Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 27

Sani erimus et modica concupiscemus, si unusquisque se numeret, metiatur simul corpus, sciat, quam nec multum eapere capere nec diu possit. Nihil tamen aeque tibi profuerit ad temperantiam omnium rerum quam frequens cogitatio brevis aevi et huius incerti; quidquid facies, respice ad mortem. Vale.

On reviendrait à la sagesse et on modérerait ses désirs si, se comptant pour un seul homme, et de plus, mesurant la capacité de son corps, on se reconnaissait hors d’état de consommer ni beaucoup, ni longtemps. Mais rien ne te
disposera à la tempérance en toutes choses comme de songer souvent que la vie est courte, et de plus incertaine. Quoi que tu fasses, pense à la mort.

We should be sensible, and our wants more reasonable, if each of us were to take stock of himself, and to measure his bodily needs also, and understand how little he can consume, and for how short a time! But nothing will give you so much help toward moderation as the frequent thought that life is short and uncertain here below; whatever you are doing, have regard to death. Farewell.