The wise man would rather see men needing him than thanking him.
[El sagaz más quiere necessitados de sí que agradecidos.]
Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 5 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]
(Source)
(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:
A Man of Parts had rather meet with those who depend upon him, than that are thankfull to him.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]
He who knows, desires more that man shall need him than thank him.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]
He who is truly shrewd would rather have people need him than thank him.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]
Quotations about:
necessary
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good.
Margaret Mead (1901-1978) American anthropologist
(Attributed)
