Inconstancy
Nature urgeth thee to inconstancy, O man! therefore guard thyself at all times against it.Thou art from the womb of thy mother various and wavering; from the loins of thy father inheritest thou instability: how then shalt thou be firm?Those who gave the a body furnished it with weakness; but He who gave thee Soul armed thee with resolution. Employ it, and thou art wise; be wise and thou art happy.
Let him who doth well beware how he boasteth of it; for rarely is it of his own will.
Is it not the event of an impulse from without, born of uncertainty, enforced by accident, dependent on somewhat else? To these, then, and to accident, is due the praise.
Beware of irresolution in the intent of thine actions, beware of instability in the execution; so shalt thou triumph over two great failings of thy nature.
What reproacheth reason more than to act contrarieties? What can suppress the tendencies to these but firmness of mind?
The inconstant feeleth that he changeth, but he knoweth not why; he seeth that he escapeth from himself but he perceiveth not how. Be thou incapable of change in that which is right, and men will rely upon thee.
Establish unto thyself principles of action, and see that thou ever act according to them.
First know that thy principles are just, and then be thou inflexible in the path of them.
So shall thy apssions have no rule over thee; so shall thy constancy ensure unto thee the good thou possessest, and drive from the door misfortune. Anxiety and disappointment shall be strangers to thy gates.
Suspect not evil in anyone until thou seest it; when thou seest it, forget not to forgive.
How should his actions be right who hath no rule of life? Nothing can be just which proceedeth not from within.
The inconstant hath no peace in his Soul; neither can any be at ease whom he concerneth himself with.
His life is unequal; his motions are irregular; his reason changeth with the weather.
Today he loveth thee, tomorrow thou art detested by him; and why? himself knoweth not wherefore he loved, or wherefore he now hateth.
Today he is the tyrant, tomorrow thy servant is less humble; and why? he who is arrogant without power will be servile when there is no subjection.
Today he is profuse, tomorrow he grudgeth unto his mouth that which it should eat. Thus it is with him who knoweth not moderation.
Who shall say of the chameleon, He is black, when the moment after, the verdure of the grass overspreadeth him?
Who shall say of the innocent, He is joyful, when his next breath shall be spent in sighing?
What is the life of such a man but the phantom of a dream? In the morning he riseth happy, at noon he is on the rack; this hour he is a god, the next below a worm; one moment he laugheth, the next he weepeth; he now willeth, in an instant he willeth not, and in another he knoweth not whether he willeth or no.
Yet neither ease nor pain have fixed themselves on him; neither is he waxed greater, or become less; neither has he had cause for laughter, nor reason for his sorrow; therefore shall none of them abide with him.
The happiness of the inconstant is as a palace built on the surface of the land; the blowing of the wind carrieth away its foundation; what wonder then that it falleth?
But what exalted form is this, that hitherward directs its even, its uninterrupted course? whose foot is on the earth, whose head above the clouds? He is the constant being!
On his brow sitteth majesty; steadiness is in his port; and in his heart reigneth tranquility.
Though obstacles appear in the way, he deigneth not to look down upon them; though heaven and earth oppose his passage, he proceedeth.
The mountains sink beneath his tread; the waters of the ocean are dried up under the sole of his foot.
The tiger throweth herself across his way in vain; the spots of the leopard glow against him unregarded.
He marcheth through the embattled legions; with his hand he putteth aside the terrors of death.
Storms roar against his shoulders, but are not able to shake them; the thunder bursteth over his head in vain; the lightning serveth but to show the glories of his countenance.
His name is resolution!
He cometh from the utmost part of the earth; he seeth happiness afar off before him; his eye discovereth her temple beyond the limits of the pole.
He walketh up to it, he entereth boldly, and he remaineth there for ever.
Establish thine heart, O man! in that which is right; and then know the greatest of human praise is to be immutable.
