Wise Hesiod Quotes Worth Remembering | Hesiod Quotes

I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient with restraint. Bacteria, the only culture some people have. Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you. She is after your barn. Observe, do measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor. If you add a little to a little and do this often, soon the little will become great. He hounds himself who does harm to another, and the evil plan is most harmful to the planner. Badness you can get easily in quantity. The road is smooth and lies close by, but in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat. And long and steep is the way to do it, and rough at first. But when you come to the top, then it is easy even though it is hard. Gossip and rumor are evil, easy to lift up, heavy to carry, and hard to put down again. A sparing tongue is the greatest treasure among men. You trust a thief when you trust a woman. The man who procrastinates struggles with ruin. It is best to do things systematically, since we are only human and disorder is our worst enemy. Best is the man who thinks for himself. Only fools need suffer to learn. This man, I say, is most perfect, who shall have understood everything for himself after having devised what may be best afterward and unto the end. Happy is the man whom the muses love, sweet speech flows from his mouth. Timeliness is best in all matters. The man who procrastinates is always struggling with misfortunes. A man fashions ill for himself, who fashions ill for another, and the ill designer is most ill for the designer. Inhibition is no good provider for a needy man. It will not always be summer. Build barns. Industry makes work go well, but a man who puts off work is always at hand grips with ruin. Do not put your work off till tomorrow and the day after, for a sluggish worker does not fill his barn, nor one who puts off his work. For a man wins nothing better than a good wife, and then again nothing deadlier than a bad one. In the race for wealth, a neighbour tries to outdo his neighbour, but this strife is good for men, for the potter envies potter, and the carpenter the carpenter, and the beggar rivals the beggar, and the singer the singer. Do not seek dishonest gains. Dishonest gains are losses. Whoever has trusted a woman has trusted deceivers. Do not gain. Base gain is equal to ruin. Love those who love you, help those who help you, and give to those who give to you. Work is no disgrace. It is idleness which is a disgrace. When you deal with your brother, be pleasant, but get a witness. It is a hard thing for a man to be righteous if the unrighteous man is to have the greater right. If you speak evil, you will soon be worse spoken of. Do not let any sweet-talking woman beguile your good sense with the fascinations of her shape. It is your barn she is after. Do not get a name that is overly lavish or too inhospitable. Peace is a nursing mother to the land. Preserve the mean. Your opportune moment is best in all things. Do not seek evil gains. Evil gains are the equivalent of disaster. Do not put all your goods in hollow ships. Potter is potter's enemy, and craftsman is craftsman's rival. Tramp is jealous of tramp, and singer of singer. He is senseless, who would match himself against a stronger man. For he is deprived of victory, and adds suffering to disgrace. The fool knows after he has suffered. In front of excellence, the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it. Often, even a whole city suffers for a bad man, who sins and contrives presumptuous deeds.