WIST Quotations

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶250 (1665-1678) [tr. FitzGibbon (1957)]

Dave — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:13:14 +0000

True eloquence consists in saying all that need be said and no more.

[La véritable éloquence consiste à dire tout ce qu’il faut, et à ne dire que ce qu’il faut.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶250 (1665-1678) [tr. FitzGibbon (1957)]
(Source)

Present in the 1st (1665) edition. In manuscript it begins "L’éloquence est de ne dire que ce qu’il faut ..."

(Source (French)). Other translations:

True Eloquence consists in saying whatever is requisite, and in not saying any more then what is requisite.
[tr. Davies (1669), ¶45]

True Eloquence consists in Saying all that is Fit to be Said; and Leaving Out all that is not Fit to be Said.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶251]

True eloquence consists in saying all that is proper, and nothing more.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶110]; ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶236]

True eloquence consists in saying what is proper, but nothing more.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶97]

True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and nothing but what is necessary.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶262]

True eloquence consists in saying all that should be, not all that could be said.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶250]

True eloquence lies in saying everything one should say, but nothing that one should not.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶258]

True eloquence consists in saying the right thing, and nothing more.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶250]

True eloquence means saying all that is necessary and only what is necessary.
[tr. Kronenberger (1959), ¶250]

True eloquence consists in saying all that is required and only what is required.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶250]

True eloquence consists in saying, on the one hand all that we ought to say, on the other omitting what we ought not.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶250]

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 5 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

Dave — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 17:00:21 +0000

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)). Other 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)]

Mead, Margaret -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 22:46:42 +0000

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)