Plain
Seneca — The Senator

A wise person will never let even one dishonestly earned penny into their home. But they won't refuse or shut the door on great wealth — if it comes from good fortune and honest work. Why should they grudge such wealth a good home? Let it come and stay as a guest. They won't brag about it or hide it away. Bragging shows a foolish spirit. Hiding it shows a cowardly and small spirit — like someone wrapping up a good thing in their lap to keep it secret. And they won't kick such wealth out of their house either, as I said before. What would they say? "You're useless" or "I don't know how to use riches?"

On the Happy Life, Section 23 76 of 101
Doing The Right Thing What Matters Most
Seneca — The Senator Original

The wise man will not allow a single ill-won penny to cross his threshold: yet he will not refuse or close his door against great riches, if they are the gift of fortune and the product of virtue: what reason has he for grudging them good quarters: let them come and be his guests: he will neither brag of them nor hide them away: the one is the part of a silly, the other of a cowardly and paltry spirit, which, as it were, muffles up a good thing in its lap. Neither will he, as I said before, turn them out of his house: for what will he say? will he say, "You are useless," or "I do not know how to use riches?"

On the Happy Life, Section 23 76 of 101
Seneca — The Senator

A wise man won't give up his right to good fortune. He won't brag about his wealth, but he won't be ashamed of it either — as long as he earned it honestly. In fact, he'll have something even better to brag about. He can throw open his doors and invite everyone in his country to look at his possessions. He can say, "If anyone sees something here that belongs to them, take it." What a great man! How truly rich he would be if, after making that offer, he still has everything he started with! So I say this: if a man can let the public examine his finances without fear, and no one can point to anything and say "that's mine," then that man can enjoy his wealth openly and without shame.

On the Happy Life, Section 23 75 of 101
Doing The Right Thing What Matters Most
Seneca — The Senator Original

Such a man will not forfeit his right to the favour of Fortune, and will neither boast of his inheritance nor blush for it if it was honourably acquired: yet he will have something to boast of, if he throw his house open, let all his countrymen come among his property, and say, "If any one recognizes here anything belonging to him, let him take it." What a great man, how excellently rich will he be, if after this speech he possesses as much as he had before! I say, then, that if he can safely and confidently submit his accounts to the scrutiny of the people, and no one can find in them any item upon which he can lay hands, such a man may boldly and unconcealedly enjoy his riches.

On the Happy Life, Section 23 75 of 101
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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