Hesiod - Works and Days

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A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing.

Hesiod
Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.

Hesiod
He harms himself who does harm to another, and the evil plan is most harmful to the planner.

Hesiod
Fools, they do not even know how much more is the half than the whole.

Hesiod
Between us and excellence, the gods have placed the sweat of our brows.

Hesiod
For full indeed is earth of woes, and full the sea; and in the day as well as night diseases unbidden haunt mankind, silently bearing ills to men, for all-wise Zeus hath taken from them their voice. So utterly impossible is it to escape the will of Zeus.

Hesiod
Take your fill when the cask is first opened and when it is nearly spent, but midways be sparing: it is poor saving when you come to the lees.

Hesiod
Then potter is potter's enemy, and
craftsman is craftsman's
rival; tramp is jealous of tramp
and singer of singer.

Hesiod
Let it please thee to keep in order a moderate-sized farm, that so thy garners may be full of fruits in their season.

Hesiod
The man who does evil to another does evil
to himself,
and the evil counsel is most evil
for him who counsels it.

Hesiod
Let the price fixed with a friend be sufficient, and even dealing with a brother call in witnesses, but laughingly.

Hesiod
Do not seek evil gains; evil gains are the equivalent of disaster.

Hesiod
Diligence increaseth the fruit of toil. A dilatory man wrestles with losses.

Hesiod
The dawn speeds a man on his journey, and speeds him too in his work.

Hesiod
Neither make thy friend equal to a brother; but if thou shalt have made him so, be not the first to do him wrong.

Hesiod
Potter is piqued with potter, joiner with joiner, beggar begrudges beggar, and singer singer.

Hesiod
Invite your friend to dinner; have nothing to do with your enemy.

Hesiod
When you deal with your brother, be pleasant, but get a witness.

Hesiod
They do not how much more the half is than the whole.

Hesiod
Do not let any sweet-talking woman beguile your good sense with the fascinations of her shape. It's your barn she's after.

Hesiod
Potter bears a grudge against potter, and craftsman against craftsman, and beggar is envious of beggar, and bard of bard.

Hesiod
Aegis-bearing Zeus has a design for each occasion, and mortals find this hard to comprehend.

Hesiod
Gossip is mischievous, light and easy to raise, but grievous to bear and hard to get rid of. No gossip ever dies away entirely, if many people voice it: it too is a kind of divinity.

Hesiod
It is a hard thing for a man to be righteous, if the unrighteous man is to have the greater right.

Hesiod
Badness you can get easily, in quantity: the road is smooth, and it lies close by. But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it, and rough at first. But when you come to the top, then it is easy, even though it is hard.

Hesiod
He is a fool who tries to match his strength with the stronger.

Hesiod
If thou shouldst lay up even a little upon a little, and shouldst do this often, soon would even this become great.

Hesiod
Invite the man that loves thee to a feast, but let alone thine enemy.

Hesiod
When the bottle has just been opened, and when
it's giving out, drink deep;
be sparing when it's half-full; but it's useless
to spare the fag end.

Hesiod
If you should put even a little on a little, and should do this often, soon this too would become big.

Hesiod