Question

As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts, and it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughed at among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only, but even everybody else; from whence I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases—viz. that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise men.

Accepted Answer

Respecto a volver a casa, la vergüenza me hacía rechazar mis buenos impulsos e inmediatamente pensé que mis vecinos se reirían de mí y que me daría vergüenza presentarme, no solo ante mis padres, sino ante el resto del mundo. En este sentido, y desde entonces, he observado lo incongruentes e irracionales que son los seres humanos, especialmente los jóvenes, frente a la razón que debe guiarlos en estos casos; es decir, que no se avergüenzan de pecar sino de arrepentirse de su pecado; que no se avergüenzan de hacer cosas por las que, legítimamente, serían tomados por tontos, sino de retractarse, por lo que serían tomados por sabios.

De Ashamed Por Mis Se Sino I Esteemed