E4Cap8
Chapter — Part IV
Latin
Quicquid in rerum natura datur quod judicamus malum esse sive posse impedire quominus existere et vita rationali frui queamus, id a nobis removere ea via quæ securior videtur, licet et quicquid contra datur quod judicamus bonum sive utile esse ad nostrum esse conservandum et vita rationali fruendum, id ad nostrum usum capere et eo quocunque modo uti nobis licet et absolute id unicuique summo naturæ jure facere licet quod ad ipsius utilitatem conferre judicat.
English (Elwes 1883)
Whatsoever in nature we deem to be evil, or to be capable of injuring our faculty for existing and enjoying the rational life, we may endeavour to remove in whatever way seems safest to us; on the other hand, whatsoever we deem to be good or useful for preserving our being, and enabling us to enjoy the rational life, we may appropriate to our use and employ as we think best. Everyone without exception may, by sovereign right of nature, do whatsoever he thinks will advance his own interest.
Modern English
Whatever in nature we judge to be bad — that is, capable of preventing us from existing and enjoying the rational life — we are permitted to remove by whatever way seems safest to us. And whatever we judge to be good or useful for preserving our being and enjoying the rational life, we are permitted to take for our use and employ in whatever way we think best. Everyone is, by the absolute right of nature, permitted to do whatever he judges to advance his own advantage.