WIST Quotations

Hugo, Victor -- Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 7 “A Parenthesis,” ch. 8 (2.7.8) (1862) [tr. Donougher (2013)]

Dave — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:01:55 +0000

To be lost in thought is not to be idle. There is visible work and invisible work. To contemplate is to toil, to think is to do.

[On n’est pas inoccupé parce qu’on est absorbé. Il y a le labeur visible et le labeur invisible.
Contempler, c’est labourer; penser, c’est agir.]

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 7 “A Parenthesis,” ch. 8 (2.7.8) (1862) [tr. Donougher (2013)]

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

A man is not idle, because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labour and there is an invisible labour.
To meditate is to labour; to think is to act.
[tr. Wilbour (1862); Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]

To be absorbed is not to be unoccupied, there is an invisible as well as a visible labor.
To contemplate is to labor, to think is to act.
[tr. Wraxall (1862)]

One is not unoccupied because one is absorbed. There is visible labor and invisible labor.
To contemplate is to labor, to think is to act.
[tr. Hapgood (1887)]

One is not idle because one is absorbed. There is both visible and invisible labour. To contemplate is to toil, to think is to do.
[tr. Denny (1976)]

Russell, Bertrand -- “The Decay of Meditation,” New York American (1931-11-04)

Dave — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:11:34 +0000

If we spent half an hour every day in silent immobility, I am convinced that we should conduct all our affairs, personal, national, and international, far more sanely than we do at present.

Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) English mathematician and philosopher
“The Decay of Meditation,” New York American (1931-11-04)

Teresa of Avila -- Foundations, ch. 5 “On Prayer” [tr. Peers]

Dave — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 23:41:59 +0000

Believe me, it is not length of time spent in prayer that brings a soul benefit: when we spend our time in good works, it is a great help to us and a better and quicker preparation for the enkindling of our love than many hours of meditation.

Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) Spanish mystic, poet, philosopher, saint
Foundations, ch. 5 “On Prayer” [tr. Peers]

Alternative translations:

And let souls believe me that it is not the length of time spent in prayer that benefits one; when the time is spent as well in good works, it is a help in preparing the soul for the enkindling of love. The soul may thereby be better prepared in a very short time than through many hours of reflection.
[tr. Kavanaugh / Rodriguez]

And, believe me, it is not the length of time which makes a soul advance in prayer, but when being called to other works by obedience and charity, they do these duties well, then (as I have said) the soul advances so much, that in a very short time she is better prepared for enkindling within her the love of God, than (wanting in those works) she would be by spending many hours in meditation.
[tr. Dalton]

But believe me, what helps a soul to advance is not the spending long hours in prayer, but it is a great help to be employed also in active works, so that the soul is better disposed to enkindle its love in a very short space of time than by spending many hours in meditation.
[tr. Mason]

Merton, Thomas -- Contemplative Prayer (1973)

Dave — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:56:23 +0000

In meditation we should not look for a “method” or “system,” but cultivate an “attitude,” and “outlook”: faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, supplication, trust, and joy.

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) French-American religious and writer [a.k.a. Fr. M. Louis]
Contemplative Prayer (1973)

Stendhal -- On Love, Book 3 “Fragments” (1822)

Dave — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:05:03 +0000

One can acquire everything in solitude, except character.

Stendhal (1783–1842) French writer [pen name of Marie-Henri Beyle]
On Love, Book 3 “Fragments” (1822)

Sandburg, Carl -- Incidentals (1900)

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:06:32 +0000

If you don’t know what to do, sit still and listen. You may hear something.

Carl Sandburg (1878–1967) American poet, biographer
Incidentals (1900)