François de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

321. — We are nearer loving those who hate us, than those who love us more than we desire.

We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.

350. — Why we hate with so much bitterness those who deceive us is because they think themselves more clever than we are.

— A man for whom accident discovers sense, is not a rational being. A man only is so who understands, who distinguishes, who tests it.

We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire

We may find women who have never indulged in an intrigue, but it is rare to find those who have intrigued but once.

We may forgive those who bore us, we cannot forgive those whom we bore.

refusal of praise is only the wish to be praised twice.

Existen tres tipos de ignorancia:
No saber lo que se debe saber
Saber lo que no se debe saber
Lo que se sabe, saberlo mal

L'intérêt parle toutes sortes de langues, et joue toutes sortes de personnages, même celui de désintéressé.

The desire to be pitied or to be admired often forms the greater part of our confidence.

The most certain sign of being born with great qualities is to be born without envy.

Orang yang mengira bisa hidup tapa orang lain berarti membohongi diri sendiri, tetapi mereka yang mengira orang-orang lain tidak bisa hidup tanpa dia lebih keliru lagi.

"Louer les princes des vertus qu'ils n'ont pas, c'est leur dire impunément des injures.

"To praise princes for virtues they do no possess is to insult them with impunity.

Some have a species of instinct (the source of which they are ignorant of), and decide all questions that come before them by its aid, and always decide rightly. These follow their taste more than their intelligence, because they do not permit their temper and self-love to prevail over their natural discernment. All they do is in harmony, all is in the same spirit. This harmony makes them decide correctly on matters, and form a correct estimate of their value. But speaking generally there are few who have a taste fixed and independent of that of their friends, they follow example and fashion which generally form the standard of taste.