Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Some of the words most often quoted in reference to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov are not what he actually said. Today, 212 years ago, Rebbe Nachman passed away. His influence has been vast and is felt among a great many more people than those who identify as Breslov chasidim.
Lots of people quote Rebbe Nachman's words: "It's a great mitzvah to always be happy" and "There is no despair whatsoever in this world." These are fundamental principles in his outlook on life. It's an outlook full of joy and hope. We hear this sentiment in the words of a famous song written by Rebbe Nachman himself: "The whole world is a very narrow bridge and the main thing is to have no fear at all."
However, the original text of this song is slightly different: "Know that a person needs to cross a very, very narrow bridge, but the guiding principle and the main thing is not to make himself afraid at all." In other words, people have a tendency to be anxious for no reason, to imagine negative outcomes, to subject themselves to fearful illusions disconnected from reality.
It's okay to be afraid, and there are truly frightening things in this world. But it makes no sense to make ourselves afrad, to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion. Rebbe Nachman calls upon us to stop making ourselves needlessly anxious and fearful, and to simply move forward and cross the bridge.
In his memory.
