92. If, then, anger has got the start, and
has already taken possession of thy mind, and mounted into thy heart,
forsake not thy ground. Thy ground is patience, it is wisdom, it
is reason, it is the allaying of indignation. And if the
stubbornness of thy opponent rouses thee, and his perverseness drives
thee to indignation: if thou canst not calm thy mind, check at
least thy tongue. For so it is written: “Keep thy
tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Seek
peace and pursue it.” Ps. xxxiv.
[xxxiii.] 13, 14. See the
peace of holy Jacob, how great it was! First, then, calm thy
mind. If thou canst not do this, put a restraint upon thy
tongue. Lastly, omit not to seek for reconciliation. These
ideas the speakers of the world have borrowed from us, and have set
down in their writings. But he who said it first has the credit
of understanding its meaning.