§6.16.1Οὔτε τὸ διαπνεῖσθαι ὡς τὰ φυτὰ τίμιον οὔτε τὸ ἀναπνεῖν ὡς τὰ βοσκήματα καὶ τὰ θηρία οὔτε τὸ τυποῦσθαι κατὰ φαντασίαν οὔτε τὸ νευροσπαστεῖσθαι καθ’ ὁρμὴν οὔτε τὸ συναγελάζεσθαι οὔτε τὸ τρέφεσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὅμοιον τῷ ἀποκρίνειν τὰ περιττώματα τῆς τροφῆς.
Neither is transpiration, like that of plants, to be valued, nor breathing, like that of cattle and wild beasts, nor being impressed according to presentation, nor being pulled by strings according to impulse, nor herding together, nor taking nourishment; for this is similar to separating the waste products of food.
§6.16.2τί οὖν τίμιον;
What then is to be valued?
τὸ κροτεῖσθαι;
To be applauded?
οὐχί.
No.
οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ τὸ ὑπὸ γλωσσῶν κροτεῖσθαι· αἱ γὰρ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν εὐφημίαι κρότος γλωσσῶν.
Therefore, not even to be applauded by tongues; for the praises of the multitude are a clapping of tongues.
ἀφῆκας οὖν καὶ τὸ δοξάριον·
So you have discarded also cheap fame.
τί καταλείπεται τίμιον;
What is left that is to be valued?
δοκῶ μὲν τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν κατασκευὴν κινεῖσθαι καὶ ἴσχεσθαι, ἐφ’ ὅ καὶ αἱ ἐπιμέλειαι ἄγουσι καὶ αἱ τέχναι.
It seems to me, to move and to restrain oneself according to one's own constitution, towards which indeed both cares and arts lead.
§6.16.3ἥ τε γὰρ τέχνη πᾶσα τούτου στοχάζεται, ἵνα τὸ κατασκευασθὲν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχῃ πρὸς τὸ ἔργον πρὸς ὅ κατεσκεύασται· ὅ τε φυτουργὸς καὶ ὁ ἐπιμελούμενος τῆς ἀμπέλου, καὶ ὁ πωλοδάμνης καὶ ὁ τοῦ κυνὸς ἐπιμελούμενος τοῦτο ζητεῖ.
For every art aims at this, that what has been constructed should be fit for the work for which it has been constructed; both the gardener and the one who tends the vine, and the horse-trainer and the one who tends the dog, seek this.
αἱ δὲ παιδαγωγίαι, αἱ δὲ διδασκαλίαι ἐπὶ τί σπεύδουσιν;
And what do pedagogies and teachings strive for?
§6.16.4ὧδε οὖν τὸ τίμιον καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἂν εὖ ἔχῃ, οὐδὲν τῶν ἄλλων περιποιήσεις σεαυτῷ.
In this, then, lies what is to be valued; and if this is well with you, you will secure nothing of the other things for yourself.
οὐ παύσῃ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ τιμῶν;
Will you not cease to value many other things as well?
οὔτ’ οὖν ἐλεύθερος ἔσῃ οὔτε αὐτάρκης οὔτε ἀπαθής·
Then you will be neither free, nor self-sufficient, nor passionless.
ἀνάγκη γὰρ φθονεῖν, ζηλοτυπεῖν, ὑφορᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀφελέσθαι ἐκεῖνα δυναμένους, ἐπιβουλεύειν τοῖς ἔχουσι τὸ τιμώμενον ὑπὸ σοῦ.
For you must of necessity envy, be jealous, suspect those who are able to take those things away, and plot against those who possess what is valued by you.
ὅλως πεφύρθαι ἀνάγκη τὸν ἐκείνων τινὸς ἐνδεῆ, προσέτι δὲ πολλὰ καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς μέμφεσθαι.
In short, he who stands in need of any of those things must of necessity be thrown into confusion, and moreover, find much fault with the gods.
§6.16.5ἡ δὲ τῆς ἰδίας διανοίας αἰδὼς καὶ τιμὴ σεαυτῷ τε ἀρεστόν σε ποιήσει καὶ τοῖς κοινωνοῖς εὐάρμοστον καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς σύμφωνον, τουτέστιν ἐπαινοῦντα ὅσα ἐκεῖνοι διανέμουσι καὶ διατετάχασιν.
But the respect and honor for your own mind will make you well-pleasing to yourself, well-conformed to your fellows, and in harmony with the gods, that is, praising whatsoever they distribute and have ordained.