A Discourse of Life and Death
The Limits of Knowledge and True Wisdom
Human knowledge cannot heal the inner self but reveals its own inadequacy; true wisdom is the fear of God, which the world despises yet turns all evils to good.
They don't settle the internal debates a man feels, nor do they cure the diseases of his mind. They make him learned, but they make not him good: cunning, but not wise. I say more. The more a man knows, the more he realizes how much he doesn't know. The fuller the mind is, the emptier it finds itself, because whatever a man can learn of any science in this world is only the smallest fraction of what he is ignorant of. All his knowledge consists in knowing his ignorance, and all his perfection lies in noting his imperfections. Whoever best knows and notes these is, in truth, the wisest and most perfect among men. In short, we must conclude with Solomon that the beginning and end of wisdom is the fear of God. Nevertheless, the world considers this wisdom mere folly and persecutes it as a deadly enemy. And just as one who fears God ought to fear no evil—because all his troubles are turned to his good—so he ought not to hope for good in the world, having the devil as his professed enemy, whom Scripture calls the Prince of the world.
Read the original English
They pacify not the debates a man feeles in himselfe, they cure not the diseases of his minde. They make him learned, but they make not him good: cunning, but not wise. I say more. The more a man knowes, the more knowes he that he knowes not: the fuller the minde is, the emptier it findes it selfe: forasmuch as whatsoeuer a man can knowe of any science in this worlde is but the least part of what he is ignorant: all his knowledge consisting in knowing his ignorance, al his perfection in noting his imperfections, which who best knowes and notes, is in truth among men the most wise, and perfect. In short we must conclude with Salomon, that the beginning and end of wisedome is the feare of God: that this wisedome neuerthelesse is taken of the world for meere folly, and persecuted by the world as a deadly enemy: and that as who feareth God, ought to feare no euill, for that all his euils are conuerted to his good: so neither ought he to hope for good in the worlde, hauing there the deuil his professed enemy, whom the Scripture termeth Prince of the world.
A Discourse of Life and Death companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere