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If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but…

“If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Virtue endures beyond effort, while fleeting pleasures and wrongdoing vanish.

In simple terms: Good lasts, bad fades.

Key Takeaway

Focus on lasting good, not temporary pleasure.

Themes

virtue transience ethics

Mood

reflective serene

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal decisions
  • leadership
  • spiritual practice
  • conflict resolution

Key Concepts

Stoicism moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What lasting values guide your actions?
  • How do you balance effort and reward?
A Different Perspective

Pleasure can motivate positive change despite its impermanence.

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