Howevermeanyourlifeis,meetitandliveit;donotshunitandcallithardnames.Itisnotsobadasyouare.Itlookspoorestwhenyouarerichest.Thefault-finderwillfindfaultsinparadise.Loveyourlife,poorasitis.Youmayperhapshavesomepleasant,thrilling,glorioushours,eveninapoor-house.Thesettingsunisreflectedfromthewindowsofthealms-houseasbrightlyasfromtherichman'sabode;thesnowmeltsbeforeitsdoorasearlyinthespring.Idonotseebutaquietmindmayliveascontentedlythere,andhaveascheeringthoughts,asinapalace.Thetown'spoorseemtomeoftentolivethemostindependentlivesofany.Maybetheyaresimplygreatenoughtoreceivewithoutmisgiving.Mostthinkthattheyareabovebeingsupportedbythetown;butitoftenhappensthattheyarenotabovesupportingthemselvesbydishonestmeans.whichshouldbemoredisreputable.Cultivatepovertylikeagardenherb,likesage.Donottroubleyourselfmuchtogetnewthings,whetherclothesorfriends,Turntheold,returntothem.Thingsdonotchange;wechange.Sellyourclothesandkeepyourthoughts.
不论你的生活如何卑贱，你要面对它生活，不要躲避它，更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活，尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里，你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人，我看，倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的，不靠城镇来支援他们；可是事实上他们是往往利用了不正当的手段来对付生活，他们是毫不超脱的，毋宁是不体面的。视贫穷如园中之花而像圣人一样耕植它吧！不要找新的花样，无论是新的朋友或新的衣服，来麻烦你自己。找旧的，回到那里去。万物不变，是我们在变。你的衣服可以卖掉，但要保留你的思想。