WednesdayNov 29, 2023
Quotes: 53419 Authors: 9969
Learn that the advantage lieth not in possessing good things, but in the knowing the use of them.
Presume not in prosperity, neither despair in adversity: court not dangers, nor meanly fly from before them: dare to despise whatever will not remain with thee.
Put a bridle on thy tongue; set a guard before thy lips, lest the words of thine own mouth destroy thy peaceĀ On much speaking cometh repentance, but in silence is safety.
Neither let prosperity put out the eyes of circumspection, nor abundance cut off the hands of frugality; he that too much indulgeth in the superfluities of life, shall live to lament the want of its necessaries.
Honour is the inner garment of the soul; the first thing put on by it with the flesh, and the last it layeth down at its separation from it.
Contemplate thy powers, contemplate thy wants and thy connections; so shalt thou discover the duties of life, and be directed in all thy ways.
Doth not the sun harden the clay? Doth it not also soften the wax? As it is one sun that worketh both, even so it is one Soul that willeth contrarieties.
Expect not a friendship with him who hath injured thee: he who suffereth the wrong, may forgive it; but he who doth it never will it be well with him.
Good things cease to be good in our wrong enjoyment of them. What nature meant pure sweets, are then sources of bitterness to us; from such delights arise pain, from such joys, sorrows.
Goodness is the race which God hath set him to run, and happiness the goal; which none can arrive at till he hath finished his course, and received his crown in the mansions of eternity.
He that giveth away his treasure wisely, giveth away his plagues: he that retaineth their increase, heapeth up sorrow.
Know thyself as the pride of His creation, the link uniting divinity and matter; behold a part of God Himself within thee; remember thine own dignity nor dare descend to evil or meanness.
If thou be industrious to procure wealth, be generous in the disposal of it. Man never is so happy as when he giveth happiness unto another.
In all thy undertakings, let a reasonable assurance animate thy endeavours; if thou despairest of success, thou shalt not succeed.
Indulge not thyself in the passion of anger; it is whetting a sword to wound thine own breast, or murder thy friend.
It is honour to thy nature when worthily employed; when thou directeth it to wrong purposes, it shameth and destroyeth thee.
It is more difficult to be well with riches, than to be at ease under the want of them. Man governeth himself much easier in poverty than in abundance.
Say not that honour is the child of boldness, nor believe thou that the hazard of life alone can pay the price of it: it is not to the action that it is due, but to the manner of performing it.
Hear the words of prudence, give heed unto her counsels, and store them in thine heart; her maxims are universal, and all the virtues lean upon her; she is the guide and the mistress of human life.
Truth is but one; thy doubts are of thine own raising. He who made virtues what they are, planted also in thee a knowledge of their pre-eminence. Act as Soul dictates to thee, and the end shall be always right.
Reflection is the business of man; a sense of his state is his first duty: But who remembereth himself in joy? Is it not in mercy then that sorrow is allotted unto us?
Think not thou art revenged of thine enemy when thou slayest him; thou puttest him beyond thy reach, thou givest him quiet, and takest from thyself all means of hurting him.
Thinking, understanding, reasoning, willing, call not these soul! They are its actions, but they are not its essence.
Those who gave thee a body, furnished it with weakness; But he who gave thee soul, armed thee with resolution. Employ it, and thou art wise; be wise and thou art happy.
Thou, man, alone canst speak. Wonder at thy glorious prerogative; and pay to him who gave it to thee a rational and welcome praise, teaching thy children wisdom, instructing the offspring of thy loins in piety.
To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom; And he that increaseth his riches, increaseth his cares; But a contented mind is a hidden treasure, And trouble findeth it not.
The slothful man is a burden to himself, his hours hang heavy on his head; he loitereth about, and knoweth not what he would do.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.
The root of revenge, is in the weakness of the soul; the most abject and timorous are the most addicted to it.
What is the pay for titles, but flattery? How doth man purchase power but by being a slave to him who giveth it?
What is the source of sadness, but feebleness of the mind? What giveth it power but the want of reason? Rouse thyself to the combat, and she quitteth the field before thou strikest.
When virtue and modesty enlighten her charms, the luster of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, And the influence of her power it is in vain to resist.
Who hath stretched forth the heavens with His hand, who hath described with His finger the courses of the stars.
Who is it that affirms most boldly? Who is it that holds his opinion most obstinately? Ever he who hath most ignorance; for he also hath most pride.
Why seeketh thou revenge, O man! With what purpose is it that thou pursuest it? Thinkest thou to pain thine adversary by it? Know that thou thyself feelest its greatest torments.
Say not unto thyself, behold, truth breedeth hatred, and I will avoid it; dissimulation raiseth friends, and I will follow it. Are not the enemies made by truth, better than the friends obtained by flattery?
Scorn also to depress thy competitor by any dishonest or unworthy method; strive to raise thyself above him only by excelling him; so shall thy contest for superiority be crowned with honour, if not with success.
The ambitious will always be first in the crowd; he presseth forward, he looketh not behind him. More anguish is it to his mind to see one before him, than joy to leave thousands at a distance.
The blessings, O man! of thy external part, are health, vigor, and proportion. The greatest of these is health. What health is to the body, even that is honesty to the Soul.
There is nothing so easy as to revenge an offence; But nothing is so honorable as to pardon it.
The butcher relenteth not at the bleating of the lamb; neither is the heart of the cruel moved with distress. But the tears of the compassionate are sweeter than dew-drops, falling from roses on the bosom of spring.
The earth is barren of good things where she hoardeth up treasure; where gold is in her bowels, there no herb groweth.
The fool is not always unfortunate, nor the wise man always successful; yet never has a fool thorough enjoyment; never was a wise man wholly unhappy.
The greatest bounties given to man are, judgment and will; happy is he who misapplieth them not.
The heart of the hypocrite is hid in his breast; he masketh his words in the semblance of truth, while the business of his life is only to deceive.
The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours.
The lips of the wise are as the doors of a cabinet; no sooner are they opened, but treasures are poured out before thee. Like unto trees of gold arranged in beds of silver, are wise sentences uttered in due season.
The noblest employment of the mind of man, is the study of the works of his creator.
As the branches of a tree return their sap to the root, from whence it arose; as a river poureth its streams to the sea, whence its spring was supplied; so the heart of a grateful man delighteth in returning a benefit received.
Be upright in thy whole life; be content in all its changes; so shalt thou make thy profit out of all occurrences; so shall everything that happeneth unto thee be the source of praise.
Beware of irresolution in the intent of thy actions, beware of instability in the execution; so shalt thou triumph over two great failings of thy nature.
A noble spirit disdaineth the malice of fortune; his greatness of soul is not to be cast down.
Adversity is the seed of well-doing: it is the nurse of heroism and boldness; who that hath enough, will endanger himself to have more? Who that is at ease, will set his life on the hazard?
All are not called to the guiding of the helm of state; neither are there armies to be commanded by every one; do well in that which is committed to thy charge, And praise shall remain upon thee.
As a camel beareth labor, and heat, and hunger, and thirst, through deserts of sand, and fainteth not; so the fortitude of a man shall sustain him through all perils.
As a plain garment best adorneth a beautiful woman, so a decent behavior is the best ornament of inner wisdom.
As joy is not without its alloy of pain, so neither is sorrow without its portion of pleasure.
As the moon retaineth her nature, though darkness spread itself before her face as a curtain, so the soul remaineth perfect even in the bosom of the fool.
Be always more ready to forgive, than to return an injury; he that watches for an opportunity of revenge, lieth in wait against himself, and draweth down mischief on his own head.
Be not deceived with fair pretences, nor suppose that sorrow healeth misfortune. It is a poison under the color of a remedy; while it pretendeth to draw the arrow from thy Breast, lo, it plungeth it into thine heart.
As the ocean giveth rise to springs, whose water return again into its bosom through the rivers, so runneth thy life force from the heart outwards, And so returneth into its place again.
Attribute not the good actions of another to bad causes: thou canst not know his heart; but the world will know by this that thine is full of envy.
As the tempest and the thunder affect not the sun or the stars, but spend their fury on stones and trees below; so injuries ascend not to the soul of the great, but waste themselves on such as are those who offer them.
As the shadow waiteth on the substance, even so true honour attendeth upon goodness.
As the rose breatheth sweetness from its own nature, so the heart of a benevolent man produceth good works.
As the ostrich when pursued hideth his head, but forgetteth his body; so the fears of a coward expose him to danger.
As a rock on the seashore he standeth firm, and the dashing of the waves disturbeth him not. He raiseth his head like a tower on a hill, and the arrows of fortune drop at his feet. In the instant of danger, the courage of his heart here, and scorn to fly.
Honor is the inner garment of the Soul; the first thing put on by it with the flesh, and the last it layeth down at its separation from it.
Say not that honor is the child of boldness, nor believe thou that the hazard of life alone can pay the price of it: it is not to the action that it is due, but to the manner of performing it.
Labour not after riches first, and think thou afterwards wilt enjoy them. He who neglecteth the present moment, throweth away all that he hath. As the arrow passeth through the heart, while the warrior knew not that it was coming; so shall his life be taken away before he knoweth that he hath it.
Behold the vain man, and observe the arrogant; he clotheth himself in rich attire, he walketh in the public street, he casteth round his eyes, and courteth observation. He tosseth up his head, and overlooketh the poor; he treateth his inferiors with insolence, his superiors in return look down on his pride and folly with laughter.
O think not, bold man, because thy punishment is delayed, that the arm of God is weakened; neither flatter thyself with hopes that He winketh at thy doings. His eye pierceth the secrets of every heart, and He remembereth them for ever...
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