Chastity

I love the forest. It is bad to live in cities: there, there are too many of the lustful.

I love the forest. Living in cities is bad. There are too many lustful people there.

Is it not better to fall into the hands of a murderer, than into the dreams of a lustful woman?

Isn't it better to fall into a murderer's hands than into the dreams of a lustful woman?

And just look at these men: their eye saith it—they know nothing better on earth than to lie with a woman.

And just look at these men. Their eyes reveal that they know nothing better on earth than sleeping with a woman.

Filth is at the bottom of their souls; and alas! if their filth hath still spirit in it!

Filth lies at the bottom of their souls. And alas, if their filth still has spirit in it!

Would that ye were perfect—at least as animals! But to animals belongeth innocence.

I wish you were perfect, at least as animals are! But animals are innocent.

Do I counsel you to slay your instincts? I counsel you to innocence in your instincts.

Do I advise you to kill your instincts? I advise you to be innocent in your instincts.

Do I counsel you to chastity? Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many almost a vice.

Do I advise you to be chaste? Chastity is a virtue for some, but for many it is almost a vice.

These are continent, to be sure: but doggish lust looketh enviously out of all that they do.

These people are sexually restrained, to be sure, but envious, doglike lust shows in everything they do.

Even into the heights of their virtue and into their cold spirit doth this creature follow them, with its discord.

This creature follows them even into the heights of their virtue and into their cold spirit, bringing discord with it.

And how nicely can doggish lust beg for a piece of spirit, when a piece of flesh is denied it!

And how sweetly doglike lust can beg for a piece of spirit when it is denied a piece of flesh!

Ye love tragedies and all that breaketh the heart? But I am distrustful of your doggish lust.

You love tragedies and everything that breaks the heart? But I distrust your doglike lust.

Ye have too cruel eyes, and ye look wantonly towards the sufferers. Hath not your lust just disguised itself and taken the name of fellow-suffering?

Your eyes are too cruel, and you look at those who suffer with lust. Has your lust simply disguised itself as compassion?

And also this parable give I unto you: Not a few who meant to cast out their devil, went thereby into the swine themselves.

I also give you this parable: Many who tried to cast out their devil went into the pigs themselves.

To whom chastity is difficult, it is to be dissuaded: lest it become the road to hell—to filth and lust of soul.

Those who find chastity difficult should be discouraged from practicing it, lest it become the road to hell, to filth and lust of the soul.

Do I speak of filthy things? That is not the worst thing for me to do.

Do I talk about filthy things? That is not the worst thing I could do.

Not when the truth is filthy, but when it is shallow, doth the discerning one go unwillingly into its waters.

The discerning person is reluctant to enter the waters of truth not when they are filthy, but when they are shallow.

Verily, there are chaste ones from their very nature; they are gentler of heart, and laugh better and oftener than you.

Indeed, some people are chaste by nature. They are gentler at heart and laugh better and more often than you.

They laugh also at chastity, and ask: “What is chastity?

They also laugh at chastity and ask: “What is chastity?

Is chastity not folly? But the folly came unto us, and not we unto it.

Isn't chastity foolish? But this folly came to us, not we to it.

We offered that guest harbour and heart: now it dwelleth with us—let it stay as long as it will!”—

We welcomed that guest into our home and our hearts. Now it lives with us. Let it stay as long as it wants!”

Thus spake Zarathustra.

This is what Zarathustra said.