Jean de La Fontaine quotes
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“Patience and time do more than strength or passion.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : "The Fables of La Fontaine: Book II". Book by Jean de La Fontaine, 1668.
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“Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : "Fables (Book VIII)". Book by Jean de La Fontaine, 1668-1694.
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“Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : "The Fables of La Fontaine: Book VIII". Book by Jean de La Fontaine, 1678 - 1679.
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“Every flatterer lives at the expense of him who listens to him.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“People who make no noise are dangerous.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“In this world we must help one another.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : 'Fables' bk. 8 (1678-9) 'La Mort et le Mourant'.
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“Dressed in the lion's skin, the ***** spread terror far and wide.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : "The Fables of La Fontaine: Book V". Book by C. Robertson, 1668.
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“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 -
“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 -
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“Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Sadness flies away on the wings of time.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : Jean de La Fontaine (2013). “Selected Fables: A Dual-Language Book”, p.75, Courier Corporation
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“In everything one must consider the end.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“A pessimist and an optimist, so much the worse; so much the better.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 FontaineSource : "From Grandmother with Love". Book by Becky Kelly and Patrick Regan, 2005.
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“Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“People must help one another; it is nature's law.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Everyone believes very easily whatever they fear or desire.”
-- Jean de La FontaineSource : "Subcontact : Slap the Face of Fear and Wake Up Your Subconscious". Book by Dian Benson, 2001.
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“Half of today is better than all of tomorrow.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Better a living beggar than a buried emperor.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Every journalist owes tribute to the evil one.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“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 -
“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 -
“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 -
“If every man works at that for which nature fitted him, the cows will be well tended.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Every editor of newspapers pays tribute to the devil.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“We ought never to scoff at the wretched, for who can be sure of continued happiness?”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Sensible people find nothing useless.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“We are never content with our lot.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Foxes are all tail, and women all tongue.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
“We become innocent when we are unfortunate.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“To win a race, the swiftness of a dart Availeth not without a timely start”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Patience and perseverance at lengthAccomplish more than anger or brute strength.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
“He is very foolish who aims at satisfying all the world and his father.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Love cries victory when the tears of a woman become the sole defence of her virtue.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“But every one has a besetting sin to which he returns.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“It is no use running; to set out betimes is the main point.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure. The reason of the strongest is always the best.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Je plie, et ne romps pas. I bend but do not break.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Le mensonge et les vers de tout temps sont amis. Lies and literature have always been friends.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Un auteur ga"Â te tout quand il veut trop bien faire. An author spoils everything when he wants too much to do good.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“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 -
“Le geai pare  des plumes du paon. A bluejay in peacock feathers.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
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“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 -
“Habit, to which all of us are more or less slaves.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Every newspaper editor owes tribute to the devil. [Fr., Tout faiseur de journaux doit tribut au Malin.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“O love, when thou gettest dominion over us, we may bid good-by to prudence.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“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 -
“Too many expedients may spoil an affair. [Fr., Le trop d'expedients peut gater une affaire.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“The ruins of a house may be repaired; why cannot those of the face?”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them. [Lat., Les delicats sont malheureux, Rien ne saurait les satisfaire.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Sensible people find nothing useless. [Fr., Il n'est rien d'inutile aux personnes de sens.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
“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 -
“A cheerful mind is a vigorous mind.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“Better to rely on one powerful king than on many little princes.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“Such gluttony second to none Almost ended fatally When a bone choked a wolf as he gulped what he ate”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“The good, we do it; the evil, that is fortune; man is always right, and destiny always wrong.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“What is denominated discretion in man we call cunning in brutes.”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. [Fr., Car c'est double plaisir de tromper le trompeur.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
“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 -
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“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 -
“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 -
“As sheepish as a fox captured by a fowl. [Fr., Honteux comme un renard qu'une poule aurait pris.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“No flowery road leads to glory. [Fr., Aucun chemin de fleurs ne conduit a la gloire.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
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“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 -
“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 -
“Blind fortune pursues inconsiderate rashness. [Fr., Fortune aveugle suit aveugle hardiesse.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
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“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 -
“Lynx-eyes toward our equals, and moles to ourselves. [Fr., Lynx envers nos pareils, et taupes envers nous.]”
-- Jean de La Fontaine -
“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 -
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