23Mayмая · 23-е мая
Чем к меньшему мы привыкли, тем меньше нам угрожает лишений.
The less we are used to, the fewer privations threaten us.
1. Воздержание не означает подавления силы, не означает приостановки в добре, в проявлении любви или веры, но, наоборот, проявление силы духовной, препятствующей делать то, что человек считает дурным.
1. Self-restraint does not mean the suppression of power, does not mean a halt in good, in the manifestation of love or faith, but, on the contrary, the manifestation of a spiritual power that keeps a man from doing what he considers wrong.
From The Stones of Venice III · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“The power which governs the most intense energy, and prevents its acting in any way but as it ought” becomes “a spiritual power that keeps a man from doing what he considers wrong,” and “a subdued and imperfect energy” becomes “the suppression of power.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
John Ruskin’s own wordsNow, observe: Temperance, in the nobler sense, does not mean a subdued and imperfect energy; it does not mean a stopping short in any good thing, as in Love or in Faith; but it means the power which governs the most intense energy, and prevents its acting in any way but as it ought.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньВоздержание не означает подавления или неразвития энергии, не означает приостановки в добре, как, например, в проявлении любви или веры, но, наоборот, силу и энергию, препятствующую делать то, что человек считает дурным.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Stones of Venice III (1853), ch. I 'Early Renaissance', § VII, on Temperance as the safeguard of beauty.
The middle is kept, the ends changed. 'Temperance, in the nobler sense' loses 'in the nobler sense'. 'a subdued and imperfect energy' becomes 'the suppression of strength' (подавления силы); Thoughts of Wise Men (1903, 21 September) had 'suppression or non-development of energy', nearer Ruskin. 'a stopping short in any good thing, as in Love or in Faith' is close ('a halt in good, in the showing of love or faith'). 'the power which governs the most intense energy, and prevents its acting in any way but as it ought' becomes 'the showing of a spiritual strength that keeps a man from doing what he considers wrong' (проявление силы духовной, препятствующей делать то, что человек считает дурным): Ruskin's government of energy becomes restraint from wrong, already so in 1903 ('strength and energy that keeps …'), and the Circle adds 'spiritual'. Ruskin is speaking of colour and ornament, of which the moral virtue is the type. That book's Ruskin came from L. P. Nikiforov's Russian selection (Posrednik, 1902), not found online. No printable.
2. Как дым изгоняет пчел из улья, так обжорство изгоняет духовные дары и совершенства ума.
2. As smoke drives the bees from the hive, so gluttony drives out the spiritual gifts and the perfections of the mind.
Probably from Homily I on Fasting · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorBasil’s image of smoke driving away bees is in his first homily on fasting, where the vice is drinking; Tolstoy’s is gluttony, the Posrednik selection of Basil on the Jubilee list was not seen, and the source is only a candidate.
Another translation · Беседа 1. О посте 1-я, in «Творения иже во святых отца нашего Василия Великого», pt. 4Пьянство не дает места Господу; пьянство отгоняет Духа Святого.
Дым гонит прочь пчел, а неумеренное винопитие отгоняет духовные дарования.
Source text: azbyka.ruDetails
A likely source, not certain. Homily I on Fasting (De ieiunio I), toward the end, after "drunkenness drives away the Holy Spirit".
The image is Basil's, in his first homily on fasting, quoted here in the Russian of the Moscow Theological Academy (1846): «Дым гонит прочь пчел, а неумеренное винопитие отгоняет духовные дарования» (smoke drives away bees, and immoderate wine-drinking drives away spiritual gifts). Tolstoy makes the vice «обжорство» (gluttony), puts the bees in the hive («из улья»), and adds «и совершенства ума» (and the perfections of the mind). Candidate: the Jubilee list of sources names «Душеспасительные наставления св. Василия Великого» (Посредник), not seen, whose wording may account for the gluttony; the same image may stand elsewhere in Basil with gluttony as the vice. The Greek (PG 31) was not saved, and no public-domain English of this homily was found.
3. Великое благо иметь то, чего мы желаем; еще более великое благо ничего не желать, кроме того, что мы имеем.
3. It is a great good to have what we desire; it is a still greater good to desire nothing but what we have.
From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorThe change from wanting “the right things” to desiring “nothing but what we have” is in Boiste’s French dictionary, which Tolstoy translated closely.
What Tolstoy read · P.-C.-V. Boiste, Dictionnaire universel de la langue française, ed. C. Nodier and L. BarréC'est un grand bien d'avoir ce qu'on désire; c'en est un bien plus grand de ne désirer que ce que l'on a. [Ménédème.]
Source text: archive.orgOriginal · Ancient GreekΚαί ποτέ τινος ἀκούσας ὡς μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν εἴη τὸ πάντων ἐπιτυγχάνειν ὧν τις ἐπιθυμεῖ, εἶπε, πολὺ δὲ μεῖζον τὸ ἐπιθυμεῖν ὧν δεῖ.
Source text: raw.githubusercontent.comIn English · R. D. Hicks, 1925On hearing some one say that the greatest good was to get all you want, he rejoined, "To want the right things is a far greater good."
Source text: en.wikisource.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers, II.136 (life of Menedemus); in Boiste s.v. "Désirer".
Tolstoy translates Boiste's dictionary closely, an example under "Désirer" signed "[Ménédème.]": "It is a great good to have what one desires; it is a far greater one to desire only what one has", with «ничего не желать, кроме того, что мы имеем» (to desire nothing but what we have) for "ne désirer que ce que l'on a". The saying is Menedemus's reply in Diogenes Laertius II.136, and the French changed its sense before Tolstoy: to a man who said the greatest good was to get everything one desires, Menedemus answered that "far greater is to desire what one ought" (ὧν δεῖ; Hicks: "To want the right things is a far greater good"). Boiste turns "what one ought" into "what one has", so that a saying about right desire becomes one about contentment; the second edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1778, article "Menedemus", not saved) tells it in the same form ("a much greater to desire nothing but what we have"). The Jubilee name index has no entry for Menedemus.
4. Ночная бабочка летит в огонь лампы, не зная боли ожога; и рыба глотает червяка на удочке, не зная опасности; а вот мы не расстаемся с чувственными наслаждениями, хотя отлично знаем, что они опутаны сетью бедствий. Такова бездонная глубина безрассудства.
4. The moth flies into the flame of the lamp, not knowing the pain of the burn; and the fish swallows the worm on the hook, not knowing the danger; but we do not part with sensual pleasures, though we know very well that they are enmeshed in a net of calamities. Such is the bottomless depth of folly.
From Vairāgya-śataka · close to the original .
Original · Sanskritअजानन्दाहात्म्यं पततु शलभस्तीव्रदहने
स मीनोऽप्यज्ञानाद्बडिशयुतं अश्नातु पिशितं
विजानन्तोऽप्येते वयं इह वियज्जालजटिलान्
न मुञ्चामः कानां अहह गहनो मोहमहिमा
Source text: sa.wikisource.orgIn English · B. Hale Wortham, 1886A moth may fall into the flame of a candle through ignorance ; a fish may take a piece of meat fastened to a hook, not knowing what it is ; but we who know perfectly the many entanglements of fortune yet do not give up our desire. Ah ! in what a thicket of error do we wander !
Source text: archive.orgAnother translation · Two Centuries of Bhartrihari · C. H. Tawney, 1877The moth unwitting rushes on the fire, Through ignorance the fish devours the bait, We men know well the foes that lie in wait. Yet cannot shun the meshes of desire.
Source text: archive.orgTolstoy’s own version · Путь жизниНочная бабочка летит на огонь, потому что не знает того, что обожжет крылья; и рыба глотает червяка на удочке, потому что не знает того, что это губит ее.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Vairāgya-śataka, v. 18 (Wikisource numbering, 3.18); v. 21 in Wortham.
A verse of Bhartrihari's Vairagya-shataka, kept close to the Sanskrit: 'Not knowing its burning, the moth falls into the fierce flame; the fish too, from ignorance, eats the flesh on the hook; we, though we know, do not let go of desires entangled in a net of calamities: alas, how deep is the power of delusion!' Tolstoy's «опутаны сетью бедствий» (entangled in a net of calamities) renders vipaj-jāla, which Wortham makes 'the many entanglements of fortune' and Tawney 'the meshes of desire'; so neither saved English was his source, and through which translation he read it was not found. He makes the desires «чувственные наслаждения» (sensual pleasures), the bait a worm, and the close «Такова бездонная глубина безрассудства» (such is the bottomless depth of folly). The Wikisource text has two misprints, «वियज्जाल» for «विपज्जाल» and «कानां» for «कामान्». Not a proverb: the verse is Bhartrihari's, in both saved translations. Tolstoy used it again, unsigned and turned against lust, in The Path of Life.
5. Наши желания — то же, что маленькие дети, которые всегда беспокойны и всегда просят у матери то того, то другого и никогда не довольны ничем. Чем более им уступают, тем более они делаются докучливыми.
5. Our desires are like little children, who are always restless and always asking their mother for one thing or another, and are never content with anything. The more they are given in to, the more importunate they become.
From «Благочестивые мысли и наставления для руководства христианина на пути к совершенству» · close to the original .
Original · RussianНаши желания то же, что маленькие дети, которые всегда беспокойны и беспрестанно просят у матери то того, то другого, и никогда не довольны ничем. Чем более им уступают, тем более они делаются докучливыми.
Source text: azbyka.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. «Благочестивые мысли и наставления для руководства христианина на пути к совершенству» (Moscow, 1872 printing; Tolstoy used the 3rd edition, 1879), § III.13.
The anthology's saying, word for word but for one word: «беспрестанно просят» (ask incessantly) becomes «всегда просят» (always ask), repeating the «всегда» (always) of «всегда беспокойны» (always restless). The compiler says the sayings come mainly from the Church Fathers; this one's author is not named.
6. Кто мудр? — У всех чему-нибудь научающийся.
Кто силен? — Себя обуздывающий.
Кто богат? — Довольствующийся своей участью.
6. Who is wise? — He who learns something from everyone.
Who is strong? — He who curbs himself.
Who is rich? — He who is content with his lot.
From Pirkei Avot · shortened by Tolstoy .
Original · Hebrewבֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, …
אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, …
אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, …
Source text: sefaria.orgIn English · Joseph I. Gorfinkle, 1913Ben Zoma (1) said, "Who is wise? He who learns from all men, …
Who is mighty? He who controls his passions, …
Who is rich? He who rejoices in his portion, …
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньКто мудр? У всех чему-нибудь научающийся.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Pirkei Avot (Mishnah), 4:1 (Ben Zoma).
From Thoughts of Wise Men (1903), May 29, with dashes added after each question. Ben Zoma's first three questions and answers, without the verses he cites for each and without the fourth, "Who is honored? He who honors others". «Себя обуздывающий» (he who reins himself in) renders "he who subdues his inclination" (הכובש את יצרו), and «Довольствующийся своей участью» (he who is content with his lot) "he who rejoices in his portion". Signed «Талмуд»: Pirkei Avot is a tractate of the Mishnah. 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.
7. То, от чего человек отказался, не может причинить ему страдания. Тот, кто уничтожил в себе гордость, говорящую «я», «мое», тот перешел в высший мир.
7. What a man has renounced cannot cause him suffering. He who has destroyed in himself the pride that says “I” and “mine” has passed into a higher world.
From Tirukkural · joined by Tolstoy from several places .
Original · Tamilயாதனின் யாதனின் நீங்கியான் நோதல் அதனின் அதனின் இலன்.
யான்எனது என்னும்செருக்கு அறுப்பான் வானோர்க்கு உயர்ந்த உலகம் புகும்.
Source text: ta.wikisource.orgIn English · W. H. Drew (1840) and John Lazarus, 1885Whateverthing a man has renounced, by that thing, he eannot suffer pain.
He who destroys the pride which says “I,” “mine,” will enter a world which is difficult even to the Gods to attain.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Tirukkural, ch. 35 (Renunciation), couplets 341 and 346.
Two couplets of the chapter on renunciation, joined: 'Whateverthing a man has renounced, by that thing, he cannot suffer pain' (341; the scan reads 'eannot'), and 'He who destroys the pride which says "I," "mine," will enter a world which is difficult even to the Gods to attain' (346). The first is close. In the second Tolstoy makes the future a past, «тот перешел в высший мир» (has passed into the higher world), and leaves out 'difficult even to the Gods to attain'.
8. Чем больше торопишься, тем меньше успеваешь.
8. The more you hurry, the less you get done.
9. Никто никогда не раскаивался, что съел слишком мало.
9. No one has ever regretted having eaten too little.
10. Природа требует мало, воображение — много.
10. Nature demands little, imagination much.
Translation note. The Russian italic is broken only at the comma and the dash; it is set here as one span.
11. Из наслаждения возникает печаль, из наслаждения возникает страх; кто свободен от наслаждений, нет для того уже ни печали, ни страха.
11. From pleasure arises sorrow, from pleasure arises fear; for one who is free of pleasures there is no longer either sorrow or fear.
From Dhammapada · close to the original .
Original · PaliPiyato jāyatī soko, …
… piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ; …
Piyato vippamuttassa, …
… natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Source text: raw.githubusercontent.comIn English · F. Max Müller, 1881212. From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free from pleasure knows neither grief nor fear.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньИз наслаждения возникает печаль, из наслаждения возникает страх; кто свободен от наслаждений, нет для того уж ни печали, ни страха.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Dhammapada, v. 212 (Piyavagga).
Tolstoy's 1903 text (Thoughts of Wise Men, 29 August, signed «Dhammapada»), from Gerasimov's Russian (1898; not found online); the Circle has «уже» for «уж». Close to Müller's v. 212, phrase for phrase. The Pali piya is 'what is dear': 'from the dear springs grief, from the dear springs fear; for one freed from the dear there is no grief, whence fear?'; Müller and Tolstoy have 'pleasure' («наслаждение»). Verses 213-216 repeat the line with affection, delight (rati; Müller: 'lust'), desire, and craving; Müller's 'pleasure' is v. 212.
12. Славнее господства над землей, прекраснее восхождения до небес, славнее владычества над мирами — святая радость первых ступеней освобождения.
12. More glorious than lordship over the earth, more beautiful than ascent to the heavens, more glorious than dominion over the worlds is the holy joy of the first steps of liberation.
From Dhammapada · close to the original .
Original · PaliPathabyā ekarajjena, …
… saggassa gamanena vā; …
Sabbalokādhipaccena, …
… sotāpattiphalaṁ varaṁ.
Source text: raw.githubusercontent.comIn English · F. Max Müller, 1881178. Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven, better than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of the first step in holiness.
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньСлавнее господства над землею, прекраснее восхождения до небес, славнее владычества над мирами — святая радость первых ступеней освобождения.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Dhammapada, v. 178 (Lokavagga).
Tolstoy's 1903 text (Thoughts of Wise Men, 12 November, signed «Dhammapada»), from Gerasimov's Russian (1898; not found online); the Circle has «землей» for «землею». Close to the verse: 'better than sole rule over the earth, than going to heaven, than lordship over all the worlds, is the fruit of stream-entry' (sotāpattiphala), the first of the four stages of the path. Müller calls it 'the reward of the first step in holiness'; Tolstoy's «святая радость первых ступеней освобождения» (the holy joy of the first steps of liberation) makes the fruit a joy and the stage a step toward liberation.
Увеличение потребностей не есть усовершенствование, как это часто думают, напротив: чем больше ограничил человек свои потребности, тем больше в нем сознания своего человеческого достоинства, тем он свободнее, мужественнее и, главное, способнее служить богу и людям.
To increase our needs is not to perfect ourselves, as is often thought; on the contrary, the more we have limited our needs, the more conscious we are of our human dignity, the freer and more courageous we are, and, above all, the more able to serve God and people.
Tolstoy TodayТолстой сегодня · tolstoytoday.org/may/23