'Paying Attention' and 'Circumscribing the Present' can be practiced together

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Please translate the 1890 publication of Epictetus' Discourses 4.12 by George Long into modern English.


"When you stop paying attention for a short period, do not think that you can recover it whenever you want. Instead, keep in mind that, due to the mistake you made today, your affairs will be in a worse state in the future. First, a habit of not paying attention is formed, and then a habit of postponing attention is developed. By constantly postponing attention, you repeatedly deny yourself the opportunity to experience the happiness of life, proper behavior, and living in harmony with nature. If postponing attention is beneficial, then completely ignoring attention is even more advantageous. However, if this is not the case, why do you not maintain a constant level of attention?

"If you choose to play today, shouldn't you play with attention? If you want to sing, what is stopping you from doing so with attention? Is there any aspect of life that does not require attention? Will anything in life be done better by not using attention, and worse by using it? Does a woodworker create better work by not paying attention to it? Does a ship captain better manage a ship by not paying attention? Are any small tasks done better by not paying attention? Don't you see that when you let your mind wander, you lose control over propriety, modesty, and self-control? You then do whatever comes to mind, obeying your inclinations.

"So what things should you pay attention to? First, you should keep in mind general principles and have them ready at all times. Without these principles, you should not sleep, wake up, drink, eat, or associate with others. These principles include the understanding that no one can control another person's will, and that good and evil exist only in the will. Therefore, no one can give me anything good or involve me in anything bad. I alone have control over myself in these matters. When I have secured these things, why should I be disturbed by external matters? What tyrant, disease, poverty, or offense from someone else is formidable? If I have not pleased someone, is pleasing them my responsibility or judgment? No. Then why should I worry about them? If someone is supposed to be important, they will take care of it, as will those who believe they are importa9nt. But I have someone whom I should please, submit to, and obey: God and those who are closest to Him. He has placed me with myself and has made my will subject to me alone. He has given me rules for the proper use of my will. When I follow these rules in syllogisms, I do not care about what anyone else says. In a sophistical argument, I do not care about anyone else. So why am I bothered by those who criticize me on more important matters? The only reason for this disturbance is that I am not trained in this matter. All knowledge, not just science but also art, despises ignorance and the ignorant. Any shoemaker or carpenter you meet will ridicule many people in regards to their own work.

"Therefore, we should have these principles ready and not do anything without them. We should keep our souls directed toward this goal, pursue nothing external or outside of our control, and instead do what is appointed by the one who has the power. We should focus entirely on things that are within our control, and treat all other things as permitted.
Furthermore, we should always keep in mind who we are and our role in society, and we should strive to fulfill our duties according to our position. For example, we should know when it is appropriate to sing or play, and with whom we should do so. We should consider the consequences of our actions, including whether we might be ridiculed or despised by others. We should also know when it is appropriate to comply with others and how to maintain our own integrity while doing so.

"Of course, it is impossible to be entirely without fault, even if we follow these guidelines. However, we can strive constantly to be better and avoid making too many errors. But if we say, "I'll start paying attention tomorrow," we are essentially saying, "Today I will be shameless, disrespectful of time and place, and mean. I will allow others to hurt me, and I will be prone to anger and envy." We must recognize the many ways in which we allow ourselves to behave poorly.

"If it is good to pay attention tomorrow, then it is even better to pay attention today. By doing so, we will be better equipped to pay attention tomorrow and not fall into the same trap of deferring until the third day."

The Theme of 'Circumscribing the Present' running through seven Meditations of Marcus Aurelius