Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 19

Ideo, Lucili, tenenda nobis via est, quam natura praescripsit, nec ab illa declinandum; illam sequentibus omnia facilia, expedita sunt, contra illam nitentibus non alia vita est quam contra aquam remigantibus. Vale.

Tenons donc, ô Lucilius, tenons le chemin que la nature nous a tracé, et n’en dévions jamais. Là, tout nous est ouvert et facile ; s’obstiner contre elle, c’est proprement la vie de ceux qui rament contre le courant.

For this reason, Lucilius, let us keep to the way which Nature has mapped out for us, and let us not swerve therefrom. If we follow Nature, all is easy and unobstructed; but if we combat Nature, our life differs not a whit from that of men who row against the current. Farewell.