James Clavell Quotes

If the Truth is already clear, what is the use of meditation?’ ” “ ‘And if the Truth is hidden?’ ” Toranaga said. “ ‘It’s already clear,’ ” Hiro-matsu answered correctly. The quotation was from the ancient Tantric Buddhist teacher, Saraha.

Trupul nu-i decat o biata coliba pierduta in pustie.

How could such a pretty girl become known as the Hag, she wondered. It must be hateful to become old in face and body when you’re young at heart and still strong and tough — so unfair for a woman.

It's unseemly to criticize without knowledge.

We have a saying that time has no single measure, that time can be like frost or lightning or a tear or siege or storm or sunset, or even like a rock.

The sky
Scorched by the sun,
Weeps
Fecund tears.

The meeting of the Council after the gai-jin had departed, for once, had been happy and filled with laughter at the enemy’s loss of face,

Grey was not alone in his hatred. The whole of Changi hated King. They hated him for his muscular body, the clear glow in his blue eyes. In the twilight world of the half alive there were no fat or well-built or round or smooth or fair-built or thick-built men. There were only faces dominated by eyes and set on bodies that were skin over sinews and bones. No difference between them but age and face and height. And in all this world, only the King ate like a man, smoked like a man, slept like a man, dreamed like a man and looked like a man.

Just a moment, children — what does "pledge" mean?

My captain will help you be very quick. Within three sticks.” The unit of time was the time it took for a standard stick of incense to smolder away, approximately one hour for one stick.

Without trade the world will become what it was once — a hell where only the strongest arm and the heaviest lash was law. The meek will never inherit the earth. Aye, but at least they can be protected by law to live out their lives as they wish.

What nonsense it all is! Catholic and Protestant and Calvinist and Lutherist and every other shitist.

So much wealth and so much power, Armstrong thought, yet with a little luck, we can bring you down like Humpty-Dumpty...

time has no single measure, that time can be like frost or lightning or a tear or siege or storm or sunset, or even like a rock.

First the priests arrive. Then the conquistadores.