Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 17 (2.17), “Of Presumption [De la Presomption]” (1578) [tr. Frame (1943)]

Dave — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:44:08 +0000

Deliberation, even about the slightest things, annoys me; and I feel my mind harder put to it to endure the various shocks and ups and downs of doubt and deliberation, than to settle down and accept any course whatever, after the die is cast. Few passions have troubled my sleep; but as for deliberations, the slightest one troubles it.

[Le deliberer, voire és choses plus legeres, m’importune. Et sens mon esprit plus empesché à souffrir le bransle, & les secousses diverses du doute, & de la consultation, qu’à se rassoir & resoudre à quelque party que ce soit, apres que la chance est livree. Peu de passions m’ont troublé le sommeil ; mais des deliberations, la moindre me le trouble.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 2, ch. 17 (2.17), “Of Presumption [De la Presomption]” (1578) [tr. Frame (1943)]

This essay was in the 1st (1580) edition, but this passage first showed up in the second (1588) edition.

(Source (French)). Other translations:

To deliberate, be it but in sleight matters, doth importune me. And I feele my spirit more perplexed to suffer the motions of doubt, and shakings of consultation, then to be settled and resolved about any accident whatsoever, after the chaunce is once cast. Fewe passions have troubled my sleep; but of deliberations the leaste doth trouble it.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

Deliberation, even in things of lightest moment, is very troublesome to me; and I find my mind more put to it, to undergo the various tumbling and tossing of doubt and consultation, than to set up its rest, and to acquiesce in whatever shall happen after the die is thrown. Few passions break my sleep; but, of deliberations, the least disturbs me.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

Deliberation, even in things of lightest moment, is very troublesome to me; and I find my mind more put to it to undergo the various tumblings and tossings of doubt and consultation, than to set up its rest and to acquiesce in whatever shall happen after the die is thrown. Few passions break my sleep, but of deliberations, the least will do it.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

Deliberation, indeed, even in the most trivial things, importunes me; and I feel my mind more pestered in suffering the actions and diverse shocks of doubt and consultation than, after the die is cast, in settling down and resolving upon some course, whatever it may be. Few passions have ever disturbed my sleep, but the least deliberation troubles me.
[tr. Ives (1925)]

Deliberation, even in things of lightest moment, is vexatious to me; and I find my mind more put to it to bear up under the various agitations and disturbances of doubt and deliberation than in settling down and acquiescing in whatever shall happen after the die is thrown. Few passions have troubled my sleep, but of deliberations the slightest one will trouble it.
[tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

Deliberation, even in the most trivial affairs, is irksome to me; and my mind is more put about when suffering the shocks and trepidations of uncertainty and doubt than in settling down and accepting whatever happens, once the die is cast. My sleep has been broken by few passions; but the slightest suspense will break it.
[tr. Cohen (1958)]

It bothers me to make up my mind even about the most trivial things, and I feel my spirits more hard-pressed in suffering the swings of doubt and the diverse shocks of decision-making than in remaining fixed, resigned to any outcome whatsoever once the dice have been thrown. Few emotions have ever disturbed my sleep, yet even the slightest need to decide anything can disturb it for me.
[tr. Screech (1987)]

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Dave — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:08:57 +0000

Unfortunately, in real life there are no exact or final answers. In a job which must go ahead at a rapid pace we cannot withhold judgment “until all the facts are in.” Rarely is all the evidence at hand. Decisions must be made, and action taken, before complete knowledge can be acquired.

Hyman Rickover (1900–1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Truman, Harry S -- (Misattributed)

Dave — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:40:04 +0000

Truman’s desk sign

The buck stops here.

Harry S Truman (1884–1972) US President (1945–1953)
(Misattributed)

Not a quote from Truman, but popularized by him through a sign he kept on his White House desk, displaying the message It had been sent to him from the Federal Reformatory at El Reno, Oklahoma in late 1945. On the reverse side it reads, "I'm from Missouri." Truman occasionally referenced the sign and phrase in speeches.

The phrase -- which itself refers to "passing the buck," or handing responsibility off to another -- predates Truman's administration, and may have been coined by Brigadier General A. B. Warfield in 1939 or earlier.

More discussion about this quotation and its origin:

WIST Quotations

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 17 (2.17), “Of Presumption [De la Presomption]” (1578) [tr. Frame (1943)]

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Truman, Harry S -- (Misattributed)