We confess to small faults to create the impression that we have no great ones.

[Nous n’avouons de petits défauts que pour persuader que nous n’en avons pas de grands.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble

Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶327 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]
    (Source)

First appeared in the 3rd (1671) edition. See also ¶126.

(Source (French)). Other translations:

When we own small Faults, it is with a design to make People believe, we have no great ones.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶327]

We confess small faults in order to insinuate that we have no great ones.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶127]

We confess small faults, by way of insinuating that we have no great ones.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶111]

We confess our little faults only to persuade others that we have no great ones.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶337]

We own to small faults to persuade others that we have not great ones.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶327]

We admit our petty foibles only to disclaim greater faults.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶334]

We will admit our minor defects, but only to persuade others that we have no major ones.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶327]

We own up to minor failings, but only so as to convince others that we have no major ones.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶327]

We confess to small faults only for the purpose of persuading others that we do not possess great ones.
[tr. Whichello (2016), ¶327]

We admit to lesser faults in order persuade people that we have no greater ones.
[tr. Chandler, ¶327]