Texte grec :
| [10,21] Καὶ πότερον ἄμεινον, εἶπεν, ἀκούοντα ὧν χρὴ καταδῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον ἢ
βαδίζοντα μάτην; ὁμοίως δ´ ἐπὶ πάντων σχεδὸν ὅσων ἄπεστιν
ἐμπειρία τοῦ χρῆσθαι χαλεπὸν τὸ προθυμεῖσθαι, μείζω δὲ τὴν
βλάβην γενέσθαι εἰκὸς ἀπὸ τῶν μειζόνων. ἦ οὖν δοκεῖ σοι ὁμοία
εἶναι ἡ ὄνου χρῆσις τῇ ἵππου; Πόθεν; Τί δέ; ἡ ἀνθρώπου τῇ
θεοῦ; Ἀλλ´ οὐδὲ λέγειν ἄξιον, ἔφη, ὦ Διόγενες. Ἔστιν οὖν ὃς
αὑτῷ χρῆσθαι δύναται, οὐ γιγνώσκων αὑτόν; Καὶ πῶς; εἶπεν.
Ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπον ἀγνοῶν ἀδύνατος ἀνθρώπῳ χρῆσθαι. Ἀδύνατος γάρ.
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Traduction française :
| [10,21] "And is it not botter," said he, " to let the sun
go down if one is listening to useful
words than to go on an idle journey?
"And likewise in almost all cases where practical
experience in 'using' is lacking, it is difficult to be
zealous, and the damage is likely to be greater where
the things concerned are greater. Do you, then,
think that the ` use ' of an ass is like the 'use' of a
horse ? " "Of course not." "Well, then, is the
use of a man like the `use' of a god? " "But
that question does not deserve an answer, Diogenes,"
said he. " Is there anyone, then, who can make use
of himself who does not know himself? " "How
could he? " replied the other. "Because the one
who does not understand man is unable to 'use'
man? " "Yes, because he cannot."
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