Blaise Pascal Quotes
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Reflect on death as in Jesus Christ, not as without Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ it is dreadful, it is alarming, it is the terror of nature. In Jesus Christ it is fair and lovely, it is good and holy, it is the joy of saints.
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Equality of possessions is no doubt right, but, as men could not make might obey right, they have made right obey might.
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Il n'y a que deux sortes d'hommes: les uns justes, qui se croient pe cheurs; les autres pe cheurs, qui se croient justes. There are only two types of people: the virtuous who believe themselves to be sinners and the sinners who believe themselves to be virtuous.
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Jesus was in a garden, not of delight as the first Adam, in which he destroyed himself and the whole human race, but in one of agony, in which he saved himself and the whole human race.
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Too much pleasure disagrees with us. Too many concords are annoying in music; too many benefits irritate us; we wish to have the wherewithal to overpay our debts.
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Our nature consists in motion; complete rest is death.
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True eloquence makes light of eloquence. True morality makes light of morality.
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We view things not only from different sides, but with different eyes; we have no wish to find them alike.
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The great mass of people judge well of things, for they are in natural ignorance, which is man's true state.
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Most of man's trouble comes from his inability to be still.
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There are some who speak well and write badly. For the place and the audience warm them, and draw from their minds more than they think of without that warmth.
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There is a certain standard of grace and beauty which consists in a certain relation between our nature, such as it is, weak or strong, and the thing which pleases us. Whatever is formed according to this standard pleases us, be it house, song, discourse, verse, prose, woman, birds, rivers, trees, room, dress, and so on. Whatever is not made according to this standard displeases those who have good taste.
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It is an appalling thing to feel all one possesses drain away.
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When we wish to correct with advantage, and to show another that he errs, we must notice from what side he views the matter, for on that side it is usually true.
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When I have occasionally set myself to consider the different distractions of men, the pains and perils to which they expose themselves I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.
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No soul of high estate can take pleasure in slander. It betrays a weakness.
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The more I see of Mankind, the more I prefer my dog.
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Discourses on humility are a source of pride in the vain and of humility in the humble.
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The world is satisfied with words. Few appreciate the things beneath. [Fr., Le monde se paye de paroles; peu approfondissement les choses.]
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Must we kill to prevent there being any wicked? This is to make both parties wicked instead of one.
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If a soldier or labourer complain of the hardship of his lot, set him to do nothing.
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Le silence est la plus grande perse cution: jamais les saints ne se sont tus. Silence is the greatest of all persecutions: no saint was ever silent.
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Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true.
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A jester, a bad character.