A person who doesn't know what the world is doesn't know where they stand. A person who doesn't know what the world was made for can't know its qualities or nature. Someone who lacks either understanding also doesn't know what they themselves were made for. So what do you think of someone who cares deeply about the noise and praise of people who don't know where they are or what they are? Do you want praise from someone who curses himself three times in one hour? Do you want to please someone who can't please himself? Do you think someone pleases himself when he regrets almost everything he does?
He that knoweth not what the world is, knoweth not where he himself is. And he that knoweth not what the world was made for, cannot possibly know either what are the qualities, or what is the nature of the world. Now he that in either of these is to seek, for what he himself was made is ignorant also. What then dost thou think of that man, who proposeth unto himself, as a matter of great moment, the noise and applause of men, who both where they are, and what they are themselves, are altogether ignorant? Dost thou desire to be commended of that man, who thrice in one hour perchance, doth himself curse himself? Dost thou desire to please him, who pleaseth not himself? or dost thou think that he pleaseth himself, who doth use to repent himself almost of everything that he doth?