Category: 05 Liber V

Summa vitae beatae sit solida securitas

Nam cum summa vitae beatae sit solida securitas et eius inconcussa fiducia, sollicitudinis colligunt causas et per insidiosum iter vitae non tantum ferunt sarcinas sed trahunt; ita longius ab effectu eius quod petunt semper abscedunt et quo plus operae impenderunt, hoc se magis impediunt et feruntur retro. Quod evenit in labyrintho properantibus: ipsa illos velocitas implicat.

Laimingo gyvenimo esmė yra visiška ramybė ir tvirtas tikėjimas, o žmonės ieško priežasčių nerimti ir ne neša, o velka savo naštą pavojingais gyvenimo keliais. Todėl jie nuolatos vis labiau tolsta nuo tikslo ir kuo daugiau stengiasi, tuo labiau kliudo sau ir traukia save atgal. Taip būna tiems, kurie skuba ištrūkti iš labirinto ir beskubėdami susipainioja.

For although the sum and substance of the happy life is unalloyed freedom from care, and though the secret of such freedom is unshaken confidence, yet men gather together that which causes worry, and, while travelling life’s treacherous road, not only have burdens to bear, but even draw burdens to themselves; hence they recede farther and farther from the achievement of that which they seek, and the more effort they expend, the more they hinder
hemselves and are set back. This is what happens when you hurry through a maze: the faster you go, he worse you are entangled.

Bona conscientia turbam advocat

Tunc autem felicem esse te iudica cum poteris in publico vivere, cum te parietes tui tegent, non abscondent, quos plerumque circumdatos nobis iudicamus non ut tutius vivamus, sed ut peccemus occultius. <...> Bona conscientia turbam advocat, mala etiam in solitudine anxia atque sollicita est. Si honesta sunt quae facis, omnes sciant; si turpia, quid refert neminem scire cum tu scias?

Laikyk save laimingu tada, kai galėsi gyventi visiems matant, kai tavo sienos tave gins, bet neslėps. Dažniausiai manome, jog jos statomos ne tam, kad saugiai gyventume, bet tam, kad galėtume slapčia nusidėti. <...> Gryna sąžinė nebijo sušaukti visos minios, o negryna sąžinė net ir vienumoje graužia ir neduoda ramybės. Jeigu tavo poelgiai garbingi, visi apie juos težino, o jeigu begėdiški, kas iš to, kad niekas apie tai nežino, jei tu pats žinai?!

Do not, however, deem yourself truly happy until you find that you can live before men’s eyes, until your walls protect but do not hide you: although we are apt to believe that these walls surround us, not to enable us to live more safely, but that we may sin more secretly. <...> A good conscience welcomes the crowd, but a bad conscience, even in solitude, is disturbed and troubled. If your deeds are honourable, let everybody know them; if base, what matters it that no one knows them, as long as you yourself know them?

Saepe maximum pretium est pro quo nullum datur

Saepe maximum pretium est pro quo nullum datur. Multa possum tibi ostendere quae acquisita acceptaque libertatem nobis extorserint; nostri essemus, si ista nostra non essent.

Dažnai už didžiausią kainą nieko negauni. Galiu tau nurodyti daugelį dalykų, kurių pasiekę ar gavę prarastume laisvę: jeigu jie mums nepriklausytų, mes priklausytume patys sau.

Very often the things that cost nothing cost us the most heavily. I can show you many objects the quest and acquisition of which have wrested freedom from our hands. We should belong to ourselves, if only these things did not belong to us.

Gratuita nobis videntur quae carissime constant

Gratuita nobis videntur quae carissime constant. Ex eo licet stupor noster appareat, quod ea sola putamus emi pro quibus pecuniam solvimus, ea gratuita vocamus pro quibus nos ipsos impendimus.

Mums atrodo, kad gauname veltui tai, kas iš tikrųjų kainuoja brangiausiai. Mūsų bukaprotystę rodo toks dalykas: mes manome, jog perkame tik tai, už ką mokame pinigus, o dovanomis vadiname tai, už ką atlyginame savimi.

We regard things as free gifts when they really cost us very dear. Our stupidity may be clearly proved by the fact that we hold that “buying” refers only to the objects for which we pay cash, and we regard as free gifts the things for which we spend our very selves.

Idem faciet cum idem potuerit

Idem faciet cum idem potuerit. Multorum quia imbecilla sunt latent vitia, non minus ausura cum illis vires suae placuerint quam illa quae iam felicitas aperuit. Instrumenta illis explicandae nequitiae desunt.

Jis darytų tą patį, jei tik galėtų. Daugelio žmonių ydos tūno pasislėpusios, nes jos neturi jėgų, bet, įgavusios jų, išdrįstų ne mažiau negu tos, kurioms laimė jau nuplėšė kaukę. Joms stinga priemonių parodyti savo niekingumą.

I retort that he will do the same thing as soon as he acquires the same powers. In the case of many men, their vices, being powerless, escape notice; although, as soon as the persons in question have become satisfied with their own strength, the vices will be no less daring than those which prosperity has already disclosed. These men simply lack the means whereby they may unfold their wickedness.