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61 François Rabelais Quotes About Life (WRITER)

December 1, 2023December 1, 2023

Top 15 Most Famous François Rabelais Quotes (BEST)

“According to true military art, one should never push one’s enemy to the point of despair, because such a state multiplies his strength and increases his courage which had already been crushed and failing, and because there is no better remedy for the health of beaten and overwhelmed men than the absence of all hope.”
François Rabelais

A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit. — A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit.

The appetite of knowledge is never ending. — The appetite of knowledge is never ending.

Do as you will, but harm none.

He who has not lived in the intimacy of things, and has not been marked by their mark, is but a superficial and idle spectator — He who has not lived in the intimacy of things, and has not been marked by their mark, is but a superficial and idle spectator.

We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us.

The right moment wears a full head of hair: when it has been missed, you can't get it back; it's bald in the back of the head and never turns around. — The right moment wears a full head of hair: when it has been missed, you can’t get it back; it’s bald in the back of the head and never turns around.

Tell the truth and shame the devil. — Tell the truth and shame the devil.

Keep running after a dog and he will never bite you. — Keep running after a dog and he will never bite you.

Science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.

If you wish to avoid seeing a fool, you must first break your mirror.

If the head is lost, all that perishes is the individual; if the balls are lost, all of human nature perishes. — If the head is lost, all that perishes is the individual; if the balls are lost, all of human nature perishes.

You have no obligation under the sun other than to discover your real needs, to fulfill them, and to rejoice in doing so.

There is no truer cause of unhappiness amongst men than, where naturally expecting charity and benevolence, they receive harm and vexation. — There is no truer cause of unhappiness amongst men than, where naturally expecting charity and benevolence, they receive harm and vexation.

I am going to seek a great perhaps.

9 Wise François Rabelais Quotes to Live by (WISDOM)

From the gut comes the strut, and where hunger reigns, strength abstains.

So much is a man worth as he esteems himself.

I have known many who could not when they would, for they had not done it when they could.

I'd rather write about laughing than crying, for laughter makes men human, and courageous. — I’d rather write about laughing than crying, for laughter makes men human, and courageous.

Science without conscience is the death of the soul.

If you wish to avoid seeing a fool you must first break your looking glass.

Believe me, 'tis a godlike thing to lend; to owe is a heroic virtue. — Believe me, ’tis a godlike thing to lend; to owe is a heroic virtue.

When undertaking marriage, everyone must be the judge of his own thoughts, and take counsel from himself. — When undertaking marriage, everyone must be the judge of his own thoughts, and take counsel from himself.

I won't undertake war until I have tried all the arts and means of peace. — I won’t undertake war until I have tried all the arts and means of peace.

2 François Rabelais Quotes on Patience

Everything comes in time to those who can wait. — Everything comes in time to those who can wait.

All's well in the end, if you've only the patience to wait. — All’s well in the end, if you’ve only the patience to wait.

3 François Rabelais Quotes on Love

Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective and valuable than words. — Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective and valuable than words.

To good and true love fear is forever affixed. — To good and true love fear is forever affixed.

Remove idleness from the world and soon the arts of Cupid would perish.

3 François Rabelais Quotes on Time

“Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows continually through noble thought and memory.”
François Rabelais

It is my feeling that time ripens all things; with time all things are revealed; time is the father of truth.

Because just as arms have no force outside if there is no counsel within a house, study is vain and counsel useless that is not put to virtuous effect when the time calls. — Because just as arms have no force outside if there is no counsel within a house, study is vain and counsel useless that is not put to virtuous effect when the time calls.

6 François Rabelais Quotes on Wine and Drinking

When I drink, I think; and when I think, I drink.

Appetite comes with eating but thirst goes away with drinking.

The scent of wine, oh how much more agreeable, laughing, praying, celestial and delicious it is than that of oil! — The scent of wine, oh how much more agreeable, laughing, praying, celestial and delicious it is than that of oil!

I drink no more than a sponge.

No noble man ever hated good wine.

There are more old drunkards than old physicians.

2 François Rabelais Quotes on God

I place no hope in my strength, nor in my works but all my confidence is in God my protector, who never abandons those who have put all their hope and thought in him. — I place no hope in my strength, nor in my works: but all my confidence is in God my protector, who never abandons those who have put all their hope and thought in him.

For God, nothing is impossible. And, if he wanted, in the future women would give birth from their ears. — For God, nothing is impossible. And, if he wanted, in the future women would give birth from their ears.

3 François Rabelais Quotes on Wise and Fools

There are more fools than wise men in all societies, and the larger party always gains the upper hand.

The wise may be instructed by a fool.

How do you know antiquity was foolish How do you know the present is wise Who made it foolish Who made it wise — How do you know antiquity was foolish? How do you know the present is wise? Who made it foolish? Who made it wise?

18 François Rabelais Quotes that Will Make You Think

Debts and lies are generally mixed together. — Debts and lies are generally mixed together.

Friends, you will notice that in this world there are many more ballocks than men. Remember this. — Friends, you will notice that in this world there are many more ballocks than men. Remember this.

Half the world does not know how the other half lives.

Frugality is for the vulgar. — Frugality is for the vulgar.

I am going to seek a great perhaps; draw a curtain, the farce is played out.

An old monkey never makes a pretty face.

How can I govern others, who can't even govern myself — How can I govern others, who can’t even govern myself?

If the skies fall, one may hope to catch larks.

In their rules there was only one clause: Do what you will.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

No clock is more regular than the belly.

One falls to the ground in trying to sit on two stools.

A habit does not a monk make. — A habit does not a monk make.

The farce is finished. I go to seek a vast perhaps.

A bellyful is a bellyful.

Misery is the company of lawsuits.

I have nothing, I owe a great deal, and the rest I leave to the poor.

A mother-in-law dies only when another devil is needed in hell. — A mother-in-law dies only when another devil is needed in hell.

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