Jean De La Fontaine Quotes

But every one has a besetting sin to which he returns.

Help yourself, and Heaven will help you.

We believe easily what we fear of what we desire

We believe no evil till the evil's done

Nothing is as dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is to be preferred.

The ruins of a house may be repaired; why cannot those of the face?

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.]

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

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.]

Patience and perseverance at lengthAccomplish more than anger or brute strength.

Religious contention is the devil's harvest.

One should stick to the sort of thing for which one was made; I tried to be an herbalist, Whereas I should keep to the butchers trade.

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.]

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.]

Still people are dangerous.

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

Better to rely on one powerful king than on many little princes.

Foxes are all tail, and women all tongue.

What is denominated discretion in man we call cunning in brutes.

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

We are never content with our lot.

If every man works at that for which nature fitted him, the cows will be well tended.

Let us not overstrain our talents, lest we do nothing gracefully.

Rely only on yourself; it is a common proverb.

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

To hell with pleasure that's haunted by fear.

We love good looks rather than what is practical, Though good looks may prove destructive.

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.

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

The sign brings customers.

I bend and do not break.

In everything we ought to look at the end.

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.

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.

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

You've tried to reform what will not learn. Shut doors on traits that you wish were dead; They will open a window and return.

We heed no instincts but our own.

He knoweth the universe, and himself he knoweth not.

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.

Nothing weighs more than a secret.

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

We ought to consider the end in everything.

Such gluttony second to none Almost ended fatally When a bone choked a wolf as he gulped what he ate

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

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

I bend but do not break.

Is not moderation an old refrain Ringing in our ears? from which we all refrain.

Une ample Come die a' cent actes divers, Et dont la sce' ne est l'Univers. A grand comedy in one hundred different acts, On the stage of the universe.

Rien ne sert de courir il faut partir à point