Ep. 3.1Epistulās ad mē perferendās trādidistī, ut scrībis, amīcō tuō;You have handed letters to be carried to me, as you write, to a friend of yours; Ep. 3.1deinde admonēs mē, nē omnia cum eō ad tē pertinentia commūnicem, quia nōn soleās nē ipse quidem id facere;then you warn me not to share with him everything that concerns you, because you are not in the habit of doing so even yourself; Ep. 3.1ita in eādem epistulā illum et dīxistī amīcum et negāstī.thus in the same letter you have both called him a friend and denied it. Ep. 3.1Itaque sī propriō illō verbō quasi pūblicō ūsus es et sīc illum amīcum vocāstī, quōmodo omnēs candidātōs bonōs virōs dīcimus, quōmodo obviōs, sī nōmen nōn succurrit, dominōs salūtāmus, hāc abierit.So if you used that word, proper as it is, as though it were common coin, and called him a friend in the way we call all candidates 'good men', and in the way we greet people we meet as 'master' if their name does not come to mind, let it pass. Ep. 3.2Sed sī aliquem amīcum exīstimās, cui nōn tantundem crēdis quantum tibi, vehementer errās et nōn satis nōstī vim vērae amīcitiae.But if you consider anyone a friend whom you do not trust as much as yourself, you are badly mistaken and do not sufficiently know the force of true friendship.
Ep. 3.2Tū vērō omnia cum amīcō dēlīberā, sed dē ipsō prius.Do indeed deliberate over everything with a friend, but about the man himself first. Ep. 3.2Post amīcitiam crēdendum est, ante amīcitiam iūdicandum.After friendship one must trust, before friendship one must judge. Ep. 3.2Istī vērō praeposterō officia permiscent, quī contrā praecepta Theophrastī, cum amāvērunt, iūdicant, et nōn amant, cum iūdicāvērunt.Those people truly confuse the order of duties who, contrary to the precepts of Theophrastus, judge after they have loved, and do not love after they have judged. Ep. 3.2Diū cōgitā, an tibi in amīcitiam aliquis recipiendus sit.Think long whether someone should be received by you into friendship. Ep. 3.2Cum placuerit fierī, tōtō illum pectore admitte;When you have decided that it should be done, admit him with your whole heart; Ep. 3.2tam audāciter cum illō loquere quam tēcum.speak with him as boldly as with yourself. Ep. 3.3Tū quidem ita vīve, ut nihil tibi committās, nisi quod committere etiam inimīcō tuō possīs;Live, indeed, in such a way that you entrust nothing to yourself that you could not entrust even to your enemy; Ep. 3.3sed quia interveniunt quaedam, quae cōnsuētūdō fēcit arcāna, cum amīcō omnēs cūrās, omnēs cōgitātiōnēs tuās miscē.but since certain things do come up which custom has made secret, share all your cares, all your thoughts with your friend.
Ep. 3.3Fidēlem sī putāveris, faciēs.If you think him loyal, you will make him so. Ep. 3.3Nam quīdam fallere docuērunt, dum timent fallī, et illī iūs peccandī suspicandō fēcērunt.For some have taught others to deceive by fearing to be deceived, and by suspecting have given them the right to do wrong. Ep. 3.3Quid est, quārē ego ūlla verba cōram amīcō meō retraham?What reason is there why I should hold back any words in the presence of my friend? Ep. 3.3Quid est, quārē mē cōram illō nōn putem sōlum?What reason is there why I should not think myself alone in his presence? Ep. 3.4Quīdam quae tantum amīcīs committenda sunt, obviīs narrant et in quāslibet aurēs, quicquid illōs urserit, exonerant.Some people tell the passers-by what ought to be entrusted only to friends, and unload into any ears whatever has been troubling them. Ep. 3.4Quīdam rūrsus etiam cārissimōrum cōnscientiam refōrmīdant, et sī possent, nē sibi quidem crēditūrī interius premunt omne sēcrētum.Others again dread the knowledge even of those dearest to them, and, being ready, if they could, not to trust even themselves, press every secret deep within.
Ep. 3.4Neutrum faciendum est.Neither should be done. Ep. 3.4Utrumque enim vitium est, et omnibus crēdere et nūllī.For both are faults, trusting everyone and trusting no one. Ep. 3.4Sed alterum honestius dīxerim vitium, alterum tūtius;But I would call the one fault more honourable, the other safer; Ep. 3.5sīc utrōsque reprehendās, et eōs quī semper inquiētī sunt, et eōs quī semper quiēscunt.in the same way you should blame both kinds, those who are always restless, and those who are always at rest. Ep. 3.5Nam illa tumultū gaudēns nōn est industria, sed exagitātae mentis concursātiō.For that delight in commotion is not industry, but the running to and fro of an agitated mind. Ep. 3.5Et haec nōn est quiēs, quae mōtum omnem molestiam iūdicat, sed dissolūtiō et languor.And that is not rest which judges all movement a nuisance, but slackness and languor. Ep. 3.6Itaque hoc, quod apud Pompōnium lēgī, animō mandābitur: "quīdam adeō in latebrās refūgērunt, ut putent in turbidō esse, quicquid in lūce est."And so this, which I read in Pomponius, will be committed to memory: 'Some have fled so far into hiding-places that they think whatever is in the light is in turmoil.' Ep. 3.6Inter sē ista miscenda sunt, et quiēscentī agendum et agentī quiēscendum est.These things must be blended with each other: he who rests must act, and he who acts must rest.
Ep. 3.6Cum rērum nātūrā dēlīberā;Take counsel with nature; Ep. 3.6illa dīcet tibi et diem fēcisse sē et noctem.she will tell you that she has made both the day and the night. Ep. 3.6Valē.Farewell.