“O Contentment, make me rich! for without thee there is no wealth.”

Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!

Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste.

The remedy against want is to moderate your desires.

Take care how you listen to the voice of the flatterer, who, in return for his little stock, expects to derive from you considerable advantage. If one day you do not comply with his wishes, be imputes to you two hundred defects instead of perfections.

A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity until he has tasted adversity.

Make no friendship with an elephant keeper If you have no room to entertain an elephant.

The sons of Adam are formed from dust; if not humble as the dust, they fall short of being men.

Whenever you argue with another wiser than yourself in order that others may admire your wisdom, they will discover your ignorance.

Joy and sorrow, beauty and deformity, equally pass away.

An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend.

Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become and enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend.

O wise man, wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.

Be generous, and pleasant-tempered, and forgiving; even as God scatter favors over thee, do thou scatter over the people.

I have never seen a man lost who was on a straight path.

Better is the sinner who hath thoughts about God, than the saint who hath only the show of sanctity.

Two orders of mankind are the enemies of church and state; the king without clemency, and the holy man without learning.