动物因为简单而满足，人因复杂而产生烦恼，这是人类的悲哀。但动物们屈服于人，顺从勤劳，任凭人类宰割，这是动物的悲哀。 来听听作者的《自我之歌》，你会有什么感触呢？
I think I could turn and live with animals. They are so placid and self-contained. I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition. They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins. They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God. Not one is dissatisfied. Not one is demented with the mania of owning things. Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that live thousands of years ago. Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
我想我可以转而和动物生活一阵子。 动物是那样温和，那样沉默寡言， 有时候，我站在那里注视着动物，一看就是半天。 动物们不为自己的处境烦恼和哀鸣, 不会躺在黑暗中彻夜不眠，为自己的罪孽流泪。 动物们不会谈论他们对上主的义务而令我作呕, 也没有哪种动物为满足自己的占有欲而发狂， 动物不会向另一种动物，或是几千年前的同类屈膝膜拜。 也没有哪种动物是超乎一切的最可敬的或是最勤劳的。