Things that do not depend on us are neither to be desired nor feared.

Remember that the promise of desire is to obtain what you desire, and the promise of aversion is not to encounter what you avoid. The person who fails to get what he desires is unfortunate, and the person who falls into what he would avoid meets with misfortune.

If, then, you avoid only what is contrary to nature among the things that are under your control, you will encounter none of what you avoid. But if you try to avoid disease, or death, or poverty, you will meet with misfortune.

Withdraw, therefore, your aversion from everything that is not under our control, and direct it instead toward what is contrary to nature among the things that are under our control.

For the present, remove desire entirely; for if you desire any of the things that are not under our control, you are bound to be unfortunate. And at the same time, none of the things that are under our control—which it would be admirable for you to desire—is within your grasp.

Use only choice and refusal, and even these lightly, with reservations, and without strain.