Jean de La Fontaine Quotes - Page 5

Patience et longueur de temps Font plus que force ni que rage. Patience and longevity Are worth more than force and rage.

We believe easily what we fear of what we desire

We believe no evil till the evil's done

We heed no instincts but our own.

As sheepish as a fox captured by a fowl. [Fr., Honteux comme un renard qu'une poule aurait pris.]

Nothing is so dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is worth more. [Fr., Rien n'est si dangereux qu'un ignorant ami; Mieux vaudrait un sage ennemi.]

He knoweth the universe, and himself he knoweth not.

Nothing weighs more than a secret.

Garde-toi, tant que tu vivras, De juger des gens sur la mine. Beware as long as you live, Of judging others according to appearance alone.

In short, luck's always to blame.

All roads lead to Rome, but our antagonists think we should choose different paths.

Sensible people find nothing useless. [Fr., Il n'est rien d'inutile aux personnes de sens.]

To win a race, the swiftness of a dart Availeth not without a timely start

But the shortest works are always the best.

Lynx-eyes toward our equals, and moles to ourselves. [Fr., Lynx envers nos pareils, et taupes envers nous.]

Rather suffer than die is man's motto.

I bend but do not break.

O tyrant love, when held by you, We may to prudence bid adieu. [Fr., Amour! Amour! quand tu nous tiens On peut bien dire, Adieu, prudence.]

Every one turns his dreams into realities as far as he can; man is cold as ice to the truth, hot as fire to falsehood.

We read on the foreheads of those who are surrounded by a foolish luxury, that fortune sells what she is thought to give.

One returns to the place one came from.

Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own, Believe no evil, till the evil's done. [Fr., Nous n'ecoutons d'instincts que ceux qui sont les notres. Et ne croyons le mal que quand il est venu.]

We are never content with our lot.

But a rascal of a child (that age is without pity). [Fr., Mais un pripon d'enfant (cet age est sans pitie).

In everything we ought to look at the end.