Francois de La Rochefoucauld Wise Quotations

It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.

He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.

It is easier to be wise for others than for ourselves.

A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win.

It's the height of folly to want to be the only wise one.

It is easy to be wise on behalf of others than to be so for ourselves.

Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.

Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.

There is no accident so unfortunate but wise men will make some advantage of it, nor any so entirely fortunate but fools may turn it to their own prejudice.

In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.

The constancy of the wise is only the talent of concealing the agitation of their hearts.

It is the habit of mediocre minds to condemn all that is beyond their grasp.

Were we faultless, we would not derive such satisfaction from remarking the faults of others.

No accidents are so unlucky [bad] but that the wise may draw some advantage [good] from them...

Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.

Folly pursues us at all periods of our lives. If someone seems wise it is only because his follies are proportionate to his age and fortune.

Few things are needed to make a wise man happy; nothing can make a fool content; that is why most men are miserable.

Few things are needful to make the wise man happy, but nothing satisfies the fool; - and this is the reason why so many of mankind are miserable.

A wise man should order his interests, and set them all in their proper places. This order is often troubled by greed, which putsus upon pursuing so many things at once that, in eagerness for matters of less consideration, we grasp at trifles, and let go things of greater value.

To think to be wise alone is a very great folly.

He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. [Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.]

It is not expedient or wise to examine our friends too closely; few persons are raised in our esteem by a close examination.

The constancy of the wise is only the art of keeping disquietude to one's self.

That conduct often seems ridiculous the secret reasons of which are wise and solid.