Why remember we not, what, and how many contradictions we finde and feele even in our owne judgement? Howe many things served-us but yesterday as articles of faith, which to day wee deeme but fables?
[tr. Florio (1603)]

Why do not we recollect what contradiction we find in our own opinions? How many things were articles of faiith yesterday, which to-day we treat as no other than fables.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

Why do we not consider what contradictions we find in our own judgments; how many things were yesterday articles of our faith, that to-day appear no other than fables?
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

Why do we not remember how much we are conscious of contradiction in our very judgment? how many things we regarded yesterday as articles of faith which are fables to us to-day?
[tr. Ives (1925), 1.27]

Why do we not remember how much contradiction we sense even in our own judgment? How many things were articles of faith to us yesterday, which are fables to us today?
[tr. Frame (1943), 1.27]

Why do we not remember how many contradictions we find even in our own opinions, how many things we regarded yesterday as articles of faith that seem to us only fables today?
[tr. Cohen (1958), 1.27]

No man was ever so completely skilled in the conduct of life, as not to receive new information from age and experience: insomuch that we find ourselves really ignorant of what we thought we understood, and see cause to reject what we fancied our truest interest.
[tr. Steele (1712)]

Never could there be anyone with a method for life so well drawn up, but that circumstance, time, experience ever brings something new, teaches something; so that you know not those things which you think that you know, and that you repudiate in experience the things which you have thought essential for you.
[tr. Giles, c. 1850]

Never was there any person of ever such well-trained habits of life, but that experience, age, and custom are always bringing him something new, or suggesting something; so much so, that what you believe you know you don't know, and what you have fancied of first importance to you, on making trial you reject.
[tr. Riley (1874)]

However well a man may have calculated his scheme of life, still circumstances, years, experience, always introduce a new element and teach new lessons. You find that you don't know what you thought you did know, and what you thought of primary importance that in practice you reject.
[tr. Sargeaunt (Loeb) (1912), Act 6]

You never add things up so well in this life that something unexpected doesn’t turn up and set you wondering -- some money matter, some event, some personal problem. As a result, you find you don’t know what you thought you knew, and things that seemed fine turn out to be worthless when they're put to the test.
[tr. Copley (1967)]

No matter how neatly you keep your accounts in life,
experience, age, and circumstance always show up
to toss something new on the books and teach you a lesson.
You find out you don't know what you thought you did, and what seemed
so important in theory turns out to be pointless in practice.
[tr. Berg/Parker (1999)]

There never was a person so well-bred
And so refined but that into his head
Come new thoughts springing from experience
And age and custom, so that what you sense
You know you don’t know and what you before
Believed was most important you abhor.
[tr. Kelk (2022)]

But that a man, how wise soe'er, should learn
In many things and slack his stubborn will,
This is no derogation. When the streams
Are swollen by mountain-torrents, thou hast seen
That all the trees wich bend them to the flood
Preserve their branches from the angry current,
While those which stem it perish root and branch.
[tr. Donaldson (1848)]

The wisest man will let himself be swayed
By others' wisdom and relax in time.
See how the trees beside a stream in flood
Save, if they yield to force, each spray unharmed,
But by resisting perish root and branch.
[tr. Campbell (1873)]

'Tis no disgrace even to the wise to learn
And lend an ear to reason. You may see
The plant that yields where torrent waters flow
Saves every little twig, when the stout tree
Is torn away and dies.
[tr. Storr (1859)]

No, even when a man is wise, it brings him no shame to learn many things, and not to be too rigid. You see how the trees that stand beside the torrential streams created by a winter storm yield to it and save their branches, while the stiff and rigid perish root and all?
[tr. Jebb (1891)]

True wisdom will be ever glad to learn,
And not too fond of power. Observe the trees,
That bend to wintry torrents, how their boughs
Unhurt remain; while those that brave the storm,
Uprooted torn, shall wither and decay.
[tr. Werner (1892)]

No, though a man be wise, 'tis no shame for him to learn many things, and to bend in season. Seest thou, beside the wintry torrent's course, how the trees that yield to it save every twig, while the stiff-necked perish root and branch?
[tr. Jebb (1917)]

It is not reason never to yield to reason!
In flood time you can see how some trees bend,
And because they bend, even their twigs are safe,
While stubborn trees are torn up, roots and all
[tr. Fitts/Fitzgerald (1939), l. 570ff]

It is no weakness for the wisest man
To learn when he is wrong, know when to yield.
So, on the margin of a flooded river
Trees bending to the torrent live unbroken,
While those that strain against it are snapped off.
[tr. Watling (1947), l. 608ff]

A man, though wise, should never be ashamed
of learning more, and must unbend his mind.
Have you not seen the trees beside the torrent,
the ones that bend them saving every leaf,
while the resistant perish root and branch?
[tr. Wyckoff (1954)]

There's no disgrace, even if one is wise,
In learning more, and knowing when to yield.
See how the trees that grow beside a torrent
Preserve their branches, if they bend; the others,
Those that resist, are torn out, root and branch.
[tr. Kitto (1962)]

But a wise man can learn a lot and never be ashamed;
He knows he does not have to be rigid and close-hauled.
You've seen trees tossed by a torrent in a flash flood:
If they bend, they're saved, and every twig survives,
But if they stiffen up, they're washed out from the roots.
[tr. Woodruff (2001)]

But for a man, even if he is wise, to go on learning
many things and not to be drawn too taut is no shame.
You see how along streams swollen from winter floods
some trees yield and save their twigs,
but others resist and perish, root and branch.
[tr. Tyrell/Bennett (2002)]

On the contrary, it is no shame for even a wise man to continue learning. Nor should a man be obstinate. One can see the trees on the heavy river-banks. Those that bend with the rushing current, survive, whereas those bent against it are torn, roots and all.
[tr. Theodoridis (2004)]

For any man,
even if he’s wise, there’s nothing shameful
in learning many things, staying flexible.
You notice how in winter floods the trees
which bend before the storm preserve their twigs.
The ones who stand against it are destroyed,
root and branch.
[tr. Johnston (2005), l. 804ff]

No, it's no disgrace for a man, even a wise man, to learn many things and not to be too rigid. You see how, in the winter storms, the trees yield that save even their twigs, but those who oppose it are destroyed root and branch.
[tr. Thomas (2005)]

No philosopher, much as has been written on this subject, has ever yet affirmed that a change of plans is the same as inconsistency.
[tr. Jeans (1880), # 117]

No wise man ever called a change of plan inconsistency.
[ed. Harbottle (1906)]

No well-informed person has declared a change of opinion to be inconstancy.
[ed. Benham (1907), 16.8]

No philosopher ever called a change of plan inconsistency, though there has been a good deal written on the point.
[tr. Winstedt (Loeb) (1913)]

Well, in all the many writings on this theme, no philosopher has ever equated a change of plan with lack of firmness.
[tr. Shackleton Bailey (1968)]

• "When events change, I change my mind. What do you do?"
• "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
• "When someone persuades me that I am wrong, I change my mind. What do you do?"

For the wicked are full of remorse.
[tr. Chase (1847)]

Whence it is that the wicked are ever full of repentance.
[tr. Williams (1869)]

For those who are not good are full of remorse.
[tr. Peters (1893)]

For bad men are laden with repentance.
[tr. Ross (1908)]

The bad are always changing their minds.
[tr. Rackham (1934)]

For base people are full of regret.
[tr. Reeve (1948)]

For bad men are full of regrets.
[tr. Apostle (1975)]

For bad men are full of regrets.
[tr. Thomson/Tredennick (1976)]

For base people are full of regret.
[tr. Irwin/Fine (1995)]

For bad people are full of regrets.
[tr. Crisp (2000)]

For base people teem with regret.
[tr. Bartlett/Collins (2011)]

Neither shall you ever finde, that wise men, and such as are expert in the affaires of the Common-wealth, praise him, that doth alwayes proceed, after one and the selfe same order.
[tr. Webbe (1620)]

In conformity to this notion, the most judicious reasoners on the great art of government, have universally condemned an inflexible perseverance in one uniform tenor of measures.
[tr. Melmoth (1753), 2.17]

Obstinately to hold to one unvarying opinion has never been accounted among the merits of those eminent men who have guided the helm of State.
[tr. Jeans (1880), 2.39]

For the persistence in the same view has never been regarded as a merit in men eminent for their guidance of the helm of state.
[tr. Shuckburgh (1899), # 152]

For never has an undeviating persistence in one opinion been reckoned as a merit in those distinguished men who have steered the ship of state.
[tr. Williams (Loeb) (1928)]

Persistence in a single view has never been regarded as a merit in political leaders.
[Common translation, e.g.]

• "When you find you haven’t discarded a major opinion for years, or acquired a new one, you should stop and investigate to see if you’re not growing senile."
• "If in the last few years you haven’t discarded a major opinion or acquired a new one investigate and see if you’re not growing senile."

Every man may err, but no man who is not a fool may persist in error.
[ed. Harbottle (1897)]

Any man is liable to a mistake; but no one but a downright fool will persist in error.
[tr. Yonge (1903)]

Every man is liable to err; it is the part only of a fool to persevere in error.
[tr. Ker (Loeb) (1926)]

Any man is liable to err, only a fool persists in error.
[ed. Guterman (1966)]

Of any man at all it is to err, to persist in error is of none except unthinking.
[tr. Wiseman]