Many would be wise if they did not think themselves wise.

[Serían sabios algunos si no creyesen que lo son.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 176 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]
    (Source)

(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:

Some would be wise, if they did not think themselves so.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

Some would be wise if they did not believe themselves wise.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]

Some would be sages if they did not believe they were so already.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]


 
Added on 1-Feb-04 | Last updated 7-Feb-23
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