Jean de La Fontaine quotes

Patience and time do more than strength or passion.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Strength #Patience #Passion

Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Inspirational #Life #Motivational

Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Love #Friendship #Cute Best Friend

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Journey #Destiny #Finding Yourself

Every flatterer lives at the expense of him who listens to him.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Flattery #Expenses #Flatterer

Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Friendship #Birthday #Memories

People who make no noise are dangerous.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#People #Silence #Noise

In this world we must help one another.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#World #Helping #This World

Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Death #Wise #Men

Dressed in the lion's skin, the ***** spread terror far and wide.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Skins #Lions #Ass

Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue, no matter whether he be a prince, or one of the people.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Trust #Truth #People

Everyone calls himself a friend, but only a fool relies on it; nothing is commoner than the name, nothing rarer than the thing.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Names #Fool #Commoners

Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Men #Long #Judging

Sadness flies away on the wings of time.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Broken Heart #Heartbreak #Breakup

In everything one must consider the end.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Ends

By the work one knows the workman.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Work #Workmen

A pessimist and an optimist, so much the worse; so much the better.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Attitude #Pessimist #Optimist

To live lightheartedly but not recklessly; to be gay without being boisterous; to be courageous without being bold; to show trust and cheerful resignation without fatalism - this is the art of living.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Life #Art #Gay

Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Life And Love #Enemy #Prudent

People must help one another; it is nature's law.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Law #People #Helping

Everyone believes very easily whatever they fear or desire.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Inspirational #Fear #Believe

Half of today is better than all of tomorrow.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Half #Today #Tomorrow

Better a living beggar than a buried emperor.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Buried #Emperor #Beggar

Every journalist owes tribute to the evil one.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Evil #Journalism #Tribute

Socrates, when informed of some derogating speeches one had used concerning him behind his back, made only this facetious reply, "Let him beat me too when I am absent.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Speech #Scandal #Used

Even if misfortune is only good for bringing a fool to his senses, it would still be just to deem it good for something.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Adversity #Fool #Stills

It is said, that the thing you possess is worth more than two you may have in the future. The one is sure and the other is not.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Two #May #Said

If every man works at that for which nature fitted him, the cows will be well tended.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Men #Cows #Wells

Every editor of newspapers pays tribute to the devil.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Editors #Devil #Pay

We ought never to scoff at the wretched, for who can be sure of continued happiness?
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Misery

Sensible people find nothing useless.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#People #Useless #Sensible

We are never content with our lot.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

Foxes are all tail, and women all tongue.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Tails #Tongue #Foxes

What a wonderful thing it is to have a good friend. He identifies your innermost desires, and spares you the embarrassment of disclosing them to him yourself.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Good Friend #Desire #Wonderful

I bend, but I do not break.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Break

We become innocent when we are unfortunate.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Innocence #Innocent #Unfortunate

To win a race, the swiftness of a dart Availeth not without a timely start
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Winning #Race #Swiftness

Patience and perseverance at lengthAccomplish more than anger or brute strength.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Perseverance #Persistence #Brutes

Nothing is so oppressive as a secret: women find it difficult to keep one long; and I know a goodly number of men who are women in this regard.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Men #Numbers #Long

He is very foolish who aims at satisfying all the world and his father.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Father #World #Satisfaction

Love cries victory when the tears of a woman become the sole defence of her virtue.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Temptation #Victory #Tears

Diversity, that is my motto.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Diversity #Motto #My Motto

But every one has a besetting sin to which he returns.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Weakness #Return #Sin

It is no use running; to set out betimes is the main point.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Running #Use #Punctuality

La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure. The reason of the strongest is always the best.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Reason #Forts #Plus

Je plie, et ne romps pas. I bend but do not break.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Break

Le mensonge et les vers de tout temps sont amis. Lies and literature have always been friends.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Lying #Literature

Un auteur ga"  te tout quand il veut trop bien faire. An author spoils everything when he wants too much to do good.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Want #Too Much #Auteurs

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.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Long #Judging #Judging Others

Le geai pare   des plumes du paon. A bluejay in peacock feathers.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Peacock #Feathers

A hare is not caught with a drum.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Caught #Hares #Caution

Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make him change his ways. [Fr., Coups de fourches ni d'etriveres, Ne lui font changer de manieres.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Change #Blow #Fonts

Our condition never satisfies us; the present is always the worst. Though Jupiter should grant his request to each, we should continue to importune him.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Jupiter #Complaining #Should

Habit, to which all of us are more or less slaves.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Slave #Habit

Every newspaper editor owes tribute to the devil. [Fr., Tout faiseur de journaux doit tribut au Malin.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Editors #Devil #Journalism

O love, when thou gettest dominion over us, we may bid good-by to prudence.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Love #May #Dominion

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.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Love #Tyrants #May

Too many expedients may spoil an affair. [Fr., Le trop d'expedients peut gater une affaire.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#May #Affair #Prudence

The ruins of a house may be repaired; why cannot those of the face?
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#House #May #Ruins

The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them. [Lat., Les delicats sont malheureux, Rien ne saurait les satisfaire.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Satisfaction #Unfortunate

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

#People #Useless #Sensible

Silent people are dangerous; others are not so. [Fr., Les gens sans bruit sont dangereux; Il n'en est pas ainsi des autres.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#People #Silence #Silent

Let us not overstrain our talents, lest we do nothing gracefully: a clown, whatever he may do, will never pass for a gentleman. [Fr., Ne forcons point notre talent; Nous ne ferions rien avec grace: Jamais un lourdaud, quoi qu'il fasse, Ne saurit passer pour galant.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Grace #Gentleman #May

A cheerful mind is a vigorous mind.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Mind #Cheerful

Better to rely on one powerful king than on many little princes.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Kings #Powerful #Littles

We heed no instincts but our own.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Instinct #Miscellaneous

Such gluttony second to none Almost ended fatally When a bone choked a wolf as he gulped what he ate
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Greed #Bones #Gluttony

The good, we do it; the evil, that is fortune; man is always right, and destiny always wrong.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Destiny #Men #Evil

What is denominated discretion in man we call cunning in brutes.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Men #Cunning #Brutes

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. [Fr., Car c'est double plaisir de tromper le trompeur.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Car #Deceit #Deceiving

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.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Dream #Reality #Men

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.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Wise #Ignorance #Ignorant

Men of all ages have the same inclinations, over which reason exercises no control. Thus, wherever men are found, there are follies, ay, and the same follies.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Exercise #Men #Age

Alas! we see that the small have always suffered for the follies of the great. [Fr., Helas! on voit que de tout temps Les Petits ont pati des sottises des grands.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Folly

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

#Fowl #Foxes

No flowery road leads to glory. [Fr., Aucun chemin de fleurs ne conduit a la gloire.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Glory

Imitators are a slavish herd and fools in my opinion. [Fr., C'est un betail servile et sot a mon avis Que les imitateurs.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Fool #Opinion #Imitation

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.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Believe #Evil #Done

Blind fortune pursues inconsiderate rashness. [Fr., Fortune aveugle suit aveugle hardiesse.]
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Suits #Blind #Fortune

Rogues are always found out in some way. Whoever is a wolf will act like a wolf, that is most certain.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Way #Rogues #Found

The sign brings customers.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Business

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

#Children #Childhood #Age

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

#Eye #Criticism #Moles

A mountain in labour shouted so loud that everyone, summoned by the noise, ran up expecting that she would be delivered of a city bigger than Paris; she brought forth a mouse.
-- Jean de La Fontaine

#Cities #Paris #Mountain