28Octoberоктября · 28-е октября
Как ощущение боли есть необходимое условие сохранения нашего тела, так и страдания суть необходимые условия нашей жизни от рождения и до смерти.
As the feeling of pain is a necessary condition for preserving our body, so sufferings are necessary conditions of our life from birth to death.
1. Как наше тело лопнуло бы, если бы прекратилось давление на него атмосферы, так если бы прекратилось давление на людскую жизнь нужды, тягостного труда и всякого рода превратностей судьбы, — надменность людей возросла бы хотя и не до опасности лопнуть, но всё же до явлений необузданнейшей дури и даже умопомешательства.
1. As our body would burst if the pressure of the atmosphere on it were removed, so, if the pressure of need, hard toil and every kind of adversity were lifted from human life, men’s arrogance would swell — if not to the point of bursting, then at least to displays of the most unbridled folly, and even madness.
From Parerga und Paralipomena, vol. 2 · close to the original .
Original · GermanJedoch, wie unſer Leib auseinanderplatzen müßte, wenn der Druck der Atmosſphäre von ihm genommen wäre; — ſo würde, wenn der Druck der Noth, Mühſaͤligkeit, Widerwärtigleit und Vereitelung der Beſtrebungen vom Leben der Menſchen weggenommen wäre, ihr Uebermuth ſich ſteigern, wenn auch nicht bis zum Platzen, doch bis zu den Erſcheinungen der zügelloſeſten Narrheit, ja, Raſerei.
Source text: archive.orgIn English · T. Bailey Saunders, 1891But misfortune has its uses; for, as our bodily frame would burst asunder if the pressure of the atmosphere was removed, so, if the lives of men were relieved of all need, hardship and adversity; if everything they took in hand were successful, they would be so swollen with arrogance that, though they might not burst, they would present the spectacle of unbridled folly--nay, they would go mad.
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Parerga und Paralipomena, vol. 2 (1851; 2nd ed., ed. Frauenstädt, 1862), Ch. XII "Nachträge zur Lehre vom Leiden der Welt", § 153 (§ 152 in the 1851 edition), first sentence; p. 314 of the 1862 edition.
Faithful. "Mühseligkeit, Widerwärtigkeit und Vereitelung der Bestrebungen" is generalized to burdensome toil and all kinds of reverses of fate, and the next sentence (everyone needs some care or pain, as a ship needs ballast) is left out.
2. Врач прописывает одному больному одно лечение, другому другое, так и провидение прописывает нам болезни, увечья и прискорбные потери.
Как предписание врача клонится к восстановлению здоровья больного, так точно и случайности, которым провидение подвергает человека, клонятся к нравственному оздоровлению его, к восстановлению связи его оторванного личного существования с общей жизнью всего человечества.
Итак, принимай всё то, что выпадает тебе на долю, как принимают больные лекарства врача. Восстановление здоровья тела — вот смысл этих горьких лекарств; но ведь для всеобщей разумной природы сохранение каждым существом своего назначения так же важно, как для больного сохранение здоровья тела.
Поэтому тебе надо приветствовать всё то, что с тобой приключается, даже самое горькое, и по смыслу таких случайностей есть здравие и цельность мироздания. Природа, живая его разумом, действует разумно, и всё, что от нее исходит, безошибочно содействует сохранению единства.
2. A physician prescribes one treatment for one patient and another for another; so Providence prescribes for us sicknesses, maimings and grievous losses.
As the physician’s prescription tends to restore the sick man’s health, so the accidents to which Providence subjects a man tend to his moral healing — to restoring the bond between his severed personal existence and the common life of all mankind.
So accept everything that falls to your lot as the sick accept the physician’s medicines. The restoring of the body’s health — that is the meaning of these bitter medicines; but for universal rational nature, each being’s keeping to its purpose matters just as much as keeping the body’s health matters to the sick man.
And so you must welcome everything that happens to you, even the bitterest, for the meaning of such happenings is the health and wholeness of the universe. Nature, alive with the universe’s reason, acts reasonably, and all that comes from her works unerringly to preserve its unity.
From Meditations · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“The nature of the universe” becomes Providence, and the moral healing of the person is added.
Original · Ancient GreekὉποῖόν τί ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον, ὅτι· συνέταξεν ὁ Ἀσκληπιὸς τούτῳ ἱππασίαν ἢ ψυχρολουσίαν ἢ ἀνυποδησίαν, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τό· συνέταξε τούτῳ ἡ τῶν ὅλων φύσις νόσον ἢ πήρωσιν ἢ ἀποβολὴν ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων.
… πολλὰ γοῦν καὶ ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐστὶ τραχέα, ἀλλὰ ἀσπαζόμεθα τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς ὑγιείας.
… τοιοῦτόν τί σοι δοκείτω ἄνυσις καὶ συντέλεια τῶν τῇ κοινῇ φύσει δοκούντων, οἷον ἡ σὴ ὑγίεια, καὶ οὕτως ἀσπάζου πᾶν τὸ γινόμενον, κἂν ἀπηνέστερον δοκῇ, διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖ σε ἄγειν, ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου ὑγίειαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Διὸς εὐοδίαν καὶ εὐπραγίαν. οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοῦτό τινι ἔφερεν, εἰ μὴ τῷ ὅλῳ συνέφερεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ τυχοῦσα φύσις φέρει τι, ὃ μὴ τῷ διοικουμένῳ ὑπ’ αὐτῆς κατάλληλόν ἐστιν.
… πηροῦται γὰρ τὸ ὁλόκληρον, ἐὰν καὶ ὁτιοῦν διακόψῃς τῆς συναφείας καὶ συνεχείας ὥσπερ τῶν μορίων, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τῶν αἰτίων·
Source text: raw.githubusercontent.comIn English · George Long, 1862Just as we must understand when it is said, That Aesculapius prescribed to this man horse-exercise, or bathing in cold water, or going without shoes, so we must understand it when it is said, That the nature of the universe prescribed to this man disease, or mutilation, or loss, or anything else of the kind.
Let us then receive these things, as well as those which Aesculapius prescribes. Many as a matter of course even among his prescriptions are disagreeable, but we accept them in the hope of health. Let the perfecting and accomplishment of the things which the common nature judges to be good, be judged by thee to be of the same kind as thy health. And so accept everything which happens, even if it seem disagreeable, because it leads to this, to the health of the universe and to the prosperity and felicity of Zeus [the universe]. For he would not have brought on any man what he has brought, if it were not useful for the whole. Neither does the nature of anything, whatever it may be, cause anything which is not suitable to that which is directed by it.
For the integrity of the whole is mutilated, if thou cuttest off anything whatever from the conjunction and the continuity either of the parts or of the causes.
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Meditations, V.8.
Tolstoy keeps the physician analogy and the call to welcome what happens, but turns 'the nature of the universe' into 'providence' and adds a purpose Marcus does not state: the moral healing of the person and the reconnection of his severed private existence with 'the common life of all humanity'. The technical middle of the section (the masons' 'fitting' of stones, destiny made up of all causes) is dropped.
3. Страдание — это побуждение к деятельности, а только в ней мы чувствуем нашу жизнь.
3. Suffering is the spur to activity, and only in activity do we feel our life.
Kant.
From Anthropologie in pragmatischer Hinsicht · shortened by Tolstoy .
Original · GermanDer Schmerz iſt der Stachel der Thaͤtigkeit und in dieſer fuͤhlen wir allererſt unſer Leben; ohne dieſen wuͤrde Lebloſigkeit eintreten.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Anthropologie in pragmatischer Hinsicht (1798; 2nd improved ed., Königsberg 1800), Part I, Book II "Vom Gefühl der Lust und Unlust", "Von der sinnlichen Lust", A, § 60 (AA VII, 231; § 57 in the 1800 edition).
Tolstoy keeps the first two clauses, drops "without it lifelessness would set in", and renders "Schmerz" (pain) as "страдание" (suffering). No English translation before 1929 was found: Kroeger's partial version in the Journal of Speculative Philosophy (vols. 9–15, 1875–81) stops in Book I.
4. Благо для человека переносить несчастия этой земной жизни, ибо это влечет его в священное уединение его сердца, где он находит себя как бы изгнанником из своей родной земли и обязанным не доверяться никаким мирским радостям. Благо для него также встречать противоречия и упреки, когда о нем дурно думают, говорят, хотя бы намерения его были чисты и поступки правильны, ибо такой образ действий держит его в смирении и является противоядием пустой славе. В этом благо, главным образом, потому, что в такие минуты, когда нас в миру презирают, не уважают и лишают любви, мы можем беседовать с тем богом, который живет в нас.
4. It is good for a man to bear the misfortunes of this earthly life, for they draw him into the sacred solitude of his heart, where he finds himself an exile, as it were, from his native land, and bound to put his trust in no worldly joys. It is good for him, too, to meet with contradiction and reproach, when people think and speak ill of him though his intentions are pure and his actions right; for this keeps him humble and is an antidote to vainglory. It is good chiefly because in such moments, when the world despises us, withholds its respect and denies us its love, we can converse with the God who lives within us.
From De imitatione Christi · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“The witness of God” becomes “the God who lives within us.” †
† An intermediate translation may have made this change.
Original · LatinBonum nobis est, quod aliquando habeamus aliquas gravitates et contrarietates, quia sæpe hominem ad cor revocant, quatenus se in exilio esse cognoscat, nec spem suam in aliqua mundi re ponat. Bonum est quod patiamur quandoque contradictiones, et male et imperfecte de nobis sentiatur, etiamsi bene agimus, et intendimus. Ista sæpe juvant ad humilitatem, et a vana gloria nos defendunt. Tunc enim melius interiorem testem Deum quærimus, quando foris vilipendimur ab hominibus, et non bene de nobis creditur.
Source text: la.wikisource.orgIn English · William Benham, 1886It is good for us that we sometimes have sorrows and adversities, for they often make a man lay to heart that he is only a stranger and sojourner, and may not put his trust in any worldly thing. It is good that we sometimes endure contradictions, and are hardly and unfairly judged, when we do and mean what is good. For these things help us to be humble, and shield us from vain-glory. For then we seek the more earnestly the witness of God, when men speak evil of us falsely, and give us no credit for good.
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. De imitatione Christi (The Imitation of Christ), Book I, chapter 12, "De utilitate adversitatis" (Of the uses of adversity), Book I, ch. 12, §1 (the whole paragraph).
The whole of §1, sentence by sentence, but expanded, probably by an intermediate translation. 'ad cor revocant' (they call a man back to his heart) becomes 'the sacred solitude of his heart', 'in exilio' becomes exile 'from his native land', 'any worldly thing' becomes 'worldly joys', and 'we seek God, the inner witness' becomes 'we can converse with the God who lives in us', which suits Tolstoy's indwelling God.
5. Если бы бог давал нам таких наставников, о которых мы знали бы достоверно, что они посланы им, то мы ведь повиновались бы им свободно и радостно.
Мы и имеем таких наставников: это нужда и вообще все несчастные случаи жизни.
5. If God gave us teachers of whom we knew for certain that he had sent them, we would obey them freely and gladly.
And we have such teachers: need, and all the misfortunes of life.
From Pensées · reworded by Tolstoy .
What changed“Masters by his own hand” is spelled out as teachers we know God sent.
Original · FrenchSi Dieu nous donnait des maîtres de sa main, oh ! qu’il leur faudrait obéir de bon cœur ! La nécessité et les événements en sont infailliblement.
Source text: fr.wikisource.orgIn English · W. F. Trotter, 1910If God gave us masters by His own hand, oh! how necessary for us to obey them with a good heart! Necessity and events follow infallibly.
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Pensées, Brunschvicg 553 (within "Le Mystère de Jésus"); Lafuma 919 (from the standard concordance, not checked against a downloaded Lafuma text). The Gutenberg Trotter text labels the fragment 552..
A two-line maxim standing in the manuscript amid "Le Mystère de Jésus" (Brunschvicg notes it may not belong to it). Tolstoy spells out "masters by his own hand" as teachers we know for certain he sent, adds obeying "freely and gladly", and widens Pascal's terse "necessity and events" into "need and all the unhappy accidents of life", narrowing events to misfortune.
6. Только в буре вполне выказывается искусство мореплавателя, только на поле сражения испытывается храбрость воина; мужество же человека познается только по тому, чем он является в затруднительных и опасных положениях жизни.
6. Only in a storm is a sailor’s skill fully shown; only on the battlefield is a soldier’s bravery tested; and a man’s courage is known only by what he proves to be in the hard and dangerous straits of life.
Probably from Samuel Daniel, verse epistle "To Henry Wriothesly, Earle of Southamton" · reworded by Tolstoy .
Not in Leo Tolstoy as EditorSamuel Daniel is only a candidate; the pilot and soldier images are Seneca’s, and Tolstoy’s source was not found.
Daniel’s own wordsHENRY WRIOTHESLY Earle of Southamton.
And what they are, in their extremities.
Source text: archive.orgDetails
A likely source, not certain. Samuel Daniel, verse epistle "To Henry Wriothesly, Earle of Southamton" (1603), in The Complete Works in Verse and Prose of Samuel Daniel, ed. A. B. Grosart, vol. 1 (1885), Closing couplet of the first stanza (Grosart vol. 1, p. 217).
Russian texts of the period spell the poet Samuel Daniel 'Даниэль', and his epistle ends its first stanza on the same thought: only in extremities do men show their abilities 'and what they are'. The pilot and soldier images are not in Daniel. They are Seneca's (De Providentia 4.5, 'gubernatorem in tempestate, in acie militem intellegas'), and Daniel's epistle draws on that same essay for its Latin motto (2.6). Tolstoy's actual source, probably an anthology, was not found.
Searched: Web search, Russian and English, for the sentence and variants (pilot/sailor in storm, soldier in battle); ru.wikisource search; archive.org full-text search for 'pilot in a storm' + 'soldier in battle' + Daniel (finds only translations of Seneca's De Providentia), 'skill of the pilot', 'is known in the storm'; anthologies on Tolstoy's source list: Southgate's Many Thoughts of Many Minds and Suggestive Thoughts on Religious Subjects (whose index lists Samuel Daniel), Coit's The Message of Man; Tileston's Daily Strength for Daily Needs; Grosart's Daniel vol. 1 searched for 'pilot' and 'extremities'. Seneca's Latin of De Providentia 4.5 was consulted.
7. И то, что мы называем счастием, и то, что мы называем несчастием, одинаково полезно нам, если мы смотрим на то и на другое как на испытание.
7. What we call happiness and what we call unhappiness are equally useful to us, if we look on both as a trial.
8. Не привыкай к благоденствию — оно преходяще: кто владеет — учись терять, кто счастлив — учись страдать.
8. Do not grow used to prosperity — it passes. You who possess, learn to lose; you who are happy, learn to suffer.
From Die Braut von Messina · close to the original .
Original · GermanNicht an die Güter hänge dein Herz, Die das Leben vergänglich zieren! Wer besitzt, der lerne verlieren, Wer im Glück ist, der lerne den Schmerz.
Source text: gutenberg.orgIn English · A. Lodge, 1841Nor prize the fleeting goods in vain, The flowers that bloom but to decay! Nor wealth, nor joy, nor aught but pain, Was e'er to mortal's lot secure:-- Our first best lesson--to endure!
Source text: gutenberg.orgDetails
The words shown were found, word for word, in the saved source text. Die Braut von Messina (1803), Act IV, scene 4 (act division from Schiller's Hamburg stage manuscript, as in the Gutenberg text; the 1803 edition has none), first chorus (Cajetan), end of his last strophe.
Verse turned into prose: "do not hang your heart on the goods that adorn life fleetingly" becomes "do not grow used to prosperity, it is fleeting"; the closing antithesis is kept exactly. Lodge paraphrases freely and loses the antithesis.
9. Мучения, страдания испытывает только тот, кто, отделив себя от жизни мира, не видя тех своих грехов, которыми он вносил страдания в мир, считает себя не виноватым и потому возмущается против тех страданий, которые он несет за грехи мира.
9. Suffering is a torment only to those who have cut themselves off from the life of the world, and, not seeing the sins of their own by which they have brought suffering into the world, count themselves guiltless, and so rebel against the sufferings they bear for the sins of the world.
Как справедлива по мысли легенда о вечном жиде, в наказание обреченном на вечную жизнь без смерти, так же справедлива была бы легенда о человеке, в виде наказания обреченном на жизнь без страданий.
As the legend of the Wandering Jew, condemned as a punishment to everlasting life without death, is true in its thought, so a legend of someone condemned, as a punishment, to a life without suffering would be equally true.
Translation note. «Вечный жид» (the Eternal Jew, as in German) is in English “the Wandering Jew.” The Russian word was the ordinary literary one in this fixed name in 1908.
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