"Happiness, of course, does not exist in the distillable, packageable, labelable sense that most people imagine. It's like going to a pharmacy, where they give you, for three sixty, a medicine, and then nothing hurts anymore. It's like having a man for a woman, or a woman for a man, living somewhere, and once they meet, no more misunderstanding, no more selfishness, no more anger, just eternal serenity, constant contentment, cheerfulness, and health. As if happiness were anything other than a desire for the unattainable!
Most people spend a lifetime preparing for happiness methodically, sweatily, diligently, and tirelessly. They make plans to be happy, they travel and toil to that end, and they gather the requisites of happiness with the diligence of the ant and the predatory greed of the tiger. And when life has passed, they learn that it is not enough to have all the requisites of happiness. You have to be happy, too, in the process. And they forgot that.
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Author
Márai SándorAll Translations
All Translations
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Happiness, of course, does not exist in the distillable, packageable, labelable sense that most people imagine. It's like going to a pharmacy, where they give you, for three sixty, a medicine, and then nothing hurts anymore. It's like having a man for a woman, or a woman for a man, living somewhere, and once they meet, no more misunderstanding, no more selfishness, no more anger, just eternal serenity, constant contentment, cheerfulness, and health. As if happiness were anything other than a desire for the unattainable!
Most people spend a lifetime preparing for happiness methodically, sweatily, diligently, and tirelessly. They make plans to be happy, they travel and toil to that end, and they gather the requisites of happiness with the diligence of the ant and the predatory greed of the tiger. And when life has passed, they learn that it is not enough to have all the requisites of happiness. You have to be happy, too, in the process. And they forgot that.
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Boldogság természetesen nincsen, abban a lepárolható, csomagolható, címkézhető értelemben, mint ahogy a legtöbb ember elképzeli. Mintha csak be kellene menni egy gyógyszertárba, ahol adnak, három hatvanért, egy gyógyszert, s aztán nem fáj többé semmi. Mintha élne valahol egy nő számára egy férfi, vagy egy férfi számára egy nő, s ha egyszer találkoznak, nincs többé félreértés, sem önzés, sem harag, csak örök derű, állandó elégültség, jókedv és egészség. Mintha a boldogság más is lenne, mint vágy az elérhetetlen után!
Legtöbb ember egy életet tölt el azzal, hogy módszeresen, izzadva, szorgalmasan és ernyedetlenül készül a boldogságra. Terveket dolgoznak ki, hogy boldogok legyenek, utaznak és munkálkodnak e célból, gyűjtik a boldogság kellékeit, a hangya szorgalmával és a tigris ragadozó mohóságával. S mikor eltelt az élet, megtudják, hogy nem elég megszerezni a boldogság összes kellékeit. Boldognak is kell lenni, közben. S erről megfeledkeztek.
"Audio Recordings
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Fericirea, desigur, nu există în sensul distilabil, ambalabil, etichetabil pe care și-l imaginează majoritatea oamenilor. Este ca și cum te-ai duce într-o farmacie și ți-ar da, pentru trei șaizeci, o pastilă și apoi nu te mai doare nimic. E ca și cum ai avea un bărbat pentru o femeie, sau o femeie pentru un bărbat, și odată ce se întâlnesc, nu mai există neînțelegeri, nu mai există egoism, nu mai există furie, doar seninătate eternă, mulțumire constantă, veselie și sănătate. Ca și cum fericirea ar fi altceva decât o dorință de neatins!
Majoritatea oamenilor petrec o viață întreagă pregătindu-se pentru fericire metodic, transpirat, sârguincios și neobosit. Își fac planuri pentru a fi fericiți, călătoresc și muncesc în acest scop, adună cele necesare fericirii cu sârguința furnicii și lăcomia prădătoare a tigrului. Iar când viața a trecut, ei învață că nu este suficient să ai toate cerințele fericirii. Trebuie să fii și tu fericit, pe parcurs. Și au uitat asta.
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