That man is best who sees the truth himself. Good too is he who listens to wise counsel. But who is neither wise himself nor willing to ponder wisdom is not worth a straw.
But he who neither thinks for himself nor learns from others, is a failure as a man.
A man who works evil against another works it really against himself, and bad advice is worst for the one who devised it
He's only harming himself who's bent upon harming another
From their eyelids as they glanced dripped love.
For a man can win nothing better than a good wife, and nothing more painful than a bad one.
No gossip ever dies away entirely, if many people voice it: It too is a kind of divinity.
Never wade through the pretty ripples of perpetually flowing rivers, until you have looked at their lovely waters, and prayed to them, and washed your hands in the pale enchanting water.
Often a whole community together suffers in consequence of a bad man who does wrong and contrives evil
Badness can be got easily and in shoals; the road to her is smooth, and she lives very near us. But between us and Goodness the gods have placed the sweat of our brows;
Do not let any sweet-talking woman beguile your good sense with the fascination of her shape. It's your barn she's after.
The best is he who calls men to the best. And those who heed the call are also blessed. But worthless who call not, heed not, but rest.
It is from work that men are rich in flocks and wealthy, and a working man is much dearer to the immortals
Giving is good, but taking is bad and brings death.
At the beginning of the cask and the end take thy fill but be saving in the middle; for at the bottom the savings comes too late.
For both faith and want of faith have destroyed men alike.
Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin.
How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear.
False shame accompanies a man that is poor, shame that either harms a man greatly or profits him; shame is with poverty, but confidence with wealth.
Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune.
Wealth should not be seized, but the god-given is much better.
He is senseless who would match himself against a stronger man; for he is deprived of victory and adds suffering to disgrace.
Whoever happens to give birth to mischievous children lives always with unending grief in his spirit and heart.
If you should put even a little on a little and should do this often, soon this would become big.
Often an entire city has suffered because of an evil man.
Never make a companion equal to a brother.
Try to take for a mate a person of your own neighborhood.
The fool knows after he's suffered.
But they who give straight judgements to strangers and to those of the land and do not transgress what is just, for them the city flourishes and its people prosper.
When you deal with your brother, be pleasant, but get a witness.
Preserve the mean; the opportune moment is best in all things.
Acquisition means life to miserable mortals.
He fashions evil for himself who does evil to another, and an evil plan does mischief to the planner.
Bring a wife home to your house when you are of the right age, not far short of 30 years, nor much above; this is the right time for marriage.
We know how to speak many falsehoods that resemble real things, but we know, when we will, how to speak true things.
If you add a little to a little, and then do it again, soon that little shall be much.
Potter is jealous of potter, and craftsman of craftsman; and the poor have a grudge against the poor, and the poet against the poet.
Whoever, fleeing marriage and the sorrows that women cause, does not wish to wed comes to a deadly old age.
Justice prevails over transgression when she comes to the end of the race.
It is best to do things systematically, since we are only human, and disorder is our worst enemy.
The man who does evil to another does evil to himself, and the evil counsel is most evil for him who counsels it.
Whoever has trusted a woman has trusted deceivers.
Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and contrives presumptuous deeds.
Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a disgrace.
Admire a small ship, but put your freight in a large one; for the larger the load, the greater will be the profit upon profit.
A bad neighbor is as great a calamity as a good one is a great advantage.
So the people will pay the penalty for their kings' presumption, who, by devising evil, turn justice from her path with tortuous speech.
Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.
Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by, But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it.
It will not always be summer; build barns.
Happy is the man whom the Muses love: sweet speech flows from his mouth.
Toil is no source of shame; idleness is shame.
A day is sometimes our mother, sometimes our stepmother.
Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn.
It is not possible either to trick or escape the mind of Zeus.
For a man wins nothing better than a good wife, and then again nothing deadlier than a bad one.
