Rather than love， than money， than fame， give me truth. I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance， and obsequious attendance， but sincerity and truth were not； and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices. I thought that there was no need of ice to freeze them. They talked to me of the age of the wine and the fame of the vintage； but I thought of an older， a newer， and purer wine， of a more glorious vintage， which they had not got， and could not buy. The style， the house and grounds and "entertainment" pass for nothing with me. I called on the king， but he made me wait in his hall， and conducted like a man incapacitated for hospitality. There was a man in my neighborhood who lived in a hollow tree. His manners were truly regal. I should have done better had I called on him.
不管你的生活如何卑微，你都要嚴肅認真地對待它。不要逃避生活，也不要用惡毒的話描述生活。你的生活不像你自己那麽糟糕。當你最富有的時候，生活看上去反倒是最貧窮的。故意挑毛病的人，連天堂也不會放過。雖然生活清貧，但你要對生活付出熱情。即便身處貧民窟，你也可能會分享到一段快樂、激動、燦爛的時光。西下的落日灑在貧民窟窗戶上的光芒，與照在富貴人家豪宅上一樣光彩奪目；到了早春的時候，門前的積雪同樣會融化。我唯一能看到的是：一個心態平靜的人在那裏可以心滿意足地生活，懷著樂觀向上的思想，仿佛居住在皇宮裏一般。在我看來，城鎮貧民的生活反倒常常是最獨立的。或許他們隻是足夠偉大，因此可以毫無顧慮地對待世間的事情。大部分人認為他們對於城鎮的恩惠不屑一顧。可在現實生活中，他們維持生活的手段反而？ 常是不誠實的，這讓他們更為聲名狼藉。向聖賢學習，像培育花園中的花草一樣來培育貧困吧。不管是衣服還是朋友，沒必要不辭辛苦地去獲取新東西。