Μέμνησο ἐκ πόσου ταῦτα ἀναβάλλῃ καὶ ὁποσάκις προθεσμίας λαβὼν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν οὐ χρᾷ αὐταῖς. δεῖ δὲ ἤδη ποτὲ αἰσθέσθαι τίνος κόσμου μέρος εἶ καὶ τίνος διοικοῦντος τὸν κόσμον ἀπόρροια ὑπέστης καὶ ὅτι ὅρος ἐστί σοι περιγεγραμμένος τοῦ χρόνου, ᾧ ἐὰν εἰς τὸ ἀπαιθριάσαι μὴ χρήσῃ, οἰχήσεται οἰχήσῃ καὶ αὖθις οὐκ ἐξέσται.
Remember how often you’ve procrastinated, and how consistently you have wasted the days alloted to you by the gods. It’s time you realize the kind of universe you’re in […], and that your time here is limited. If you do not use it to understand [this], the time will be gone, you will be gone, never again to return.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus