On “Self-Control”

Last updated on: March 15, 2020 at 11:00 pm by Dan Peterson

On “Self-Control” 2020-03-15T23:00:16-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

From Amazon.com, the cover of the dual-language edition of “The Reformation of Morals” that we published in the Eastern Christian Texts component of BYU’s one-time Middle Eastern Texts Initiative (METI)

We’re just back from the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, where we attended a performance of the musical Dear Evan Hansen by a touring company with a heavy contingent of Canadian actors. It deals with important themes of youth depression and suicide. I was somewhat surprised, given recent news, that the theater was actually open tonight. And I thought that there might be a large number of empty seats. But there weren’t. The place was packed. I suspect that such things will be changing over the next few days.

***

In my course on classical Arabic literature, we’re currently working through Part Three of The Reformation of Morals, a treatise on ethics and the development of character by the Syriac Jacobite Christian philosopher Yahya ibn Adi (that’s Abū Zakarīyā’ Yaḥyá ibn ʿAdī, who lived in Iraq AD 893–974).

Here’s 3:3, in the translation by my friend Father Sidney H. Griffith, of the Catholic University of America, that we published in BYU’s Middle Eastern Texts Initiative:

Self-Control

It is guarding against carelessness. So it is part of self-control to guard against repugnant joking, against keeping company with those who engage in it, and against frequenting their company. It is restraining the tongue from lewdness and from obscene, hilarious, and foolish speech, especially in the assemblies and gatherings of decent people. One who goes to excess in joking and acts in a lewd manner has nothing to be proud of. It is part of self-control to keep away from inferior and lower-class people, from their friendship and their gatherings. It is to be on one’s guard against despicable ways of life and the acquisition of wealth by contemptible means. It is to be too high-minded to inquire about what is of concern to ignoble, lowly people or to debase oneself before those who have no standing. It is to reduce the frequency of needless public show or of frittering away one’s time by sitting in the streets and main roads without necessity. To do this too much is not an act free of blame. The greatest people in terms of importance are ones whose names are widely published but whose persons are concealed.

Many of us will find at least something in that paragraph that is worthy of attention, even challenging, whether it be “frittering away our time,” hanging about with people whose influence on us can only be for the worse, or whatever.

Reformation of Morals

self-control

Yahya ibn ‘Adi

Previous Post

March 11, 2020

"Enemy-Occupied Territory"

Next Post

March 12, 2020 BYU responds to the coronavirus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to James, what is pure and undefiled religion?

Select your answer to see how you score.

To love your neighbor as yourself To care for orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world To obey all the commandments To pray without ceasing