2Mayмая · 2-е мая
Люди не соглашаются с истиной чаще всего оттого, что они чувствуют себя оскорбленными той формой, в которой предлагается им истина.
Most often people do not agree with the truth because they feel offended by the form in which the truth is offered to them.
1. Зарождающаяся ссора подобна пробивающемуся сквозь плотину потоку: как только он пробился, ты уже не удержишь его.
1. A quarrel that is beginning is like a stream breaking through a dam: as soon as it has broken through, you can no longer hold it back.
From Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin · close to the original .
Original · Hebrewאמר רב הונא האי תיגרא דמיא לצינורא דבידקא דמיא כיון דרווח רווח
Source text: sefaria.orgIn English · S. H. Glick, En Jacob (Ein Yaakov), 1916 (via Sefaria), 1916Strife is likened to an inroad made by a burst [of water], once entering it, it widens more and more.
Source text: sefaria.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньЗарождающаяся ссора подобна пробивающемуся сквозь плотину потоку: как только он пробился, ты уже не удержишь его.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 7a (Rav Huna).
Word for word from Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), February 4. Rav Huna, in Sanhedrin 7a: "this quarrel is like the channel of a breach made by water: once it widens, it widens". The Gemara is expounding Proverbs 17:14, "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water". Tolstoy's stream breaking through a dam renders the breach; "once it widens, it widens" becomes «как только он пробился, ты уже не удержишь его» (once it has broken through, you will not hold it back). 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.
2. Человек легко может затеять спор, но как разгоревшийся огонь трудно бывает потушить его.
2. We can easily start a dispute, but, like a fire that has flared up, it may be hard to put out.
3. Как только мы почувствовали гнев во время спора, мы уже спорим не за истину, а за себя.
3. In any controversy, the instant we feel angry, we have already ceased striving for Truth, and begun striving for Ourselves.
From Voltaire · close to the original .
Tolstoy’s version, in English_As soon as we have felt anger during a dispute, we are no longer arguing for the truth but for ourselves._
Carlyle’s own wordsIntolerance, animosity can forward no cause; …
… and least of all beseems the cause of moral and religious truth.
… in any controversy, the instant we feel angry, we have already ceased striving for Truth, and begun striving for Ourselves.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Voltaire (Foreign Review, 1829), in Critical and Miscellaneous Essays, vol. I, Near the end of the essay; Chicago: American Bookmart printing of the final text (1869), p. 460.
A close translation. Carlyle prints the sentence in quotation marks, introduced by 'A wise man has well reminded us, that', so the words are his quotation of an unnamed writer; who that was is not known (the saying is often given to the Buddha, without a source). Tolstoy keeps every part: 'in any controversy' becomes 'during a dispute' (во время спора), 'the instant we feel angry' 'as soon as we have felt anger', and 'we have already ceased striving for Truth, and begun striving for Ourselves' 'we are already disputing not for truth but for ourselves'. Faithful to the English: printable offered (the quotation alone, as Tolstoy used it). Ewald Flügel's study of Carlyle (1887; English 1891) takes Carlyle's sentence as a chapter motto. Tolstoy's route to it was not found; the saved Southgate, Coit and Tileston do not have it.
Translation note. Tolstoy kept the author’s words closely, so the author’s own English is printed here (ruling 1); Tolstoy’s Russian, translated, is in the source panel. The Russian italic is broken only at the commas; it is set here as one span.
4. Я не могу никогда убедить другого человека иначе, как только его же собственными мыслями. Значит, я должен предположить, что у него хороший и верный рассудок; в противном случае бесполезно надеяться, что я могу привлечь его на мою сторону моими доводами. Точно так же я не могу тронуть сердце другого иначе, как его же собственными чувствами. Значит, я должен предположить, что другой человек обладает известной добротой сердца; в противном случае, он никогда не почувствует отвращения к пороку и побуждения к добродетели при моем описании порока и при моем восхвалении добродетели.
4. I can never convince another man except by his own thoughts. So I must suppose that he has a good and sound understanding; otherwise it is useless to hope that I can win him over to my side by my arguments. In just the same way I cannot touch another’s heart except by his own feelings. So I must suppose that the other man possesses a certain goodness of heart; otherwise he will never feel aversion to vice or an impulse toward virtue when I describe vice and when I praise virtue.
Kant.
From Bemerkungen in den Beobachtungen über das Gefühl des Schönen und Erhabenen · close to the original .
Original · GermanIch kann einen anderen niemals überzeugen als durch seine eigenen Gedanken. Ich muß also voraussetzen, der andere habe einen guten und richtigen Verstand; sonst ist es vergeblich zu hoffen, er werde durch meine Gründe können gewonnen werden.
Ebenso kann ich niemand moralisch rühren als durch seine eigenen Empfindungen; ich muß also voraussetzen, der andere habe eine gewisse Bonität des Herzens; sonst wird er bei meiner Schilderung des Lasters niemals Abscheu und bei meiner Anpreisung der Tugend niemals eine Triebfeder dazu in sich fühlen.
Source text: archive.orgTolstoy’s own version · Путь жизниУбедить другого человека можно только его же собственными мыслями. Точно так же и привлечь человека к добру можно только тем добром, какое есть в нем.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Bemerkungen in den Beobachtungen über das Gefühl des Schönen und Erhabenen (Fragmente aus dem Nachlasse), as excerpted in Raoul Richter, Kant-Aussprüche (1901), Kant-Aussprüche no. 54 (Richter's register: Fragmente, Hartenstein VIII, 619).
Kant's remark, closely: I can never convince another except through his own thoughts, so I must suppose he has a good and sound understanding, or it is vain to hope my reasons will win him; likewise I can move no one morally except through his own feelings, so I must suppose a certain goodness of heart (Bonität des Herzens), or he will never feel abhorrence at my picture of vice nor an incentive at my praise of virtue. Tolstoy writes «тронуть сердце другого» (touch another's heart) for “niemand moralisch rühren” (move no one morally), and «побуждения к добродетели» (an impulse to virtue) for “eine Triebfeder dazu” (an incentive to it). Richter prints it among Kant's notes in his copy of the Beobachtungen. A later draft for «Путь жизни» (tolstoy block) joins its first sentence to Kant's next remark in Richter (no. 55: I can make no one better except through the remnant of good in him). No public-domain English of these notes was found.
5. Старайся, чтобы в споре слова твои были мягки, а доводы тверды. Надо не досадить противнику, а убедить его.
5. In a dispute, try to keep your words soft and your arguments firm. The aim is not to vex your opponent but to convince him.
From A Discourse concerning a New Planet · close to the original .
Wilkins’s own words'Tis an excellent rule to bee observed in all disputes, That Men should give soft Words and hard Arguments, that they would not so much strive to vex, as to convince an Enemy.
Source text: github.comTolstoy’s own version · Путь жизниСтарайся, чтобы в споре слова твои были мягки, а доводы тверды. Старайся не досадить противнику, а убедить его.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. A Discourse concerning a New Planet (1640), 'To the Reader', The address to the reader before the second book of A Discourse concerning a New World & Another Planet (London, 1640); EEBO-TCP transcription A15364.
«Вилькинс» is John Wilkins (1614–1672), later Bishop of Chester, in the preface to the reader of his Copernican Discourse concerning a New Planet. The Jubilee name index identifies «Вилькинс» as George Wilkins (1785–1865), an English clergyman; that is wrong, as the words are John Wilkins's. Tolstoy's attribution itself is right. The rule is kept closely, its frame changed: 'an excellent rule to bee observed in all disputes, That Men should give soft Words and hard Arguments' becomes a counsel to the reader, 'Try that in a dispute your words be soft and your arguments firm'; 'that they would not so much strive to vex, as to convince an Enemy' becomes 'One must not vex one's opponent but convince him', so 'not so much … as' becomes a plain 'not … but', and the 'Enemy' an opponent (противнику). No printable, for the changed frame. English collections from the eighteenth century on reprint the sentence under 'Bishop Wilkins'; which one Tolstoy read was not found (not in the saved Southgate, Coit or Tileston). The Path of Life (1910) repeats it, its second sentence beginning 'Try' as well.
6. Ничто так не содействует торжеству разума, как спокойствие тех, которые служат ему. Истина страдает часто более от горячности своих защитников, чем от нападок своих противников.
6. Nothing so furthers the triumph of reason as the calm of those who serve it. Truth often suffers more from the heat of its defenders than from the attacks of its opponents.
Penn.
From Some Fruits of Solitude · close to the original .
Penn’s own wordsNothing does Reason more Right, than the Coolness of those that offer it: For Truth often suffers more by the Heat of its Defenders, than from the Arguments of its Opposers.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Some Fruits of Solitude (1693), maxim 142, under 'Temper', Part I, no. 142; London: Freemantle, 1901 (introduction by Edmund Gosse).
«Пэн» is William Penn, as November found for the same signature (11-24.4, Fruits of Solitude no. 145). The Jubilee name index refers «Пэн» on this page (vol. 41, p. 298) to Thomas Paine; that is wrong. Tolstoy's attribution is right as written; the English signature should read Penn. Close in sense, with three words changed: 'Nothing does Reason more Right' becomes 'Nothing so much furthers the triumph of reason' (Ничто так не содействует торжеству разума); 'those that offer it' becomes 'those who serve it' (тех, которые служат ему); and 'the Arguments of its Opposers' becomes 'the attacks of its opponents' (от нападок своих противников). Penn's 'For' is dropped and the maxim made two sentences. No printable, for the changed words.
7. Пусть говорящий — безумец, — слушатель, будь мудр!
Кроткий ответ удаляет злобу; обидные слова возбуждают гнев.
7. Let the speaker be a fool — listener, be wise!
A gentle answer drives away malice; hurtful words stir up anger.
Translation note. The Russian italic is broken only at punctuation, at the dashes and the comma; it is set here as one span. The second line is Proverbs 15:1, where the KJV has “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
8. Если человек заслуживает похвалы, старайтесь не отказывать ему в ней, иначе вы не только можете этим отклонить его от настоящего пути, лишая его поддержки и одобрения, в которых он нуждается, но и сами лишаетесь радости воздать человеку должное за его труд.
8. If a man deserves praise, try not to deny it to him; otherwise not only may you thereby turn him aside from the true path, depriving him of the support and approval he needs, but you are yourselves deprived of the joy of giving a man his due for his labor.
From The Political Economy of Art · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedRuskin’s young painter, “if he does deserve it,” becomes anyone: “If a man deserves praise”; “the happiest privilege you will ever have of rewarding his labour” becomes “the joy of giving a man his due for his labor.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
John Ruskin’s own words… and it is only by the fact of his seeming not to seek your approbation that you may conjecture he deserves it.
But if he does deserve it, be sure that you give it him, else you not only run a chance of driving him from the right road by want of encouragement, but you deprive yourselves of the happiest privilege you will ever have of rewarding his labour.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньЕсли человек заслуживает похвалы, старайтесь не отказывать ему в ней, иначе вы не только рискуете отклонить его от надлежащего пути, лишая его поддержки и одобрения, в котором он нуждается, но и сами лишитесь лучшего преимущества — воздать человеку должное за его труд.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Political Economy of Art (1857; reissued as A Joy for Ever, 1880), Lecture I, Lecture I, under 'Discovery', on how the public should treat the work of young painters.
Ruskin speaks of a young painter, and of the praise his careful work deserves; Tolstoy makes it any man: 'if he does deserve it' becomes 'If a man deserves praise'. 'be sure that you give it him' becomes 'try not to refuse it to him'; 'by want of encouragement' becomes 'by depriving him of the support and approval he needs'; 'the happiest privilege you will ever have of rewarding his labour' becomes 'the joy of giving a man his due for his work' (радости воздать человеку должное за его труд). Thoughts of Wise Men (1903, 14 July) has the same sentence nearer Ruskin, with 'you risk' (рискуете, 'run a chance') and 'the best privilege' (лучшего преимущества); the Circle has 'you may' (можете) and 'the joy'. The Jubilee commentary on that book names the source of its Ruskin: L. P. Nikiforov's Russian selection (Posrednik, 1902), not found online, so the first changes may be Nikiforov's. No printable.
Если ты знаешь истину, или хотя думаешь, что знаешь ее, то передавай ее как можно проще, а главное, как можно мягче, любовнее к тому, кому передаешь ее.
If you know the truth, or only think you know it, pass it on as simply as possible and, above all, as gently and as lovingly as possible toward the one to whom you pass it on.
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