Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/63

 OF THE CHAIRS OF VIRTUE

Some one praised a wise man to Zarathustra be- cause he was said to speak well of sleep and virtue and therefore to be very much honoured and re- warded. All young men were said to sit before his chair. Zarathustra went to him and sat among all the young men before his chair. And thus spake the wise man :

" Honour and shame to sleep ! That is the first thing. And to go out of the way of all who sleep badly and are awake in the night!

Even the thief is ashamed to disturb sleep : he al- ways stealeth gently through the night. But shame- less is the watchman of the night, shamelessly he weareth his horn.

Sleeping is no small art : for that purpose one need- eth firstly to keep awake all day.

Ten times a day thou must conquer thyself : that giveth a wholesome weariness and is poppy for the soul.

Ten times thou must reconcile thyself with thyself ; for resignation is bitterness and badly sleepeth he who is not reconciled.

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