With an old friend of mine
Who has retired from public life
And enjoys himself at leisure,
I find a lot of figures and statesmen
Who dwell in retreat by the sea coasts,
Along the rivers, among the dales
And hills and forests and deserts --
All submissive to their goodwill.

Such men by their inactivated being
Become sagely minded people and
Doing nothing, they are honoured:
In their plain simplicity no one in the world
Can strive with them for the palm of authority.
But once they return to active life and
Their social activities of corporate presidents
And modern leaders, they start
Doing their duties in a proper way.

With them I'm coming forward
To actively natural life and
Comforting my knowledge
As a merit of the great insight,
I find my humble achievements
Are all distinguished, and
The entire world, activated or not,
Becomes united in one -- the way
To be in harmony with many others.