THE INSTABILITY OF MAN
1.
Inconstancy is powerful in the heart of man; Intemperance swayeth it whither it
will; Despair engrosseth much of it; and Fear proclaimeth: "Behold, I sit
unrivalled therein," but Vanity is beyond them all.
2. Weep
not therefore at the calamities of the human state; rather laugh at its
follies. In the hands of the man addicted to vanity, life then is but the
shadow of a dream.
3. The
hero, the most renowned of human character, what is he, but the bubble of this
weakness. The public is unstable and ungrateful. Why should the man of wisdom
endanger himself for fools?
4. The
man who neglecteth his present concerns, to revolve how he will behave when
greater, feedeth himself with wind, while his bread is eaten by another.
5. Act as
becometh thee in thy present station, and in more exalted ones thy face shall
not be ashamed.
6. What
blindeth the eye, or what hideth the heart of a man from himself, like Vanity?
Lo, when thou seest not thyself, then others discover thee, most plainly.
7. As the
tulip that is gaudy without smell, conspicuous without use; so is the mail who
sitteth himself up so high, and hot not merit.
8. The
heart of the vain is troubled while it seemeth content; his cares are greater
than his pleasures.
9. His
solicitude cannot rest with his bones, the grave is not deep enough to hide it;
he extendeth his thoughts beyond his being; he bespeaketh praise; to be paid
when he is gone; but whosoever promiseth it, deceiveth him.
10. As
the man who engageth his wife to remain in widowhood, that she disturb not his
soul; so is he who expecteth that his praise shall reach his ears beneath the
earth, or cherish his heart in its shroud.
11. Do
well whilst thou liveth; but regard not what is said of it. Content thyself
with deserving praise, and thy posterity shall rejoice in hearing it.
12. As
the butterfly who seeth not his own colors, as the jasmine which feeleth not
the scent it casteth around it; so is the man who appeareth gay, and biddeth
others to take note of it.
13.
"To what purpose," saith he, "is my vesture of gold, to what end
are my tables filled with dainties, if no eye gaze upon them, if the world
knows it not?" Give thy raiment to the naked, and thy food unto the
hungry; so shalt thou be praised, and feel that thou deserveth it.
14. Why
bestoweth thou in every man the flattery of unmeaning words? Thou knowest, when
returned thee, thou regardest it not. He knoweth he lieth unto thee, yet he
knoweth thou will thank him for it. Speak in sincerity, and thou wilt hear with
instruction.
15. The
vain delighteth to speak of himself; but he seeth not that others like not to
hear him.
16. If he
hath done anything worth praise, if he possesseth that which is worthy of
admiration, his joy is to proclaim it, his pride to hear it reported. The
desire of such a man defeateth itself. Men say not: "Behold he hath done
it," or "See, he possesseth it," but "Mark how proud he is
of it."
17. The
heart of man cannot attend at once to too many things. He who fixeth his soul
on show, loseth reality. He pursueth bubbles, which break in their flight,
while he treads to earth what would him honor.
