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Whetstones are not themselves able to cut, but make iron sharp and capable of cutting.

Isocrates

It is not fitting that the evil produced by men should be imputed to things; let those bear the blame who make an ill use of things in themselves good.
ISOCRATES

Blame Evil Goodness Man Production
Regard as your most faithful friends, not those who praise everything you say or do, but those who criticize your mistakes.
ISOCRATES

Criticism Faith Friendship Mistake Regard Yourself
It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement. Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs, therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity or undue depression in adversity.
ISOCRATES

Achievement Activity Adversity Affair Depression Direction Human Important Mistake Quick Stability
Oratory is good only if it has the qualities of fitness for the occasion, propriety of style, and originality of treatment, while in the case of letters there is no such need whatsoever.
ISOCRATES

Goodness Letter Original Quality Style Treatment
Consider that nothing in human life is stable; for then you will not exult overmuch in prosperity, nor grieve overmuch in adversity. Rejoice over the good things which come to you, but grieve in moderation over the evils which befall you.
ISOCRATES

Fall Goodness Grief Human Life Stability Yourself
Whetstones are not themselves able to cut, but make iron sharp and capable of cutting.
ISOCRATES

Capability Cut Iron Stone
Conduct yourself towards your parents as you would have your children conduct themselves towards you.
ISOCRATES

Children Parents Yourself
Guard yourself against accusations, even if they are false; for the multitude are ignorant of the truth and look only to reputation.
ISOCRATES

Assumption Fake Guard Ignorance Reputation Truth Yourself
Spend your leisure time in cultivating an ear attentive to discourse, for in this way you will find that you learn with ease what others have found out with difficulty.
ISOCRATES

Attention Difficult Learning Time Yourself
I maintain, then, that we should make peace, not only with the Chians, the Rhodians, the Byzantines and the Coans, but with all mankind.
ISOCRATES

Myself Peace People World
Of all our possessions, wisdom alone is immortal.
ISOCRATES

Alone Immortal Possession Wisdom
Always when you are about to say anything, first weigh it in your mind; for with many the tongue outruns the thought.
ISOCRATES

Mindset Talk Thinking Yourself
If you be a lover of instruction, you will be well instructed.
ISOCRATES

Instruction Lover Yourself
Be gracious to all men, but choose the best to be your friends.
ISOCRATES

Best Friendship Grace Man Yourself
We should not call a city happy because it attracts masses of citizens from everywhere; a fortunate city is one in which the race of the original inhabitants is best preserved.
ISOCRATES

Attraction Call City Fortunate Happiness Preserve Yourself
But I marvel when I observe these men setting themselves up as instructors of youth who cannot see that they are applying the analogy of an art with hard and fast rules to a creative process
ISOCRATES

Creativity Fast Instruction Man Observation Process Rule

Whetstones are not themselves able to cut, but make iron sharp and capable of cutting.

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Whetstones are not themselves able to cut, but make iron sharp and capable of cutting.

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