WIST Quotations

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 8ff (Sir 20:8) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

Dave — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:43:27 +0000

No one can stand a person who talks too long and will not give others a chance to speak.

ὁ πλεονάζων λόγῳ βδελυχθήσεται,
καὶ ὁ ἐνεξουσιαζόμενος μισηθήσεται.

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 8ff (Sir 20:8) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]
(Source)

More on the history and acceptance of this Apocryphal book here and here.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

He that useth many words shall be abhorred; and he that taketh to himself authority therein shall be hated.
[tr. KJV (1611)]

He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that taketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.
[tr. DRA (1899)]

The man who talks too much will get himself disliked,
and the self-appointed oracle will make himself hated.
[tr. JB (1966)]

Someone who talks too much will earn dislike,
and someone who usurps authority will earn hatred.
[tr. NJB (1985)]

Those who talk excessively will be loathed,
and those who pretend
to have authority will be hated.
[tr. CEB (2011)]

Whoever talks too much is detested,
and whoever pretends to authority is hated.
[tr. NRSV (2021 ed.)]

Adams, John -- Letter (1825-01-23) to Thomas Jefferson

Dave — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:23:27 +0000

The substance and essence of Christianity as I understand it is eternal and unchangeable and will bear examination forever but it has been mixed with extraneous ingredients which I think will not bear examination and they ought to be separated

John Adams (1735–1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797–1801)
Letter (1825-01-23) to Thomas Jefferson
(Source)

Hugo, Victor -- The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Unknown, Authorized (1871)]

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:10:16 +0000

Of a disposition at once unsociable and talkative, desiring to see no one, yet wishing to converse with some one, he solved the difficulty by talking to himself.

[D’une complexion farouche et bavarde, ayant le désir de ne voir personne et le besoin de parler à quelqu’un, il se tirait d’affaire en se parlant à lui-même.]

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French writer
The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Unknown, Authorized (1871)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Other translations:

Of a disposition at once unsociable and talkative, desiring to see no one, yet longing to converse with some one, he solved the difficulty by talking to himself.
[tr. Unknown (1869)]

Of a shy and loquacious disposition, desiring to see no one, yet feeling the need of talking to some one, he extricated himself from the dilemma by talking to himself.
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]

Of an unsociable and talkative disposition, not wanting to see any one, and yet wanting to talk to some one, he got out of the difficulty by talking to himself.
[tr. Phillips (1894)]

Of a fierce and talkative disposition, with a desire to see no one and a need to talk to someone, he got by by talking to himself.
[tr. Lavelle (2003)]

Kerr, Jean -- Mary, Mary, Act 2 (1961)

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:14:16 +0000

BOB: Do you know how helpless you feel if you have a full cup of coffee in your hand and you start to sneeze? There’s nothing to do but let it splash.

Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Mary, Mary, Act 2 (1961)
(Source)

Williams, Robin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:43:09 +0000

Death is Nature’s way of saying, “Your table is ready.”

Robin Williams (1951-2014) American comedian and actor
(Attributed)

Widely attributed to Williams, but without a direct citation (e.g.). The earliest written reference I can find is in 1990.

Shakespeare, William -- Twelfth Night, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 20ff (1.1.20-24) (1601)

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:17:18 +0000

ORSINO: O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,
Methought she purged the air of pestilence.
That instant was I turned into a hart,
And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E’er since pursue me.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Twelfth Night, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 20ff (1.1.20-24) (1601)
(Source)

Twain, Mark -- Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Preface

Dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:30:36 +0000

The question as to whether there is such a thing as divine right of kings is not settled in this book. It was found too difficult. That the executive head of a nation should be a person of lofty character and extraordinary ability, was manifest and indisputable; that none but the Deity could select that head unerringly, was also manifest and indisputable; that the Deity ought to make that selection, then, was likewise manifest and indisputable; consequently, that He does make it, as claimed, was an unavoidable deduction. I mean, until the author of this book encountered the Pompadour, and Lady Castlemaine, and some other executive heads of that kind; these were found so difficult to work into the scheme, that it was judged better to take the other tack in this book (which must be issued this fall), and then go into training and settle the question in another book. It is, of course, a thing which ought to be settled, and I am not going to have anything particular to do next winter anyway.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Preface
(Source)

Orwell, George -- Essay (1946-11-29), “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper

Dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:24:12 +0000

It is commonly assumed that what human beings want is to be comfortable. Well, we now have it in our power to be comfortable, as our ancestors had not. Nature may occasionally hit back with an earthquake or a cyclone, but by and large she is beaten. And yet exactly at the moment when there is, or could be, plenty of everything for everybody, nearly our whole energies have to be taken up in trying to grab territories, markets and raw materials from one another. Exactly at the moment when wealth might be so generally diffused that no government need fear serious opposition, political liberty is declared to be impossible and half the world is ruled by secret police forces. Exactly at the moment when superstition crumbles and a rational attitude towards the universe becomes feasible, the right to think one’s own thoughts is denied as never before. The fact is that human beings only started fighting one another in earnest when there was no longer anything to fight about.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1946-11-29), “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper
(Source)

Steinbeck, John -- East of Eden, ch. 34 (1952)

Dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:11:44 +0000

In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I just choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to our world.

John Steinbeck (1902-1968) American writer
East of Eden, ch. 34 (1952)
(Source)

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1876-07 (1876 ed.)

Dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:09:54 +0000

I am allwuss more than haff afraid ov the man, who kant talk 5 minnitts with me, on enny subjekt, without expressing grate anxiety about my soul.

[I am always more than half afraid of the man who can’t talk five minutes with me, on any subject, without expressing great anxiety about my soul.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1876-07 (1876 ed.)
(Source)

Oliver, Andrew -- Speech (1774?)

Dave — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:29:59 +0000

Politics is the most hazardous of all professions. There is not another in which a man can hope to do so much good to his fellow creatures; neither is there any in which by a mere loss of nerve he may do such widespread harm. Nor is there another in which he may so easily lose his own soul; nor is there another in which a positive and strict veracity is so difficult. But danger is the inseparable companion of honor. With all the temptations and degradations that beset it, politics is still the noblest career any man can choose.

Andrew Oliver (1706-1774) American Colonial merchant, politician, government official
Speech (1774?)
(Source)

I cannot find an original source for this. It shows up frequently in the US Congressional Record, especially after it was used by Adlai Stevenson in a 1952 campaign speech.

It is also attributed to his same-named son (1731-1799), who founded the Political Journal.

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1747 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:05:35 +0000

He that won’t be counsell’d, can’t be help’d.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1747 ed.)
(Source)

Stegner, Wallace -- Crossing to Safety, ch. 13 (1987)

Dave — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:50:01 +0000

Order is indeed the dream of man, but chaos, which is only another word for dumb, blind, witless chance, is still the law of nature.

Wallace Stegner (1909-1993) American novelist
Crossing to Safety, ch. 13 (1987)
(Source)

Butler, Octavia -- Essay (2000-05), “A Few Rules for Predicting the Future,” Essence Magazine

Dave — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:39:47 +0000

Wishful thinking is no more help in predicting the future than fear, superstition or depression.

Octavia Butler (1947-2006) American writer
Essay (2000-05), “A Few Rules for Predicting the Future,” Essence Magazine
(Source)

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Autobiography, ch. 5 “Applied Idealism” (1913)

Dave — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:15:21 +0000

Under the spoils system a man is appointed to an ordinary clerical or ministerial position in the municipal, Federal, or State government, not primarily because he is expected to be a good servant, but because he has rendered help to some big boss or to the henchman of some big boss. His stay in office depends not upon how he performs service, but upon how he retains his influence in the party. This necessarily means that his attention to the interests of the public at large, even though real, is secondary to his devotion to his organization, or to the interest of the ward leader who put him in his place.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Autobiography, ch. 5 “Applied Idealism” (1913)
(Source)