y son, you ought to give all for all, and to be nothing of yourself. Know that love of yourself hurts more than anything in the world. According to the love and affection which you bear toward anything, so it more or less cleaves to you. If your love is pure,† simple, and well-ordered, you will be free from the bondage of things.
Do not covet that which it is not lawful to have. Do not have that which may entangle and deprive you of inward liberty. It is strange that you do not commit yourself wholly to Me from the bottom of your heart, with all things you can have or desire. Why are you consumed with vain grief? Why weary yourself with superfluous cares? Trust in My goodwill, and you will suffer no loss.
If you seek this or that, and would be in another place, to enjoy your own profit and pleasure, you will never be at rest, nor free from anxiety. For in every instance something will be found wanting, and in every place there will be someone to cross you.
Man's welfare then lies not in obtaining or multiplying any external thing, but rather in despising it, and utterly rooting it out from the heart. And this you must understand applies not only to the acquiring of wealth,
