If you wish to live in peace and harmony with others, you must learn to discipline yourself in many ways.

Do not let your peace depend on the hearts of men; whatever they say about you, good or bad, you are not because of it another man, for as you are, you are.

Without labor there is no rest, nor without fighting can the victory be won.

Anyone who is not totally dead to himself will soon find that he is tempted and overcome by piddling and frivolous things. Whoever is weak in spirit, given to the flesh and inclined to sensual things can, but only with great difficulty, drag himself away from his earthly desires. Therefore he is often gloomy and sad when he is trying to pull himself away from them, and easily gives way to anger should someone attempt to oppose him.

If you can win complete mastery over self, you will easily master all else. To triumph over self is the perfect victory.

Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.

It is much safer to obey than to rule.