Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

The saying urges gratitude and contentment as practical tools for tranquility: fixating on what is lacking can sour present pleasures, while remembering past hopes reframes current possessions as achievements rather than insufficiencies. In Epicurean terms, this aligns with the pursuit of ataraxia (freedom from mental disturbance) through managing desires—especially by limiting “vain” or unnecessary wants that generate anxiety. The line also highlights the instability of desire: once a wish is fulfilled, the mind quickly invents new lacks. By recalling that today’s “ordinary” goods were once longed for, one interrupts that cycle and preserves enjoyment of simple, attainable satisfactions.