Just as a savage will sacrifice his whole subsistence to his hunger, the despot sacrifices his authority to his love of power; his reign devours the reign of his successors.

[Comme le sauvage sacrifie sa subsistance à sa faim, le despote sacrifie sa puissance à son pouvoir; son règne dévore le règne de ses successeurs.]

Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet

Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 14 “Des Gouvernements [On Governments],” ¶ 16 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 13, ¶ 7]
    (Source)

(Source (French)). No other translations of the thought found amongst those consulted.