# For once we ourselves

"This is because we ourselves were once"

# once

"formerly" or "at some time" or "previously"

# we ourselves

"even we" or "we also"

# were thoughtless

"were foolish" or "were unwise"

# We were led astray and enslaved by various desires and pleasures

Desires and pleasures are spoken of as if they were masters over people and had made those people into slaves by lying to them. This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: "Various desires and pleasures had lied to us and so led us astray" or "We had allowed ourselves to believe the lie that various desires and pleasures could make us happy, and then we were unable to control our feelings or stop doing things we thought would give us pleasure" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# We lived in evil and envy

"We were always doing evil things and not wanting others to have good things"

# We were detestable

"We caused others to hate us"