Hesiod Quotes (55 Quotes)

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.

Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a disgrace.

Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune.

If you add only a little to a little and do this often, soon that little will become great.

The man who procrastinates struggles with ruin.

So the people will pay the penalty for their kings' presumption, who, by devising evil, turn justice from her path with tortuous speech.

The man who does evil to another does evil to himself, and the evil counsel is most evil for him who counsels it.

Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.

If you should put even a little on a little and should do this often, soon this would become big.

Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and contrives presumptuous deeds.

Potter is jealous of potter, and craftsman of craftsman; and the poor have a grudge against the poor, and the poet against the poet.

A day is sometimes our mother, sometimes our stepmother.

The fool knows after he's suffered.

Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin.

Giving is good, but taking is bad and brings death.

It is not possible either to trick or escape the mind of Zeus.

Wealth should not be seized, but the god-given is much better.

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 discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.

If you add a little to a little, and then do it again, soon that little shall be much.

Often an entire city has suffered because of an evil man.

A bad neighbor is as great a calamity as a good one is a great advantage.

For a man wins nothing better than a good wife, and then again nothing deadlier than a bad one.

The fool learns by suffering.

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.

How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear.

For both faith and want of faith have destroyed men alike.

Diligence increases the fruit of toil. A dilatory man ever wrestles with losses.

If thou shouldst lay up even a little upon a little, and shouldst do this often, soon would even this become great.

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.

Toil is no source of shame; idleness is shame.

A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing

Justice prevails over transgression when she comes to the end of the race.

He fashions evil for himself who does evil to another, and an evil plan does mischief to the planner.

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.

He is senseless who would match himself against a stronger man; for he is deprived of victory and adds suffering to disgrace.

Sleep, the brother of death.

We know how to speak many falsehoods that resemble real things, but we know, when we will, how to speak true things.

Invite the man that loves thee to a feast, but let alone thine enemy

A bad neighbour is as great a misfortune as a good one is a great blessing.

If you add a little to a little and do this often, soon the little will become great.

It is best to do things systematically, since we are only human, and disorder is our worst enemy.

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.

Never make a companion equal to a brother.

It will not always be summer; build barns.

Acquisition means life to miserable mortals.

Whoever happens to give birth to mischievous children lives always with unending grief in his spirit and heart.

Happy is the man whom the Muses love: sweet speech flows from his mouth.

When you deal with your brother, be pleasant, but get a witness.

Preserve the mean; the opportune moment is best in all things.

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.