывать дров в пламя, но тот, кто встречает обвинителя с спокойствием, этим самым уже победил его.
Магомет и Али встретили раз человека, который, считая Али своим обидчиком, начал ругать его. Али переносил это с терпением и в молчании довольно долго, но потом не удержался и стал отвечать ругательствами на ругательства. Тогда Магомет пошел дальше, оставив этих двоих оканчивать свою ссору. Когда Али опять подошел к Магомету, он с обидой сказал ему: зачем ты оставил меня одного переносить ругательства этого дерзкого человека? Магомет отвечал: когда этот человек бранил тебя, а ты молчал, я видел вокруг тебя десять ангелов, которые отвечали ему. Но когда ты начал отвечать ему бранью, ангелы все оставили тебя, отошел и я.
4. The best answer to a fool is silence. Every word of answer will bounce back from the fool onto you. To repay offense with offense is the same as throwing wood on a fire; but whoever meets an accuser with calm has by that very thing already defeated him.
Muhammad and Ali once met a man who, considering Ali to have wronged him, began to curse him. Ali bore this patiently and in silence for quite a long time, but then could not restrain himself and began to answer curses with curses. Then Muhammad walked on, leaving the two of them to finish their quarrel. When Ali came up to Muhammad again, he said to him, offended: Why did you leave me alone to bear the curses of this insolent man? Muhammad answered: When this man was abusing you and you kept silent, I saw around you ten angels who were answering him. But when you began to answer him with abuse, the angels all left you, and I too went away.
From The Sacred Anthology · shortened by Tolstoy .
What Tolstoy read · The Sacred AnthologyThe only way to answer a fool is to answer nothing. Each word of reply can only recoil from the insensate to thyself. To return insult to the insulter is to increase his disrespect, as fuel feeds flame ; but he who meets an accuser with calmness has already confuted him.
The venerable man bore this for some time in silence, but at length his patience gave way, and he returned railing for railing. Upon this Mahomet passed on, leaving the two to settle their quarrel as they could.
I saw ten angels around thee who replied to him. But when thou didst begin to return his insults, the angels one by one left thee, and I also departed …
Source text: archive.orgRelated · Mishcat-ul-Masabih, tr. A. N. Matthews… there was an angel .with you, who returned the abuse for you; and when you returned it, the angel went away, and the devil came.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Sacred Anthology (1874), no. CCCXX, Sufferance, pp. 213-214; the story marked 'Mussulman Tradition', the section indexed as Persian.
Conway's section 'Sufferance', less its first two sentences ('Patience is the column which sustains Prudence. It is not the human force which hurls a man to the ground, but that which restrains the power that might do so.'), close. 'The only way to answer a fool is to answer nothing' becomes «Лучший ответ безумцу — молчание» (the best answer to a fool is silence); 'has already confuted him' becomes «этим самым уже победил его» (has already overcome him); 'the angels one by one left thee' becomes «ангелы все оставили тебя» (the angels all left you). Tolstoy's signature is Conway's margin to the story, 'Mussulman Tradition'; Conway names no source for the first paragraph and lists the section in his index as Persian. The story corresponds to a tradition about Abu Bakr, told in the Mishkat from Abu Hurayrah (Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Adab, 4896-4897, has it from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab and from Abu Hurayrah), in which the man reviles Abu Bakr, not Ali, and one angel, not ten, answers for him: 'there was an angel with you, who returned the abuse for you; and when you returned it, the angel went away, and the devil came' (Matthews, 1810). Where the version with Ali and ten angels comes from was not found. Tolstoy put the story into «На каждый день» (25 May) and The Path of Life (ch. XXIII, § VII) under the same signature. Not in Thoughts of Wise Men (1903).
5. Почти всегда, поискав в себе, мы найдем тот же грех, который мы осуждаем в другом. Если же мы не знаем за собой именно того самого греха, то стоит только поискать, и мы найдем худшие.
Глубокая река не возмутится от того, что в нее бросить камень; религиозный человек, который возмутится оскорблениями — не река, а лужа. Если тебя постигло бедствие, неси его с тем, чтобы, прощая других, ты сам заслужил прощение. Будем помнить, что все мы вернемся в землю, и будем смиренны. Будем посыпать главу пеплом, прежде чем превратимся в прах.
5. Almost always, if we search within ourselves, we will find the same sin that we condemn in another. And if we do not know ourselves to have that very same sin, we need only search, and we will find worse ones.
A deep river is not troubled when a stone is thrown into it; a religious man who is troubled by insults is not a river but a puddle. If calamity has befallen you, bear it so that, forgiving others, you yourself may earn forgiveness. Let us remember that we shall all return to the earth, and let us be humble. Let us strew ashes on our heads before we are turned to dust.
From Gulistan, ch. II · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedAdds a first paragraph of Tolstoy’s own, “Almost always, if we search within ourselves, we will find the same sin that we condemn in another,” and the religious man hurt at injuries, “as yet but shallow water,” becomes “not a river but a puddle”; “A great river” becomes “A deep river.”
What Tolstoy read · The Sacred AnthologyA great river is not made turbid by a stone ; …
If any misfortune befalleth you, bear with it, that, by forgiving others, you may yourself obtain pardon.
… seeing that we are at last to return to earth, let us humble ourselves in ashes before we are changed into dust.
Source text: archive.orgOriginal · Persianدریایِ فراوان نشود تیره به سنگ
عارف که برنجد تُنُکآب است هنوز
که به عفو از گناه پاک شوی
خاک شو، پیش از آن که خاک شوی
Source text: api.ganjoor.netIn English · Francis Gladwin, 1806A great river is not made turbid by a stone ; the religious man who is hurt at injuries is as yet but shallow water.
If any misfortune befalleth you, bear with it ; that, by forgiving others, you may yourself obtain pardon.
… seeing that we are at last to return to earth, let us humble ourselves in ashes before we are changed into dust.
Source text: archive.orgTolstoy’s own version · Путь жизниПочти всегда, поискав в себе, мы найдем тот же грех, который мы осуждаем в другом. Если же мы не знаем за собой именно того самого греха, то стоит только поискать, и мы найдем еще худший.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Gulistan, ch. II (On the morals of dervishes), ch. II, story 40 (Ganjoor); Gladwin (1865), ch. II, Tale XLI, pp. 209-210; Conway (1874), no. DXLVII, Patience, p. 334.
Two parts. The first paragraph, in italics, is Tolstoy's own: it is not in the Gulistan or Conway, and he printed it unsigned, as his own thoughts are, in «На каждый день» (25 March) and The Path of Life (ch. XXIII, § IV). The second is the end of Gulistan II, Tale XLI, in Gladwin's English through Conway's 'Patience': 'A great river is not made turbid by a stone; the religious man who is hurt at injuries is as yet but shallow water. If any misfortune befalleth you, bear with it, that, by forgiving others, you may yourself obtain pardon. O my brother! seeing that we are at last to return to earth, let us humble ourselves in ashes before we are changed into dust.' Tolstoy makes the great river «глубокая река» (a deep river), and 'is as yet but shallow water' «не река, а лужа» (is not a river but a puddle); 'let us humble ourselves in ashes before we are changed into dust' becomes two sentences, «Будем помнить, что все мы вернемся в землю, и будем смиренны. Будем посыпать главу пеплом, прежде чем превратимся в прах» (let us remember … and be humble; let us strew our heads with ashes before we turn to dust), and 'O my brother' is dropped. The Persian: 'the abundant sea is not made turbid by a stone; the gnostic who takes offence is shallow water still … bear it, that by pardon you may be cleansed of sin … O brother, since you will become dust, become dust before you become dust.' In The Path of Life (ch. XI, § VI) Tolstoy kept only the river and the return to earth, signed «По Саади». Not in Thoughts of Wise Men (1903).
Translation note. The Russian italic of the first paragraph is broken only at the commas; it is set here as one span. «Возмутиться» is said both of water that is stirred up and of a person who is outraged; “troubled” keeps both.
Стоит только немного подумать, и мы всегда найдем за собою какую-нибудь вину перед человечеством (пусть это будет хотя бы только та вина, что благодаря гражданскому неравенству людей мы пользуемся известными преимуществами, ради которых другие должны испытывать еще больше лишений); и это помешает нам отогнать мысль о долге посредством себялюбивых представлений о своих заслугах.
We need only reflect a little, and we will always find in ourselves some guilt toward humanity (be it only the guilt that, owing to the civil inequality of men, we enjoy certain advantages for whose sake others must suffer all the more privation); and this will keep us from driving away the thought of duty by means of self-loving notions of our own merits.
Kant.
From Kritik der praktischen Vernunft · close to the original .
Man darf nur ein wenig nachsinnen, man wird immer eine Schuld finden, die er sich irgend wodurch in Ansehung des Menschengeschlechts aufgeladen hat (sollte es auch nur die sein, daß man durch die Ungleichheit der Menschen in der bürgerlichen Verfassung Vorteile genießt, um deren willen andere desto mehr entbehren müssen), um durch die eigenliebige Einbildung des Verdienstlichen den Gedanken an Pflicht nicht zu verdrängen.Source text: archive.orgOne need only reflect a little and he will always find a debt that he has by some means incurred towards the human race (even if it were only this, by the inequality of men in the civil constitution, enjoys advantages on account of which others must be the more in want), which will prevent the thought of duty from being repressed by the self-complacent imagination of merit.Source text: gutenberg.orgСтоит только немного подумать, и мы всегда найдем за собою какую-нибудь вину перед человеческим родом (пусть это будет хотя бы только та вина, что, благодаря гражданскому неравенству людей, мы пользуемся известными преимуществами, ради которых другие должны испытывать еще больше лишений), — и это помешает нам посредством себялюбивых представлений о своих заслугах считать себя выше других людей.Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (1788), Part II (Methodenlehre der reinen praktischen Vernunft), footnote, as excerpted in Raoul Richter, Kant-Aussprüche (1901), Kant-Aussprüche no. 142 (Richter's register: Kr. d. pr. V.); Abbott, Critique of Practical Reason, Methodology, footnote.
Kant's sentence, closely: one need only reflect a little and one will always find some guilt one has somehow incurred towards mankind (were it only that through the inequality of men in civil society one enjoys advantages for whose sake others must go the more without), so as not to drive out the thought of duty by the self-loving fancy of merit. Tolstoy writes «вину перед человечеством» (guilt towards mankind) for “eine Schuld … in Ansehung des Menschengeschlechts” (a guilt with regard to the human race), «гражданскому неравенству людей» (the civil inequality of men) for “die Ungleichheit der Menschen in der bürgerlichen Verfassung” (the inequality of men in the civil constitution), and turns the final purpose clause into a result: «и это помешает нам отогнать мысль о долге» (and this will keep us from driving away the thought of duty). In Kant the sentence closes a footnote warning against praising noble deeds as meritorious, where the subjection of the heart to duty should be stressed instead. «Путь жизни» (tolstoy block) keeps the sentence and ends it differently: the self-loving thought of our merits would make us «считать себя выше других людей» (consider ourselves above other people).
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