Two persons will not be friends long if they are not inclined to pardon each otherʼs little failings.
[L’on ne peut aller loin dans l’amitié, si l’on n’est pas disposé à se pardonner les uns aux autres les petits défauts.]
Jean de La Bruyère (1645-1696) French essayist, moralist
The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 5 “Of Society and Conversation [De la Société et de la Conversation],” § 62 (5.62) (1688) [tr. Van Laun (1885)]
(Source)
(Source (French)). Alternate translations:Two persons will not be friends a long time, if they can't forgive each other little failings.
[Bullord ed. (1696)]Two Persons will not be long Friends, if they can't forgive each other little Failings.
[Curll ed. (1713)]You will never go far in friendship unless you are ready to forgive each other's petty faults.
[tr. Stewart (1970)]