Stanislaw Jerzy Lec Quotes

Poland, Poet
March 6, 1909 – May, 7, 1966.

Stanisław Jerzy Lec born Baron Stanisław Jerzy de Tusch-Letz, was a Polish aphorist and poet. Often mentioned among the greatest writers of post-war Poland, he was one of the most influential aphorists of the 20th century, known for lyrical poetry and skeptical philosophical-moral aphorisms, often with a political subtext

Pity that the only way to paradise is in a hearse.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Way
- Paradise
We looked into each other's eyes. I saw myself, she saw herself.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Eye
- Saws

Morality is either a social contract or you have to pay cash.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Social
- Pay
- Morality
You cannot play the Song of Freedom on an instrument of oppression.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Instruments
- Oppression
You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Memories
If you are not a psychiatrist, stay away from idiots. They are too stupid to pay a layman for his company.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Stupid
- Company
- Idiot
Illiterates have to dictate.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Illiterates
Artistic honesty sometimes prevents an artist from being born.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Sometimes
- Born
- Honesty

The first requisite for immortality is death.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Death
- Immortality
Don't trust the heart, it wants your blood.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Heart
- Trust
- Blood
He who wants to get to the source must swim against the current.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Want
- Source
- Swim
Every bush can burn if you fire it with your imagination.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Imagination
If you do not know his language, you will never understand a foreigner's silence.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Work
- Art
- Nature

Advice to writers: Sometimes you just have to stop writing. Even before you begin.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Writing
- Advice
Suppose you succeed in breaking the wall with your head. And what, then, will you do in the next cell?

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Wall
- Succeed
- Next
A sweet thing, perspective - a chance to see your enemies so small.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Chance
- Sweet
- Perspective
Never turn your back on reality. It surrounds you.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Reality
- Turns
- Surround
Perfect imitations must share the fate of the originals.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Perfect
- Fate
- Share
Whenever man begins to doubt himself, he does something so stupid that he is reassured.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Men
- Doubt
- Stupid

When reasons are weak, attitudes stiffen.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Reason
- Attitude
- Weak
You must first have a lot of patience to learn to have patience.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Patience
The man who bows before the ruler, shows his behind to the courtiers

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Shows
- Behinds
- Rulers
Do not make gods in your own images.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
- Images