12Marchмарта · 12-е марта
Дела человека — его жизнь. И дела его становятся его судьбой, хорошей или дурной. В этом закон нашей жизни, и потому для человека важнее всего в мире то, что он сейчас делает.
A man’s deeds are his life. And his deeds become his fate, good or bad. In this lies the law of our life, and therefore the most important thing in the world for a man is what he is doing now.
From Agni Purana · reworded by Tolstoy .
Conway’s sentence, which Tolstoy followed, answers closely to no verse of the Agni Purana (the nearest is chapter 159, verse 13), so the source is uncertain, and the trace holds no original to show beside it.
The life of man is the cause of action ; and action passes into the destiny, good or evil, that is the principle upon which we exist, and on it depends the task each must perform.Source text: archive.orgवत्सवत्प्राकृतं कर्म कर्तारं विन्दति ध्रुवंSource text: sa.wikisource.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Agni Purana, Conway's last sentence; the Sanskrit uncertain (perhaps ch. 159, v. 13).
The last sentence of Conway's 'Action Determinative' (margin: 'Hindu. Agni Purana. comp.'), the paragraph whose first part is 3-12.4. 'The life of man is the cause of action' becomes «Дела человека — его жизнь» (a man's deeds are his life); 'action passes into the destiny, good or evil' is kept («И дела его становятся его судьбой, хорошей или дурной»); 'that is the principle upon which we exist' becomes «В этом закон нашей жизни»; and in place of 'on it depends the task each must perform' Tolstoy concludes «и потому для человека важнее всего в мире то, что он сейчас делает» (what matters most is what one is doing now). Conway's bibliography lists H. H. Wilson's manuscript Agni Purana among his sources, and 'comp.' marks a passage compiled from more than one place. The rest of the paragraph is ch. 159, vv. 8–10; for this sentence no verse corresponds closely. The nearest in the same chapter is v. 13, given here: the deed done before finds its doer as a calf its mother (Dutt, 1903: 'The good or evil deeds of a man (Karma) are sure to overtake him in his next existence, as a calf finds out its mother from among the herds of cattle'). Ch. 226, v. 1 (स्वमेव कर्म दैवाख्यं विद्धि देहान्तराजितं, saved beside it) says that what is called destiny is one's own deed from a former body.
1. У персиян есть такой рассказ:
Душа после смерти летела на небо, и вот навстречу ей появилась ужасная женщина, безобразная, грязная, вся в гнойных ранах. «Зачем ты здесь, такая отвратительная и мерзкая, хуже всякого дьявола? — спросила душа. — Кто ты?» Ужасная женщина отвечала:
— Я — твои дела.
1. The Persians have this story:
A soul was flying up to heaven after death, and there appeared before it a horrible woman, hideous, filthy, all covered with festering sores. “Why are you here, so loathsome and vile, worse than any devil?” asked the soul. “Who are you?” The horrible woman answered:
“I am your deeds.”
2. Делать добрые дела, быть милосердным, кротким, смиренным, говорить хорошие речи, желать добра другим, иметь чистое сердце, всегда поучаться, всегда говорить правду, удерживать гнев, быть терпеливым и довольным, быть дружелюбным, стыдливым, уважительным к старым, почитать родителей и учителей — всё это друзья добрых и враги злых.
Говорить неправду, красть, нечистым взглядом смотреть на женщин, обманывать, браниться, желать зла ближнему, быть гордым, праздным, клеветником, скупым, непочтительным, бесстыдным, горячим, брать чужое, быть мстительным, упрямым, завистливым, делать зло ближнему, быть суеверным — всё это друзья злого и враги доброго.
2. To do good deeds, to be merciful, meek, humble, to speak good words, to wish good to others, to have a pure heart, always to be learning, always to speak the truth, to restrain anger, to be patient and content, to be friendly, modest, respectful to the old, to honor parents and teachers — all these are friends of the good and enemies of the wicked.
To speak falsehood, to steal, to look at women with impure eyes, to deceive, to speak abusive words, to wish evil to one’s neighbor, to be proud, idle, a slanderer, miserly, disrespectful, shameless, hot-tempered, to take what belongs to others, to be vengeful, stubborn, envious, to do evil to one’s neighbor, to be superstitious — all these are friends of evil and enemies of good.
From Parsi catechism · shortened by Tolstoy .
What Tolstoy read · Moncure D. Conway, The Sacred AnthologyTo do virtuous deeds, to give in charity, to be …
… to respect our parents and teachers, — all these are the friends of the good men, and the enemies of the bad men.
To tell untruths, to steal, to gamble, to look with wicked eye upon a woman, to commit treachery, to abuse, to be angry, to wish ill to another, to be proud, …
… these are all the friends of the wicked and the enemies of the virtuous.
Source text: archive.orgIn English · Dadabhai Naoroji, 1861Ans. To do virtuous deeds, to give in charity, to be kind, to be humble, to speak sweet words, to wish good to others, to have a clear heart, to acquire learning, to speak the truth, …
… to feel shame, to pay due respect to the old and young, to be pious, to respect our parents and teachers. All these are the friends of the good men and enemies of the bad men.
Ans. To tell untruths, to steal, to gamble, to look with wicked eye upon a woman, to commit treachery, to abuse, to be …
These are all the friends of the wicked, and the enemies of the virtuous.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Parsi catechism, the answers on what blesses and what degrades a man.
The two lists of the Parsi catechism, through Conway ('Deeds', margin: 'Parsi Catechism. (Quoted by W. J. Potter. Free Rel. Assoc., America. 1870.)'), who prints Dadabhai Naoroji's English of 1861. Naoroji translated it from a Gujarati dialogue between master and pupil appended to the Khordeh Avesta, composed 'more than a quarter of a century ago', its author unknown to him; the Gujarati was not found. Tolstoy shortens both lists. He leaves out 'to be pious', 'and young' after 'the old', 'to gamble', 'to be angry', 'unclean', and 'to do any other wicked and iniquitous action'; 'to give in charity' becomes «быть милосердным», 'to acquire learning' «всегда поучаться», 'to commit treachery' «обманывать». «Персидский» renders Conway's 'Parsi': the catechism is that of the Zoroastrians of India.
Translation note. In the first paragraph «добрых» and «злых» are plural, good and wicked people; in the second, «злого» and «доброго» are singular, taken here as evil and good themselves.
3. Важны не рассуждения о доброй жизни, а добрые дела.
3. What matters is not reasoning about the good life, but good deeds.
From Pirkei Avot · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“Not learning but doing” becomes “not reasoning about the good life, but good deeds”: the Mishnah sets the study of Torah against practice, Tolstoy talk about goodness against doing good.
In English · Joseph I. Gorfinkle, 1913… not learning but doing is the chief thing …
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Pirkei Avot (Mishnah), 1:17.
Simeon ben Gamaliel: 'not study (ha-midrash) is the main thing, but the deed (ha-ma'aseh)'. Tolstoy makes 'study' «рассуждения о доброй жизни» ('reasonings about the good life') and 'the deed' «добрые дела» ('good deeds'): the Mishnah sets the study of Torah against practice, Tolstoy sets talk about goodness against doing good. The rest of the saying (nothing better for the body than silence; many words bring sin) is left out. Not in Thoughts of Wise Men (1903). Avot is Mishnah, not Gemara.
Translation note. The Russian italic is broken only at the comma before «а», “but”; it is set here as one span.
4. Никогда не откладывай доброго дела, если можешь сделать его нынче, потому что смерть не разбирает того, сделал ли, или не сделал человек то, что должно. Смерть никого и ничего не дожидается. У нее нет ни врагов, ни друзей.
4. Never put off a good deed if you can do it today, for death does not consider whether a man has or has not done what he ought. Death waits for no one and for nothing. It has neither enemies nor friends.
From Agni Purana · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorWhere Tolstoy differs from Dutt’s English of the Sanskrit (“Never put off a good deed” for any task put off), he follows Conway’s English; his own change to Conway, “Death waits for no one and for nothing,” agrees with the Sanskrit (Dutt: “Death waits for no body”).
What Tolstoy read · Moncure D. Conway, The Sacred AnthologyNo act of virtue should be delayed which could be performed to-day ; for death does not consider whether the man he approaches has done his duty or not.
Death knows not regard nor antipathy ; it owns neither friend nor foe.
Source text: archive.orgOriginal · Sanskritश्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकं
न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतः वास्य न वा कृतं
न कालस्य प्रियः कश्चिद्द्वेष्यश्चास्य न विद्यते
Source text: sa.wikisource.orgIn English · M. N. Dutt, 1903Do that to-day what has been put off for the morrow, and in the morning what has been intended to be done in the afternoon.
Death waits for no body …
Death knows no favourite or enemy.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Agni Purana, ch. 159, vv. 8–10.
Conway's 'Action Determinative' (margin: 'Hindu. Agni Purana. comp.'), first part, close (Conway's bibliography lists H. H. Wilson's manuscript Agni Purana among his sources): the good deed not put off, and death not asking whether the duty was done. For 'Death knows not regard nor antipathy' Tolstoy writes «Смерть никого и ничего не дожидается» (death waits for no one and nothing), then keeps 'it owns neither friend nor foe' («У нее нет ни врагов, ни друзей»). His added sentence is nearer the Sanskrit, न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः, 'death does not wait' (Dutt: 'Death waits for no body'), than Conway's 'death does not consider'.
5. Когда ты явился на свет, ты плакал, а кругом все радовались; сделай же так, чтобы, когда ты будешь покидать свет, все плакали, а ты один улыбался.
5. When you came into the world, you wept, and all around you rejoiced; so see to it that, when you are leaving the world, all weep and you alone smile.
Probably from On Parent Knees · close to the original .
Related · Moncure D. Conway, The Sacred AnthologyOn parent knees a naked, new-born child …
Weeping thou sat'st, while all around thee smiled : …
So live that, sinking in thy long last sleep, …
Thou then mayest smile, while all around thee weep.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
A likely source, not certain. On Parent Knees, Conway, p. 424, no. DCLXVIII, Life and Death.
The thought of the quatrain Conway prints under 'Life and Death', its margin reading 'Ali Ben Ahmed. (Sir W. Jones.)'; other nineteenth-century printings head the same lines 'From the Persian, by Sir W. Jones' (The Parlour Companion, 12 July 1817). Tolstoy's prose follows it closely, with «все радовались» for 'smiled' and «ты один» added. Neither Conway nor any source found calls it Indian, and Tolstoy's intermediary was not found. Not in Thoughts of Wise Men (1903).
6. Только когда исполнишь ту истину, которую знаешь, откроется тебе новая истина.
6. Only when you fulfill the truth you know will a new truth be revealed to you.
From The World's Advance-Thought and the Universal Republic · close to the original .
Lucy Mallory’s own wordsYou cannot get more of Truth until you live the truth you know. This is spiritual unfoldment.
Source text: iapsop.comDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The World's Advance-Thought and the Universal Republic (Lucy A. Mallory's journal, Portland, Oregon), vol. XIX, no. 11, February 1905, 'Key Thoughts', the editor's unsigned aphorisms.
Close. Mallory's negative ('You cannot get more of Truth until you live the truth you know') becomes a positive ('Only when you fulfil the truth you know will a new truth open to you'): 'more of Truth' becomes 'a new truth', and 'live' becomes 'fulfil' (исполнишь). Tolstoy leaves out her next sentence, 'This is spiritual unfoldment.' The aphorism is unsigned, among the editor's 'Key Thoughts' (Mallory's usual way). The text is from the IAPSOP scan of the issue; the archive.org scan of vol. XIX (saved) has the same line. Her sentence is printed here.
Как ни сильно влияние прошедших дел на направление жизни, человек все-таки всегда усилием духа может изменить его.
However strong the influence of past deeds on the direction of our life, we can still always change it by an effort of the spirit.
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