Quotes by Baltasar Gracián

"

Do not embrace the bad side of a cause because the adversary has seized the good, for thus you enter the arena beaten before, and you will come out of it in shame. You can't fight well with bad weapons.

"

Act like you're being watched by everyone.

"

Think like the few and speak like the many.

"

The wise man lives as he can, if he cannot as he wills. He takes as good what fate has given him, not what he has denied him.

"

The arrow pierces the body, and the evil word pierces the soul.

"

There are plenty of people who never lose their minds, for the simple reason that they never have.

"

So much you must know, so little we are given to live, and life without knowledge is not life.

"

The senseless hustle and bustle is always unbearable, and when you do work it sucks.

"

Respect yourself if you want to be respected.

"

Servilism is more dangerous than hatred.

"

Form your judgement. This is necessary, especially in important situations. Fools go to hell because they don't think; being unable to understand even half of a thing, being unable to foresee either harm or gain, they cannot act properly; they give a lot of weight to less important things and little weight to important things, evaluating them upside down. There are things that you have to go inside and that you have to keep in the depths of your mind. The wise man forms a judgment about everything, but especially about those that have a deep and important meaning, because he assumes that in these things there is more than meets the eye. And so thinking goes further than superficial opinion.

"

Look inside. Many things are not at all what they seem at first; this misunderstanding of yours, this inability to get beyond the shell turns into disappointment when you come to know the essence.

"

Better to have a reputation for caution than for cunning. Honesty is pleasing to everyone, even if not everyone is familiar with it. Be simple but not naive, shrewd but not cunning. Better to have been regarded as a rational person, than to have been feared as a pretender.

"

The word is the guarantee of the deed.

"

By self-control you can disturb the self-control of the other - thus, his desires are manifested, even if his heart is impenetrable.

"

Self-knowledge. Know your nature, your mind, your judgments, your inclinations. As long as you don't know yourself, you can't dominate yourself. If there is a mirror for the face, let clear judgment be a mirror for the spirit.

"

Organize your life wisely: not at the will of chance, but in such a way that you both gain and enjoy it. Life is hard without a bit of rest, just like a long journey without stops; the diversity of knowledge makes it enjoyable.

"

Know the happy and the unhappy, so that you can join the first and avoid the others. Lack of luck is most often the punishment for stupidity, and for those close to you, a contagious nuisance.

"

A wise man gains more from enemies than a fool from friends.

"

Double your support in life and you double your life. Don't limit yourself to one protector, don't limit yourself to just one thing, whatever it may be, even if it will seem unusual to always have two sources of contentment, of compassion, of satisfaction.

"

Learn to control yourself so that you will not be judged in happiness or in misfortune for the quickness of nature, but you will be praised for the superiority of the spirit.

"

Temper your dislike. We easily fall prey to resentment, even if we admit the existence of undoubted qualities. This vulgar natural propensity dares to throw itself even upon remarkable men. Let reason tame it—there is no greater disgrace than antipathy to the best; as laudable as sympathy with heroes is, so shameful is antipathy to them.

"

An acceptable joke is pleasant and depends on the ability of each person to receive it. He who loses his temper because of irony, gives reasons to be ironized again.

"

Good deeds are needed to win someone's favor: do good right and left, do not be stingy with good words and, above all, with good deeds - love to be loved.

"

What is past is more pleasant; what is far, awakens desire.

"

Exaggerated simplicity in conduct brings vulgarity.

"

The man who knows how to wait. He must be endowed with much courage and with much patience. Never rush or get hot. Learn to dominate yourself, because that's how you'll dominate others. A favorable situation is reached with a lot of patience.

"

The successful man. He who enters Fortune's palace through the gates of joy, leaves through the gates of sorrow - and vice versa. Therefore, think about how a thing ends, how to go out happy, not how to go in nice.

"

The vorbei man and the deed man. Distinguishing them is as important as knowing who is your real friend and who likes you because of your position. It is bad when a man is good at work, but bad at speaking; but it's even worse when he's good at talking and not doing much at work.

"

The most terrible enemies are former friends: they strike in the weak places, known only to themselves, they strike where it hurts the most.

"

You want to be respected - don't start with insults.

"

Know how to ask. For some, there is nothing harder, for others, nothing easier. There are people who do not know how to refuse; it is embarrassing to approach them.

"

Make a plan, but don't overdo it. Do not display it in front of everyone, and even more so, do not allow it to be guessed; it is fitting that the plan should be kept secret, because it arouses suspicion, especially a refined plan is viewed with hostility.

"

Avoid. The method of wise men. With an elegant joke, they get themselves out of the most tangled maze. They know how to come out smiling, whole and unscathed, from the most violent quarrel.

"

Learn to decipher the expression of the face, to read the soul by external signs. Make the difference: who always laughs at stupidity; who never laughs out of malice.

"

Praise be to him with a penetrating mind. The ability to think has always been highly valued; but now this is little - you must also discover the deception. A man without insight cannot be called rational.

"

A good thing is twice as good if it doesn't last.

"

Don't lie, but don't tell the whole truth either. Nothing calls for more cautious handling than the truth—it is like a hemorrhage of the heart itself.

"

Don't wait until the water is up to your neck, leave early; forestalls the cruelty of blows with mature judgment.

"

Don't push anything to the brink - a good reputation suffers from it.

"

Don't get caught up in obligations to everyone - you become a slave to everyone else... Better to have others depend on you than to depend on yourself

"

Don't run after much, look for depth. The essence of greatness is not quantity, but quality. The wonderful is always unique and rare; what's more, it's not expensive.

"

Don't counter every objection.

"

Don't get too excited. Avoid superlatives so as not to distort the image and not come off as a fool. To praise beyond measure, to stop showing enthusiasm is a sign of limited understanding and taste. Praise excites curiosity, inflames desire, and if the merits prove to be below your estimation—and they usually do—expectation deceived takes its revenge, repays the deception with scorn both of the praised and of the praiser.

"

Don't be nagging - so you don't make a laughingstock and upset others.

"

It's not good to be ignorant, but sometimes it's not bad to pretend to be ignorant. With a fool it is no use being wise, nor rational with a fool; speak to each in his own language.

"

You don't have to be just a pigeon. Combine the shyness of the dove with the cunning of the snake! The business man is easily deceived: he who does not lie to anyone, believes everyone; he who does not deceive trusts others. Deceit makes victims not only among fools, but also among honest ones. Two kinds of people can foresee and thwart a deception: the deceived, who have learned on their own skin, and the cunning, who pretend. Let shrewdness be as sharp and suspicious as cunning is skillful in intrigues, and you must not be so gentle as to push your neighbor to hypocrisy. By combining the dove and the snake, you do not become a monster, but a miracle worker.

"

Do not suffer from the disease of fools. Wise men, not infrequently, suffer from the shortcomings of reason. Fools, on the contrary, suffer from excess judgment.

"

Don't fret over discontent - that's lack of courage, but self-satisfaction is also lack of mind.

"

Not dealing with something is a lesser misfortune than indecisiveness.

"

Don't let yourself fall prey to mood swings. Great is he who is not under the sway of whims.

"

Do not overload yourself with either hardship or envy - you will drain your life and kill your spirit. Some extend these rules to knowledge - but he who does not know does not live.

"

Don't give up right away, let the disappointment build up.

"

Don't start your life with what you have to finish. Each one rests at the beginning of the journey, leaving the difficult for later. No, the important things must be done first, and then, if there is time left, everything that is not important.

"

You don't have to be spiritual all the time. Wisdom manifests itself in serious things, it is more precious than the talk of the spirit. He who is spiritual all the time is empty inside.

"

Bear the mockery, but do not mock. The first is a form of politeness, the second - a start to gossip.

"

The wise man appreciates everyone, because he sees something good in everyone.

"

He who gets angry in the midst of general merriment resembles a donkey and behaves like a donkey.

"

The one whom nothing upsets has no heart, and the unfeeling man cannot be a personality.

"

When the path is not clear, follow the wise and prudent people - sooner or later, they will find a way out.

"

When you're having a discussion or arguing, do it like you're playing chess.

"

Everyone must be important in their occupation.

"

Look for a love that starts not so much from the heart as from reason - it is endowed with personality.

"

The art of starting. Stupidity acts at random; all fools are brave. In their naivety, they do not foresee the obstacles from the very beginning, but neither do they suffer from failure at the end. Wisdom sets to work with care, and her scouts, Providence and Judgment, study the way, that they may advance without halts.

"

The art of living long: living with dignity. Two things lead a man to destruction: stupidity and fornication. Some lost their lives because they didn't know how to protect it, and others because they didn't want to.

"

He who pays attention to little things shows his smallness of soul.

"

Forgetting is the best revenge, it buries the enemy in the dust of his own nothingness.

"

Silence is the altar of prudence.

"

Too much talk is cause for strife.

"

The world is full of fools, but no one notices his own stupidity, or even suspects it.

"

Metal is known by the way it sounds, and man by the way he speaks.

"

The criterion of genuine satisfaction is praise from masters in the field.

"

Experienced people know the pulse of the spirit by speech, it was not for nothing that the sage said: "Speak", if you want me to know you...

"

Kindness beautifies: it covers the "no" in gold, sweetens the truth, even old age makes it seem more "Romanian". In any business, the "how" is important: politeness, like cheating, is safe.

"

The best way to get what you want is to ignore it.

"

The art of being happy. There are several recipes for this, but not all of them suit the sage. The spirit of initiative can come to the aid of success. Some, with a nonchalant air, stop at Fortune's gates and wait for her to do her work. Others, more shrewd, boldly make their way forward and act, relying on their own strength, for sometimes the wings of courage make us attain happiness and win his good will. But, judging rightly, there is no better way than the way of virtue and effort, for there is no greater happiness than wisdom, and no greater unhappiness than lack of wisdom.

"

It is not the flowing water that changes, but the standing water. Some don't take a step unless you prod them; and sometimes the cause lies not in the stupidity of the mind—their minds can be shrewd—but in the weakness of it.

"

Actions are the fruits of intentions. If the intentions are good, then the deeds will be good.

"

Fairness is manifested in speech, but even more precisely, in deeds.

"

Sometimes, to lose a friend is enough to not return a service: not being able to return the debt, he moves away, and the debtor is no longer your friend.

"

Understanding life and being good at people are far from the same thing. Great art consists in understanding characterization and perceiving moods.

"

Use the fact that you are new; as long as you are a novelty, you are valued. The new pleases, gives variety, enlivens the pleasure - a new mediocrity is more appreciated than a celebrity we are used to.

"

Put yourself to the test. A serious mind must understand the mind of another - thus the insight of the wise confronts the restraint of the self-absorbed.

"

Keeping the heart under control is a great victory! You can conquer her neither by courage nor by boring jokes - she submits only by decent security, born of morality and founded on dignity.

"

In an argument, you lose more if you are stubborn than you win victoriously - you are not defending the truth, but your own lack of education.

"

We see the truth more often and hear it less often - never in its pure form, especially when it comes from afar: in it there is always an extra bias that has left traces.

"

A blameless man, knowing no fear, is always on the side of justice - neither the passions of the crowd, nor the compulsion of the tyrant can force him to overstep his bounds.

"

Reason without wisdom is double madness.

"

May your kindness serve as bait for the senses rather than gain, or both. Qualities alone are not enough if a pleasant character does not come into play - this alone makes you really likeable.

"

Let no one know the limits of your possibilities, otherwise you will give reasons for disappointment. Never let yourself be completely exposed. When the world does not know and doubts, it appreciates more than when all your strength, be it great, is visible.

"

Simulated doubt is the best key with which curiosity opens everything you want.

"

Adapt to each. Clever is Proteus - learned with the learned, holy with the saints. The art of winning hearts is great: likeness breeds goodwill.

"

In turbulent times of life, it is best to cease all activity and wait for the storm to pass; you give in now - you win in the future. Rivers also swirl from a breeze, and the water does not become clear with your efforts, but when you move away from it. There is no better antidote to clutter than to let it run its course - everything works out somehow.

"

The advantage is on the side of the first. And if it is also large, it follows that the first move gives superiority. Many would become leaders in their field if not surpassed by others.

"

He prefers laudable occupations. In life, much depends on the judgment of the world. Praise is to human potential what wind is to flowers - food and life.

"

Don't get bored. So that the lips ask for a little more nectar. Desire is the measure of value. Good taste even advises to satiate bodily hunger, but not to quench it; good and little is twice as good.

"

Friendly honesty is especially dangerous: you have told another a personal secret - you have become his slave... Thus, do not listen to secrets and do not reveal them yourself.

"

Never show a thing only half finished - let them admire it when it's done. The beginning is always imperfect, and this imperfect image remains in the memory: its memory alters the satisfaction offered by a finished thing.

"

Never fight with the one who has nothing to lose: it is an unequal battle.

"

Whoever is out of his mind is no longer responsible for his own actions, passion drives out reason.

"

Never act under the sway of passion - it will backfire.

"

Don't share bad news, and more than that, don't listen to it.

"

Be natural in everything. Nature brings out qualities, inspires speech, enlivens things, accentuates all that is wonderful in man.

"

Some appreciate the books by their thickness, as if they were written for manual, and not mental, exercises.

"

Don't rush to live. Do them all in their time - and they will all bring you joy. That is why life for many is too short: they indulged in joys too soon, did not enjoy themselves enough, and when they wanted to return, take them from where they are not.

"

A man is judged by the friends he has.

"

Surround yourself with those you can learn from. Let the contact with your friends be your school of knowledge, and your conversation an elegant and pleasant teaching: look upon your friends as teachers, and profit by the enjoyment of conversation.

"

Do not overload yourself with hardships or envy - you will drain your life and kill your spirit. Some extend these rules to knowledge - but he who does not know does not live.

"

The appearance of man is the mirror of the soul.

"

Originality is a kind of self-delusion, pleasant at first and tempting with novelty and sharpness, but which, later, when nothing good comes of it and when you mature, is very regrettable.

"

The assent of the wise. A cold yes from a remarkable man is more flattering than praise from the crowd.

"

Distance softens flaws that, up close, are unbearable.

"

Some of the friends are good at a distance and others, close; he who is not very good at conversation, is very gifted at correspondence.

"

Don't share bad news, and more than that, don't listen to it. There is no desert more desolate than a friendless life; friendship increases happiness and decreases unhappiness; consolation for the soul, it is the only remedy against an adverse fate.

"

It is not the flowing water that changes, but the standing water. Some don't take a step unless you prod them; and sometimes the cause lies not in the stupidity of the mind—their minds can be shrewd—but in the weakness of it.

"

Not dealing with a thing is a lesser misfortune than indecisiveness.

"

All fools are stubborn and stubborn are fools.

"

All people have a very good opinion of themselves, and the better that opinion is, the less they deserve.

"

Always be on the lookout for the ignorant, the stubborn, the fuming, all kinds of ignorance. You run into many of these in the world, and the wisdom lies in managing not to run into them.

"

Always and before all parades the Lie, fascinating fools with its vulgar shrillness. Last, last, comes Truth, which limps, walking sluggishly behind Time... On the surface lies always Deceit, and to it shallow men rush. True Essence closes itself in to be more cherished by the knowers and those gifted with reason.

"

It's always better to be sure before you get down to business, especially if success isn't certain. Take your time, either to refuse or to convince yourself that new arguments in favor of your decision come to mind.

"

Always want something so that you are not unhappy because of the overflow of happiness. The body breathes, the spirit is thirsty. If we owned everything, we would be hated and bored; even to the mind you have to set aside something unknown that provokes curiosity. Hope inspires, drenching destroys. Even when you reward, don't give all the satisfaction at once; when you wish for nothing, expect something bad: happiness is unhappiness. When desires end, so do fears.

"

It's easy to let go of a word and hard to catch it. In conversation it happens the same as in a will with fewer words, fewer processes. When you discuss trifles, probe the ground for more important things. A hidden thread has a wonderful air. Whoever reveals himself easily in a conversation, you can quickly convince him - and win.

"

Expressing surprise is a sign of impoliteness.

"

To turn sadness into joy is to know how to live.

"

Finish a lucky game in time. It's the rule of experienced players. Knowing how to retreat with dignity is as important as knowing how to attack with courage; when you have earned enough, when you have achieved a lot - draw the line.

"

Speed ​​in decisions is the result of a happy natural liveliness. For this, quick and brave, there are neither difficulties nor hesitations. Some people think a lot and once they get down to business, they screw it up, others succeed in everything without long meditations. There are skills of a special kind. Which manifests itself most effectively by facing hardships. Such amazing beings succeed in everything without thinking and after long meditation - nothing comes out of them; if it did not come out of the first, do not expect any benefit and do not rely on the future. Praise be to the quick, because as if by a miracle, they succeed everywhere - and they think quickly, and they are skilled at work.

"

At twenty, feelings dominate, at thirty, talent, and at forty, reason.

"

It is more important to know the types of people and their qualities than those of herbs and stones. This is one of the finer arts of life.

"

Important friends for important jobs... That's why it's more important to have important friends and know how to keep them than to have money.

"

An effective way to be kind - always be calm.

"

If you see something bad in people, don't rejoice, and even more so don't comment. Gossip is a nasty thing. If you say something bad, you hear even worse.

"

Master the art of conversation, because in conversation one discovers personality. None of human pursuits calls for more wisdom, though in life there is nothing more common - here everything is lost or gained.

"

In any case, if you know little, stick to the proven ones.

"

The hero has the quality and approaches other heroes; a mysterious and impressive quality - one of the wonders of nature.

"

He's a fool who doesn't recognize fools, but worse is he who, having recognized them, doesn't get away from them.

"

It is better to speak timely than eloquently.

"

Making a whole scandal out of every little thing is a pointless endeavor. It is just as stupid to be deeply saddened by something that is of no importance to you, and not to lift a finger for something really important.

"

Don't be familiar and don't let others be either. Familiarity is fatal to the perfection of the good man, and then to the honor due to him.

"

Know your petty starts. Not even the perfect man can avoid them, but she actually takes care of them, spoils them. In our mind these are not few, and the more mind we have, the more these starts are more or more obvious. And not because you don't notice them, but because you love them.

"

The envious does not die once, but whenever his adversary is praised.

"

Take on an easy task as a hard one, and a hard one as an easy one. In the first case, be so that confidence does not turn into superficiality; in the second, lack of confidence, in shyness.

"

There are people who have the quality of those vessels that retain the smell of the first liquid poured into them, some nice smelling, some stinking.

"

There are some for whom "no" is the first word at any time of the day; with these you need skill.

"

Think about a successful outcome. Some are more concerned not to deviate from the direction in which they have started to go, than to think about reaching the goal; however, blame for failure will always cover praise for effort given. The winner has no excuses.

"

For the working man there is nothing more precious than something received for free.

"

A day without a fight is like a deep sleep.

"

To do a job and show it. Everything is judged by appearance, not content. Having a quality and knowing how to show it is a double quality: what is not seen is as if it does not exist.

"

It is dangerous to act when you doubt the wisdom of the act, better refrain. Wisdom leaves no room for insecurity, it always parades in the bright light of reason.

"

Act in secret. Surprise is the guarantee of success. From an open game you have no gain, no joy.

"

Even politeness can be offensive if it's overdone.

"

If you want to put an end to gossip, ignore it.

"

To be pleasant in a conversation, you must adapt to the character and mind of the interlocutors. Do not think of yourself as the censor of other people's words and expressions, because you will be considered a pedant, even more so, do not get attached to the thoughts and judgments of others, because they will avoid you, even abandon you completely. Wisdom is more important in conversation than eloquence.

"

Controlling one's passions is a quality of a superior spirit. This very superiority protects the spirit from foreign and base influences. There is no greater power than power over yourself over your own passions, over your own will.

"

Do not fall into disgrace with the successful one because of compassion for a loser. The happiness of some is not seldom founded on the unhappiness of others; if there were no fallen, there would be no victors.

"

Be skilled in anger. Do so that cold judgment prevents rude starts - for the wise, it is not difficult.

"

Usually the losers arouse your pity - through this lamentable pity we somehow compensate for the cruelty of Fortune.

"Their intrinsic worth is not enough, for not all turn the goods over and look deep. Most run where the crowd is because the others run."

"It is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterward"

"Twice the wit is needed to deal with someone with none."

"The envious man dies not only once but as many times as the person he envies lives to hear the voice of praise ..."

"Knowledge and courage contribute in turn to greatness. Since they are immortal, they immortalize. You are as much as you know, and a wise person can do anything. A person without knowledge is a world of darkness. Judgement and strength, eyes and hands; without courage, wisdom is sterile."

"Their intrinsic worth is not enough, for not all turn the goods over and look deep. Most run where the crowd is--because the others run."

"Many owe their greatness to their enemies. Flattery is fiercer than hatred, for hatred corrects the faults flattery had disguised."

"If you cannot make knowledge your servant, make it your friend."

"There is no better remedy for disorder than to let it runs its course; it will then disappear on its own."

"Let the first impulse pass. Wait for the second."

"Every fool is utterly convinced, and everyone utterly convinced is a fool."

"A good word concerning one who speaks evil of you cannot be praised too highly..."

"Never lose your self-respect, nor be too familiar with yourself when you are alone. Let your integrity itself be your own standard of rectitude, and be more indebted to the severity of your own judgment of yourself than to all external precepts. Desist from unseemly conduct, rather out of respect for your own virtue than for the strictures of external authority."

"Our life is arranged like a play, everything will be sorted out in the end. Take care, then, to end it well."

"Many people spend time studying the properties of animals or herbs; how much more important to study those people, with whom we live or die!"

"Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose"

"A beautiful woman should break her mirror early"

"Respect yourself if you would have others respect you."

"He who has slaked his thirst, immediately turns his back on the well, no longer needing it. When dependence disappears, so does civility and decency, and then respect."

"Aspire to be a hero than merely appear one."

"There are many roads to singularity, not all of them well traveled. The newest ones can be arduous, but they are often shortcuts to greatness."

"Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult, and difficult as if they were easy; in the one case that confidence may not fall asleep, in the other that it may not be dismayed."

"It requires as much caution to tell the truth as to conceal it."

"Never have a companion that casts you in the shade."

"At 20 a man is a peacock, at 30 a lion, at 40 a camel, at 50 a serpent, at 60 a dog, at 70 an ape, and at 80 nothing."

"We have eyelids but not earlids, for the ears are the portals of learning, and Nature wanted to keep them wide open."

"Avoid outshining the master. All superiority is odious, but the superiority of a subject over his prince is not only stupid, it is fatal. This is a lesson that the stars in the sky teach us - they may be related to the sun, and just as brilliant, but they never appear in her company."

"Every fool stands convinced; and everyone convinced is a fool. The faultier a person's judgement the firmer their convictions."

"Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong."

"The truths that matter most to us come always half spoken."

"Know how to ask. There is nothing more difficult for some people, nor for others, easier."

"When desire dies, fear is born."

"Better mad with the rest of the world than wise alone."

"Folly consists not in committing Folly, but in being incapable of concealing it. All men make mistakes, but the wise conceal the blunders they have made, while fools make them public. Reputation depends more on what is hidden than on what is seen. If you can’t be good, be careful."

"Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment."

"Don't take the wrong side of an argument just because your opponent has taken the right side."

"Respect yourself is you would have others respect you."

"Be open to suggestion, no one is so perfect that they may not need advice from time to time."

"Quit while you’re ahead. All the best gamblers do."

"Though such authority and respect shouldn't be handed to all and sundry, have in caution's innermost room a confidant, a faithful mirror, whose correction you value when disillusionment is necessary."

"Many people spend time studying the properties of animals or herbs; how much more important it would be to study those of people, with whom we must live or die!"

"Do not be held a cheat, even though it is impossible to live today without being one. Let your greatest cunning lie in covering up what looks like cunning."

"Man's life is militia against man's malice."

"When your opponent sees into your reasoning like a lynx, conceal your thoughts like an inky squid."

"There is no better remedy for disorder than to let it run its course; it will then disappear on its own."

"Be a combination of a dove and the serpent; not a monster, but a prodigy."

"Not all were born into a period worthy of them."

"True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing."

"There is no wilderness like a life without friends."

"Know how to choose. Most things in life depend on it. You need good taste and an upright judgement; intelligence and application are not enough. There is no perfection without discernment and selection."

"True knowledge lies in knowing how to live."

"We often have to put up with most from those on whom we most depend."

"It is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterward."

"Two kinds of people are good at foreseeing danger: those who have learned at their own expense, and the clever people who learn a great deal at the expense of others."

"Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit."

"Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil."

"A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one."

"Never compete with someone who has nothing to lose."

"Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose."

"Life is a warfare against the malice of others."

"Oh life, you should never had begun, but since you did, you should never end."

"Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets."

"Knowledge without courage is sterile."

"True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... To find one real friend in a lifetime is a good fortune; to keep him is a blessing."

"He that has satisfied his thirst turns his back on the well."

"The great art of giving consists in this the gift should cost very little and yet be greatly coveted, so that it may be the more highly appreciated."

"Dreams will get you nowhere, a good kick in the pants will take you a long way."

"

Hang out with someone you can learn from.

"

Material weight makes gold precious, moral weight makes man.

"

The most important truths are always revealed in half-words.

"

The soul also has charm, which is the adornment of the heart, the celebration of the spirit. But not everyone can have it, because the condition is internal greatness. The first step is to speak well of our enemy; the second, to do good with it. To leave the opportunity for revenge unexploited; turning a moment of victory into generosity. Virtue never pretends, doesn't put on fancy clothes, doesn't scheming, and doesn't humiliate anyone, even in the simplest and most complicated moments of life it remains what it was: virtue.

"

There is no wilderness like life without friends. Friendship multiplies blessings and lessens calamities. It is an exceptional cure for bad luck and soothes the soul.

"

Even the best should keep a door open for friendship, help will enter through it.

"

Everyone who seems to be stupid is stupid, and half of those who don't seem to be.

"

Merit is the true way to gain authority, and if industry is based on value, it is the shortest path to prosperity.

"

There isn't a helpless person who doesn't have a lucky star, and whoever is unhappy is because they don't know one.

"

Everyone has a big opinion of themselves, the biggest for the smallest.

"

A wise man respects everyone because he recognizes the good in everyone and knows how difficult it is to do something. A fool looks down on everyone because he does not know the good and chooses the worse.

"

Be smart yourself or listen to other smart people. You can't live without meaning - whether it's your own or borrowed.

"

Secrecy is the seal of wisdom.

"

Some would be wise not to believe that they are.

"

The most stupid (...) is the one who doesn't think he is, but everyone else thinks he is.

"

He knows who thinks he doesn't know, and he who doesn't see that others see doesn't see.

"

If you want to be wise, it is not enough to appear so, especially in your own eyes.

"

Luck gets tired of carrying someone on its back for a long time.

"

Even rabbits will tear up a dead lion.

"

The crowd has many heads, so many eyes for candies and many tongues for flattery.

"

Man is born a barbarian; education frees him from his animal nature.

"

Cleverness shows itself in seriousness, which is valued more than wit.

"

Some people want to stand out from others with their fads.

"

Sometimes knowledge consists of ignorance or the pretense of ignorance.

"

It's better to be a fool with everyone than to be smart by yourself.

"

There is no one from whom we cannot learn something, and there is no excellence that is not more excellent.

"

The soul also has charm: the grace of the spirit, the manifestation of which is the true beauty of the heart.

"

Even truth is not respected where it has no truth-color.

"

A rule for the smart: leave things before they leave you.

"

The unfortunate feels as if fortune and death have conspired to forget him.

"

Many are still at their best when their happiness is over; they neglect their pleasures, because they do not enjoy them, only when they have long since moved on do they want to turn back.

"

To be worth something and to show it is to be worth twice as much.

"

Let the wise live as they can, not as they wish.

"

As many heads, as many tastes, but also as many types: there is no mistake that someone would not be enthusiastic about, and there is no need to be discouraged if some people don't like something, there will be others who appreciate it.

"

Learn to make a victory out of your own fall, just as the sun sometimes hides behind a cloud in all its glory so that we don't see it gone and be in uncertainty as to whether it has set or not.

"

A smart person should adapt his physical and mental behavior to the present, even if he finds the past better.

"

Let's get someone every day, if not an inner friend, at least a well-wisher, because some of these will remain our confidants later, if we have passed the more fiery sifting.

"

He does not belittle greatness, and does not speak against talent when we ask for advice, rather it becomes our honor if we seek the protection of reason against the harm of bad luck.

"

For what one stones, the other will stone you.

"

Showing off is hateful, accept that they envy you.

"

Lamenting something that has nothing to do with us is just as foolish as taking something important for granted.

"

If you want to live, let others live.

"

We should not be happy about excessive politeness, because it is a type of fraud.

"

Break the mirror of the beautiful woman cunningly in time, and not in impatience later, when you have already seen the disappointing thing in her.

"

The secret of a long life: not to be worth a lot.

"

Don't say what we're going to do, and don't do what we say.

"

A man is worth what others want him to be worth; and in order for them to want it, their mouths must be conquered through the heart.

"

It shows greatness of heart and great patience if you are never in a hurry and fussy. Be the master of yourself first, then you will be the master of others. The path takes you to the center of the occasion through the long path of time. Wise self-restraint seasons success and matures secret resolve. Time can do more than Hercules' ore mace. God does not beat with a stick, but with time. Great saying: Time and I, combined power. Fortuna herself also handsomely rewards the wait.

"

He who does not recognize fools is himself.

"

The great soul is encouraged by the same thing that crushes envy.

"

A heart without secrets is an open letter. Where there is depth, secrets also lie deep, for there are great hollows and gulfs where heavy things can sink. Listening requires a lot of self-control, and the real victory belongs to the one who overcomes himself in this area.

"

A wise man has more use for his enemies than a fool for his friends.

"

Earning the admiration of others is a great thing, their love is even greater.

"

Listen to your heart, especially if you've already tried it. Don't be reluctant to follow his word, because he is usually a harbinger of the most important things, a real house fortune teller.

"

In great trouble there is no better companion than a strong heart; if it were to become weak, it would be replaced by nearby organs. It's less of a hassle if we can help ourselves. Let's not give in to fate, because that will make it quite unbearable. Some do little about their troubles and double them because they cannot bear them. He who already knows himself makes up for his weakness with thought: the smart overcomes everything, even the stars.

"

True happiness gives life and hope. When desires are burned out, the promise of happiness is destroyed with them. Those who no longer hope, who no longer wish, have something to fear. Unhappy happiness is his. Where desire ends, fear begins.

"

Nothing demands more tact than the truth. It takes at least as much skill to tell as it does to keep silent.

"

Let's be what we can be, no one is born ready.

"

A thoughtful person walks more safely. He's not late for anything anyway. What comes soon becomes nothing. What lasts for centuries is also created over centuries. Let's strive for perfection, because only the truly good is permanent. The work of a thorough mind is for the ages.

"

"No" and "yes" are short words, but they require long consideration.

"

The best medicine for many problems is that if we don't touch it, it will go away by itself.

"

The usual punishment for self-flagellation is public scorn. The person you like is disliked by everyone else.

"

The pillow is a silent fortune teller, and sleeping on things is worth more than tossing and turning sleeplessly over them.

"

Speak carefully. With your rivals out of caution, with others out of courtesy. You always manage to say a word, but never take it back.

"

Let's not let the imagination dominate the heart. (...) Imagination always pushes you forward and shows everything to be much more than reality: it sees not only what is, but also what could be. Adjust caution based on experience.

"

The art of defamation: Ignoring it. Fighting with him is harmful and disadvantageous at best.

"

Good qualities lose their luster when seen up close, because the outer shell is more visible than the great spiritual content.

"

A single cloud is enough to darken the sun.

"

There are soothsayers of hearts and lynxes of intentions.

"

When desire dies, fear is born.

"

Don't be dissatisfied with yourself, because that's short-sightedness, but don't be arrogant, because that's stupidity.

"

Oh Life! You never should have started. But as long as you keep it, you should never end it.

"

Knowledge and courage are the two ingredients of greatness. Being immortal, they make you immortal.

"

Water takes on the good and bad qualities of the layers it filters through, and man takes on the land where he is born.

"

Diligence and talent. There is no excellence without these two, and true excellence is only where they meet.

"

He cannot be intelligent if he does not understand anything else.

"

The only advantage of being in command is that we can do more good than anyone else.

"

Sometimes the brevity of happiness makes up for its greatness.

"

He cannot be master of himself who does not know himself. The face has a mirror, the soul does not.

"

Perfection is not in quantity, but in quality. What is really good is always few and rare.

"

Respect should not be forced, but earned.

"

It is not enough if the cautious person does not intrude himself, more is needed, he must also be able to ward off the intrusion of others. Don't belong to everyone so much that you cease to belong to yourself. Don't abuse your friends' skills and don't ask them more than they can give themselves.

"

There are mean-spirited, impudent utterances smeared with the mask of envy and dipped in the poison of hatred: these fly away from the sympathy and esteem of others like an unexpected lightning bolt.

"

It is a common failure of the highly praised that it does not live up to the expectations placed on it. Reality is never equal to the idea, because it is easy to ascribe perfection to ourselves in thought, but it is difficult to achieve it. Imagination is associated with desire and always assumes more about things than reality. No matter how great the excellent qualities are, they cannot compete with their imagination, and since they deceive exaggerated expectations, they cause disillusionment rather than admiration. Hope is a great counterfeiter of truth. Let cleverness help you out of trouble, and arrange it so that pleasure is greater than desire. Some advance loans are suitable for arousing curiosity, but do not obligate you to anything. You are better off when the reality surpasses the imagination.

"

An insensitive person is not worth much, because the cause of insensitivity is not always indifference, it can also be a lack of ability.

"

Who lives in what matters to someone. Always make the inside twice as much as the outside. Some of them only have facades, like the unfinished houses, which there was no longer money for further construction: the entrance shows a palace, the apartment a vityillo. There is nothing in them that would make you stop, or they stop at every turn: you just say hello to them, and that's the end of the conversation. They come with a big nod, like Sicilian horses, and then they stop silently, because the word dries up sooner where it is not fed by thought. Such people easily deceive those with similar superficial vision, but not those with a sharp mind, who look into them and find emptiness, frightening for example to smart people.

"

It's not enough to tell the truth if you make it look like you're lying.

"

Leave your luck behind while winning.