Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: When thou art offended with any man's…
When thou art offended with any man's transgression, presently reflect upon thyself; and consider what thou thyself art guilty of in the same kind. As that thou also perchance dost think it a happiness either to be rich, or to live in pleasure, or to be praised and commended, and so of the rest in particular.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
The person who irritates you may be pursuing the same false prize you pursue in a more obvious way. They boast about money; perhaps you quietly envy security. They crave attention; perhaps you refresh for approval. They chase pleasure; perhaps you call your version of escape ‘self-care.’ This does not mean all wrongdoing is equal or that you should ignore harm. It means anger becomes more intelligent when it includes self-examination. The flaws we condemn most fiercely are often the ones that threaten our preferred image of ourselves. Before delivering your verdict, ask where the same desire lives in you, even in a smaller form. That question softens contempt without weakening discernment. Today, when someone’s behavior bothers you, look for the common human hunger beneath it—then decide how to respond from humility rather than superiority.
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