And if you can’t shape your life the way you want,
at least try as much as you can
not to degrade it
by too much contact with the world,
by too much activity and talk.

Try not to degrade it by dragging it along,
taking it around and exposing it so often
to the daily silliness
of social events and parties,
until it comes to seem a boring hanger-on.

And if you can’t shape your life the way you want, at least try as much as you can not to degrade it...

And if you can’t make your life as you’d wish it,
try, at the very least, to accomplish this much:
do not make it less than what it already is
by mixing too excessively with the masses,
by hanging around and endlessly chattering.

Don’t cheapen your life by parading it around,
hauling it everywhere and laying it out there
for the dreary humbug of familiars and fellowship,
until it comes to feel like a curious dead weight.

"If you cannot fashion your life as you would like,
endeavour to do this at least,
as much as you can: do not trivialize it
through too much contact with the world,
through too much activity and chatter.

Do not trivialize your life by parading it,
running around and displaying it
in the daily stupidity
of cliques and gatherings
until it becomes like a tiresome guest.

("As Much As You Can")"

وإن لم تستطع تشكيل حياتك كما تريد
فحاول -على الأقل- بقدر ما تستطيع
ألا تبتذلها
بالاحتكاك الزائد بالعالم
بالحركة والكلام الزائد
حاول ألا تبتذلها بجرجرتها هنا وهناك
بالطواف بها وتعريضها -كثيرًا- للسخافة اليومية
للأحداث والحفلات الاجتماعية
إلى أن تُصبح مثل عبٍ مُضجر

In order to enjoy life, we should not enjoy it too much.

You should make life fit to you, not to make you fit life...

Do the best you can, and don't take life too serious.

ينبغي أن تقبل الحياة مثلما هي وتحاول أن تصنع الأفضل منها.

If we cannot live entirely like human beings, at least let us do everything in our power not to live entirely like animals.

He who intends to enjoy life should not be busy about many things, and in what he does should not undertake what exceeds his natural capacity. On the contrary, he should have himself so in hand that even when fortune comes his way, and is apparently ready to lead him on to higher things, he should put her aside and not o'erreach his powers. For a being of moderate size is safer than one that bulks too big.