Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

My neighbor's free will is completely separate from mine, just like his life or his body. We were made to help each other, but our minds each have their own space. Otherwise, another person's wickedness could become my evil. God wouldn't want that. He wouldn't want another person to have the power to make me unhappy. Nothing can do that except my own wickedness.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 53 Book 8 · 61 of 67
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Unto my free-will my neighbour's free-will, whoever he be, (as his life, or his bode), is altogether indifferent. For though we are all made one for another, yet have our minds and understandings each of them their own proper and limited jurisdiction. For else another man's wickedness might be my evil which God would not have, that it might not be in another man's power to make me unhappy: which nothing now can do but mine own wickedness.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 53 Book 8 · 61 of 67
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Evil in general does not harm the world. Individual acts of evil do not harm others. They only hurt the person who commits them. And even then, that person has been given a great gift. Whenever they truly want to change, they can free themselves from it right away.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 53 Book 8 · 60 of 67
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Wickedness in general doth not hurt the world. Particular wickedness doth not hurt any other: only unto him it is hurtful, whosoever he be that offends, unto whom in great favour and mercy it is granted, that whensoever he himself shall but first desire it, he may be presently delivered of it.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 53 Book 8 · 60 of 67
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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