3Mayмая · 3-е мая
В чем бы ни полагали люди свое назначение и благо, наука будет учением об этом назначении и благе.
Whatever people take their calling and their good to be, science will be the teaching about that calling and that good.
1. Умные люди учатся для того, чтобы знать; ничтожные — для того, чтобы их знали.
1. Intelligent people study in order to know; petty people — in order to be known.
Probably from Analects · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorConfucius is only a candidate: Analects XIV.25 sets learning for oneself against learning for others, but its pair is the ancients and the men of today, and no source with Tolstoy’s wording was found.
What Tolstoy read · Les Quatre Livres de philosophie morale et politique de la ChineDans l'antiquité, ceux qui se livraient à l'étude le faisaient pour eux-mêmes; maintenant, ceux qui se livrent à l'étude le font pour les autres [pour paraître instruits aux yeux des autres]
Source text: gutenberg.orgIn English · James Legge, 1861In ancient times, men learned with a view to their own improvement. Now-a-days, men learn with a view to the approbation of others.
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
A likely source, not certain. Analects, XIV.25 (Xian Wen).
Probable only. The thought is that of Analects XIV.25, 'the ancients learned for themselves, men today learn for others', which Pauthier glosses 'pour paraître instruits aux yeux des autres' (to seem learned in others' eyes), close to Tolstoy's «чтобы их знали» (so as to be known). Tolstoy's pair is a different one: «умные» and «ничтожные» (the wise and the worthless) in place of the ancients and the moderns, and «чтобы знать» (to know) in place of 'for themselves'. The preceding saying, XIV.24, contrasts the superior man and the mean man, which may lie behind the wise and the worthless. No source with Tolstoy's wording was found. If this is the source, «Восточная мудрость» is Confucius. T. Tolstaya's «Восточная мудрость» (1903), not online, may be the intermediary.
Searched: Thoughts of Wise Men (1903) (Jubilee vol. 40; the saying is not there); Conway's Sacred Anthology; Pauthier's French Four Books; Legge's Analects; Southgate (both), Coit, Tileston.
Translation note. The Russian italic is broken only at the dash and the comma; it is set here as one span.
2. То, что называется у нас наукой и искусством, есть произведение праздного ума и чувства, имеющее целью щекотать такие же праздные умы и чувства. Науки и искусства наши непонятны и ничего не говорят народу, потому что не имеют в виду его блага.
2. What is called science and art among us is the product of idle mind and feeling, whose aim is to tickle minds and feelings just as idle. Our sciences and arts are incomprehensible to the people and say nothing to them, because they do not have the people’s good in view.
3. Человек живет только для того, чтобы, насколько это позволяют его силы и его положение, содействовать благу своему и своих ближних. Чтобы скорее достигнуть при этом своей конечной цели, он пользуется опытом предшественников. Он учится.
Учиться помимо этой цели, просто для того, чтобы иметь возможность пересказать всё, что другие сделали, значит заниматься последней из наук. Такой человек так же мало может называться действительно ученым, как каталог — книгой. Быть человеком значит не только знать, но и делать для будущих поколений то же, что предшествовавшие сделали для нас. Неужели я должен проводить жизнь в изучении истории ученых только для того, чтобы не открыть снова того, что было уже открыто прежде? Повторяют же умышленно одну и ту же мысль дважды, и никакой беды в этом нет, — если она только выражена с новой стороны. Если ты думал сам, то твое открытие того, что раньше открыто, будет все-таки нужно.
3. Man lives only in order to further, as far as his powers and his position allow, his own good and that of his neighbors. To reach his final goal the sooner, he makes use of the experience of his predecessors. He learns.
To learn apart from this aim, simply in order to be able to retell all that others have done, is to pursue the lowest of the sciences. Such a man can no more be called truly learned than a catalog can be called a book. To be a man means not only to know but also to do for future generations what those who came before did for us. Must I really spend my life in the study of the history of the learned only so as not to discover again what was already discovered before? After all, people deliberately repeat the same thought twice, and there is no harm in it — so long as it is expressed from a new side. If you have thought for yourself, your discovery of what was discovered earlier will still be needed.
From Vermischte Schriften, vol. I · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedLichtenberg’s promise that a rediscovery by one who has thought for himself will bear “das Zeichen des Eigenthümlichen,” the mark of what is one’s own, becomes “your discovery of what was discovered earlier will still be needed”: originality becomes usefulness.
Original · GermanMenſch lebt allein, um ſein und feiner. Mitmenſchen Wohl fo fehr zu befördern, als es feine Kräfte. und feine Lage er— lauben. Hierin kuͤrzer zu ſeinem End— zweck zu gelangen, nuͤtzt er die Verſuche feiner Vorfahren. Er ſtudirt.
Ohne jene Abſicht ſtudiren, bloß um ſagen zu koͤnnen, was andere gethan haben, das heißt die letzte der Wiſſenſchaften treiben. Solche Leute ſind ſo wenig eigentliche Gelehrte, als Regiſter Bücher find.
Nicht bloß wiſſen, ſondern auch fuͤr die Nachwelt thun, was die Vorwelt fuͤr uns gethan hat, heißt ein Menſch ſeyn. Soll ich, um nichts noch einmal zu erfinden, was ſchon erfunden iſt, mein Leben uͤber der Gelehrten Geſchichte zubringen?
Sagt man doch Dinge vorſaͤtzlich zweymal, und man nimmt es einem nicht uͤbel, wenn nur die Einkleidung neu iſt. Haſt du ſelbſt gedacht, fo wird deine Erfindung einer ſchon erfundenen Sache gewiß alles mal das Zeichen des Eigenthuͤmlichen an ſich tragen.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Vermischte Schriften, vol. I (1800), Bemerkungen vermischten Inhalts, 6: Litterärische Bemerkungen, Vermischte Schriften I (Göttingen, 1800), pp. 237–238.
Lichtenberg's remark, sentence by sentence, with its first sentence left out and its last changed. Left out: “if our index-like learning now in fashion does not soon come to its winter standstill, there is much to fear” (Wenn unsere jetzt im Schwange gehende registerartige Gelehrsamkeit nicht bald zu ihrem Winterstillstand kommt). Kept closely: man lives only to further his own and his fellows' good as far as his powers and position allow; to reach that end sooner he uses his forebears' attempts; he studies; to study without that aim, only to be able to say what others have done, is to pursue the last of the sciences; such people are as little true scholars “as indexes are books” (als Register Bücher sind), «как каталог — книгой» (as a catalogue is a book) in Tolstoy; to do for posterity what the past did for us is to be a man; must I spend my life on the history of scholars so as not to invent again what is already invented; things are said twice on purpose when the dress is new. Changed: Lichtenberg's “if you have thought for yourself, your invention of a thing already invented will surely always bear the mark of what is your own” (gewiß allemal das Zeichen des Eigenthümlichen an sich tragen) becomes «то твое открытие того, что раньше открыто, будет все-таки нужно» (your discovery of what was discovered before will still be needed): the stamp of originality becomes usefulness. The OCR misreads the long s as f throughout (“feiner” for “seiner”, “fo” for “so”). Tolstoy's listed source, Lichtenberg's Ausgewählte Schriften (Leipzig, 1879), is mis-scanned on archive.org (December's finding), so the first edition stands in for it, as in earlier months. No public-domain English was found.
4. Чтобы достигнуть нравственного совершенства, нужно прежде всего заботиться о душевной чистоте. А душевная чистота достигается в том только случае, когда сердце ищет правды и воля стремится к святости. И всё это зависит от истинного знания.
4. To attain moral perfection, one must first of all care for purity of soul. And purity of soul is attained only when the heart seeks truth and the will strives toward holiness. And all this depends on true knowledge.
From Great Learning · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedEach link of the chain is renamed: to “cultivate their persons” becomes “moral perfection,” “rectified their hearts” becomes “purity of soul,” being “sincere in their thoughts” becomes “the heart seeks truth and the will strives toward holiness,” and knowledge “extended to the utmost” becomes “true knowledge.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
In English · James Legge, 1861Wishing to cultivate their persons,they first rectified their hearts.
Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts.
Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge.
Source text: archive.orgAnother translation · G. Pauthier, Confucius et Mencius: Les quatre livres de philosophie morale et politique …… ceux qui désiraient se corriger eux-mêmes s'attachaient auparavant à donner de la droiture à leur âme; ceux qui désiraient donner de la droiture à leur âme s'attachaient auparavant à rendre leurs intentions pures et sincères; ceux qui désiraient rendre leurs intentions pures et sincères s'attachaient auparavant à perfectionner le plus possible leurs connaissances morales; …
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньЧтобы достигнуть нравственного совершенства, нужно прежде всего заботиться о душевной чистоте.
А душевная чистота достигается в том только случае, когда сердце ищет правды и воля стремится к святости.
Но всё это зависит от истинного знания.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Great Learning (Daxue), the classic text, §4.
Tolstoy's 1903 text (Thoughts of Wise Men, 23 October), repeated in the Circle with «И» for «Но» before the last sentence and the stress on «истинного». In 1903 the signature «Конфуций» marks D. Konissi's Russian Great Learning (Вопросы философии и психологии, 1893, кн. 16), the Jubilee vol. 40 commentary says, a copy Tolstoy marked; it was not found online. Against the Chinese the chain is cut to three links and its terms changed: 'wishing to cultivate the person, they first rectified the heart (正其心); wishing to rectify the heart, they first made their thoughts sincere (誠其意); wishing to make their thoughts sincere, they first extended their knowledge (致其知)'. Cultivating the person becomes «нравственного совершенства» (moral perfection), the rectified heart «душевной чистоте» (purity of soul), the sincere thoughts «сердце ищет правды и воля стремится к святости» (the heart seeks truth and the will strives toward holiness), and the extended knowledge «истинного знания» (true knowledge). The links before (ordering the state, regulating the family) and after (the investigation of things) are left out. How much of the wording is Konissi's and how much Tolstoy's cannot be told without Konissi's text. Pauthier, whom Tolstoy also had, has 'donner de la droiture à leur âme' (give uprightness to their soul) and 'rendre leurs intentions pures et sincères'. Zhu Xi ascribes this classic text to Confucius, as handed down by Zengzi.
5. Если спросят тебя, как узнать пророка, отвечай: это тот, кто дает мне знание о моем собственном сердце.
5. If you are asked how to recognize a prophet, answer: he is the one who gives me knowledge of my own heart.
From The Desatir, Book of the Prophet Zirtusht · shortened by Tolstoy .
What Tolstoy read · The Sacred AnthologyThe Nurakh sages ask, ' What use is there for a prophet in this world ?
He will ask thee, ' How can we know a prophet ? ' By his giving you information regarding your own heart.
Source text: archive.orgIn English · Mulla Firuz bin Kaus, with Jonathan Duncan, 1818The Nurakh *Sages ask, What use is there for a prophet in this world ?
By his knowing that which others do not know ; …
And by his giving you information regarding your own heart ; …
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. The Desatir, Book of the Prophet Zirtusht, vv. 44-52; Conway (1874), no. CCLXXV, The Prophet, p. 177.
Conway's last sentence, close: 'He will ask thee, "How can we know a prophet?" By his giving you information regarding your own heart.' Tolstoy turns the answer into the speaker's own: «это тот, кто дает мне знание о моем собственном сердце» (he who gives me knowledge of my own heart). Conway had already cut the Desatir: the prophet Zirtusht answers a Greek sage that a prophet is known by three signs, by his knowing what others do not know, by his telling you about your own heart, and by his never being puzzled by a question; Conway keeps the second. The Desatir was published in 1818 from the only known manuscript, bought at Isfahan by the Parsi Mulla Kaus, in an otherwise unknown language with a Persian version. Conway calls it 'of apocryphal authorship, and date in Christian era uncertain', and the 1888 reprint prints the dispute over its genuineness (William Erskine's doubts, Anthony Troyer's defence). Its Persian text, printed in the 1818 first volume, was not available as text and was not checked.
6. Когда люди занимаются учением для самих себя, учение это полезно для них; когда же люди делают это для других, чтобы казаться учеными, ученость эта не только бесполезна, но вредна.
6. When people take up study for themselves, that study is useful to them; but when people do it for others, so as to seem learned, that learning is not only useless but harmful.
From Analects · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“In ancient times” and “now-a-days” drop out, so learners of two ages become two motives for learning, and Tolstoy adds the verdicts: learning for oneself “is useful to them,” learning for others “not only useless but harmful.”
What Tolstoy read · G. Pauthier, Confucius et Mencius: Les quatre livres de philosophie morale et politique …Le Philosophe dit: Dans l'antiquité, ceux qui se livraient à l'étude le faisaient pour eux-mêmes; maintenant, ceux qui se livrent à l'étude le font pour les autres [pour paraître instruits aux yeux des autres]
Source text: gutenberg.orgIn English · James Legge, 1861The Master said, 'In ancient times, men learned with a view to their own improvement. Now-a-days, men learn with a view to the approbation of others.'
Source text: gutenberg.orgTolstoy’s own version · Мысли мудрых людей на каждый деньКогда люди занимаются учением для самих себя, учение это полезно для них, когда же люди делают это для других, чтобы казаться учеными, ученость эта бесполезна.
Source text: tolstoy.ruDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Analects (Lunyu), XIV.25 (Legge XIV.xxv; Pauthier XIV.25).
Pauthier's French, through Tolstoy's 1903 version (Thoughts of Wise Men, 18 August, where he names the Lun-yu), with a judgment added. Pauthier: 'in antiquity those who gave themselves to study did it for themselves; now those who give themselves to study do it for others [to appear learned in others' eyes]'. Tolstoy drops 'in antiquity' and 'now', so the contrast of ancient and modern students becomes one of two motives, and keeps Pauthier's bracketed gloss as «чтобы казаться учеными». The verdicts are his own: in 1903 «учение это полезно для них … ученость эта бесполезна» (useful to them … useless), in the Circle «не только бесполезна, но вредна» (not only useless but harmful). The Chinese 古之學者爲己，今之學者爲人 says only that the ancients learned for themselves and men now learn for others (Legge: 'with a view to their own improvement … with a view to the approbation of others'). The saying is Confucius's (子曰).
7. Люди часто ближе к существенной истине в своих суевериях, чем в своей науке.
7. People are often closer to essential truth in their superstitions than in their science.
From Journal, 27 June 1852, as printed in Summer, ed. H. G. O. Blake · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changedThoreau’s “probably” becomes “often,” and his guess becomes a statement.
What Tolstoy read · Every Day with Thoreau, in The Coming DayMen are probably nearer to the essential truth in their » superstitions than in their science.
Source text: archive.orgThoreau’s own wordsScience affirms too much.
Men are probably nearer to the essential truth in their superstitions than in their science.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Journal, 27 June 1852, as printed in Summer, ed. H. G. O. Blake (Boston, 1884), Summer (1884), p. 256, under June 27, 1852, at the end of a passage on lightning.
One sentence, translated closely but for one word: Thoreau's 'probably' becomes 'often' (часто), so his guess becomes a statement of how things often are. The rest is kept: 'nearer to the essential truth' (ближе к существенной истине), 'in their superstitions than in their science'. The calendar 'Every Day with Thoreau' in John Page Hopps's The Coming Day prints the sentence under March 2, with 'probably'; April found all five of its Thoreau there, and May's three are there too (March 2, May 16, December 17), so the calendar was probably Tolstoy's route. The '»' in the calendar's excerpt is a mark of the scan. No printable.
Цель жизни всякого отдельного человека одна: совершенствование в добре. И потому нужны только те знания, которые ведут к этому.
The aim of life for every individual person is one: perfecting oneself in goodness. And so only that knowledge is needed which leads to this.
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