“

To whom shall I speak today?
One’s brothers have become evil
And friends of today have no compassion

To whom shall I speak today?
Hearts are greedy
And every man steals his neighbor’s goods

To whom shall I speak today?
Compassion has perished
And violence attacks everyone

To whom shall I speak today?
Men are pleased with the evil
Which everywhere throws goodness underfoot

To whom shall I speak today?
Though a man be woeful through ill fortune
His evil plight causes all to mock him

To whom shall I speak today?
Men plunder
And everyone robs his comrade

To whom shall I speak today?
A reprobate is my closest friend
And the companion with whom I associated has become a foe

To whom shall I speak today?
There is no remembrance of the past
And men do not treat one in accordance with one’s deeds

To whom shall I speak today?
One’s brothers have become evil
And one turns to strangers for integrity

To whom shall I speak today?
People are indifferent
And every man is sullen to his comrades

To whom shall I speak today?
Hearts have become greedy
And no man has a heart which can be trusted

To whom shall I speak today?
There are no righteous men
And the land is abandoned over to the lawless

To whom shall I speak today?
There is emptiness in faithful friends
And one must turn to strangers for comfort

To whom shall I speak today?
None are contented
And he with whom one walked now is no more

To whom shall I speak today?
I am laden down with sorrow
And there is none to comfort me

To whom shall I speak today?
Evil runs rampant through the land
Endless, endless evil

”

— A section from “Dispute Between a Man and His Ba”, from ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom (2055 BCE - 1650 BCE).

While the subject matter is depressing, this actually gives me hope. The times we are living in often seem like there’s a dark cloud over things messing things up from a small scale all the way up to a huge scale. But that’s also how things seemed to this man (real or fictional) millennia ago (and he was far more despondent than I am), and we are still here. Things may suck in this world for a long time, and humanity will diminish, but some of us will survive. And hell, even if only cats survive and humans don’t, that will be good enough for me.

Wikipedia article on the ba, which ancient Egyptians considered one of many parts of the soul. (via youneedacat)