250130 What I learned in my studies this morning 5

Today's Meditation(s):

Meditations, V.9 (Waterfield)

Or, as Hicks and Hicks put it:

Here's how Hays translated it:

"Not to feel exasperated, or defeated, or despondent because your days aren't packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human--however imperfectly--and fully embrace the pursuit that you've embarked on."

I'm not sure which I like better. 

Hays beginning is best by far. The triplet with the alliteration on the second and third. The imagery of the packed days. The attraction of 'wise and moral'. Much better than the more sterile presentation of Waterfield and Hicks.

'Principles don't consolidate into permanent habit', for example, is just so . . . institutional. 

Compare 'get back up!' and 'celebrate' to 'go back and be happy' and 'return to reason and be content'. Which is more encouraging? Which more . . . humdrum?

Hicks I think, did nicely with the next piece: 'worthy of a good man' is more mellifluous than 'behaving like a human' and 'worthy of a human'.

'Fully embrace' v 'hold dear' and 'love the philosophy' are all about par.

Perhaps Waterfield or Hicks are truer to the grammar and vocabulary — I have no idea — but I feel Hays better caught the spirit of what Marcus was saying.

So nice to have three good translations to read and compare, offering slightly different insights into the Emperor's ideas.