Great Throughts Treasury

"He that gives should never remember, he that receives should never forget."

"He that is ambitious of fame destroys it. He that increaseth not his knowledge diminishes it. He that uses the crown of learning as an instrument of gain will pass away."

"He that is gentle to the brutal will end up being brutal to the gentle"

"He who carries out one good deed acquires one advocate in his own behalf, and he who commits one transgression acquires one accuser against himself. Repentance and good works are like a shield against calamity."

"He who can feel ashamed will not readily do wrong."

"He who destroys a life destroys the whole world; he who saves a life, saves the world entire."

"He who has more learning than goodness is like a tree with many branches and few roots, which the first wind throws down; whilst he whose works are greater than his knowledge is like a tree with many roots and fewer branches, which all the winds of heaven cannot uproot."

"He who is without a wife dwells without blessing, life, joy, help, good, and peace."

"He who hath compassion upon others receives compassion from Heaven."

"He who promises runs in debt."

"He who loves money will not be satisfied with money."

"He who lives by the work of his hands is greater than he who indulges in idle piety."

"He who mixes with unclean things becomes unclean himself; he whose associations are pure becomes purer each day."

"He whose wisdom exceeds his works, to what may he be likened? To a tree whose branches are numerous but whose roots are few. The wind comes along and uproots it and sweeps it down."

"Hire yourself out to work, which is beneath you, rather than become dependent on others."

"He who sacrifices a whole offering shall be rewarded for a whole offering; he who offers a burnt-offering shall have the reward of a burnt-offering; but he who offers humility to God and man shall be rewarded with a reward as if he had offered all the sacrifices in the world."

"Hold no man responsible for what he says in his grief."

"How many pens are broken, how many ink bottles consumed, to write about things that have never happened."

"Hope for a miracle. But don't depend on one."

"Humor the sons of the poor, for they give science its splendor."

"If one man says to thee, ''Thou art a donkey,'' pay no heed. If two speak thus, purchase a saddle."

"If one person tell thee that thou hast ass's ears, do not mind it; but if two persons make this assertion, at once place a packsaddle upon thy back."

"If thou lackest knowledge, what hast thou then acquired? Hast thou acquired knowledge, what else dost thou want?"

"If thou hast commenced a good action, leave it not incomplete."

"If you add to the truth, you subtract from it."

"It is not upon thee to finish the work; neither art thou free to abstain from it."

"If you wish to know how much preferable wisdom is to gold, then observe: if you change gold you get silver for it, but your gold is gone; but if you exchange one sort of wisdom for another, you obtain fresh knowledge, and at the same time keep what you possessed before."

"Join the company of lions rather than assume the lead among foxes."

"Into the well which supplies thee with water, cast no stones."

"Just as the soul fills the body, so God fills the world. Just as the soul bears the body, so God endures the world. Just as the soul sees but is not seen, so God sees but is not seen."

"It is fitting for a great God to forgive great sinners."

"Learning is achieved only in company."

"Learn first and philosophize afterwards."

"Judge a man by his deeds, not by his words."

"Let your left hand turn away what your right hands attracts."

"Life is so short we must move very slowly."

"Live well. It is the greatest revenge."

"Man has three friends on whose company he relies. First, wealth which goes with him only while good fortune lasts. Second, his relatives; they go only as far as the grave, leave him there. The third friend, his good deeds, go with him beyond the grave."

"More people die from over-eating than from undernourishment."

"Never expose yourself unnecessarily to danger a miracle may not save you...and if it does, it will be deducted from your share of luck or merit."

"Make your books your companions."

"Never put thyself in the way of temptation: even David could not resist it."

"Mention not a blemish which is thy own in detraction of a neighbor."

"No labor, however humble, is dishonoring – rather perform the lowest work but don’t be dependent on people’s charity."

"Only a fraction of a man's virtues should be enumerated in his presence"

"No labor, however humble, is dishonoring."

"Rather skin a carcass for pay in the public streets than be idly dependent on charity."

"Nothing is more becoming a man than silence. It is not the preaching but the practice which ought to be considered as the more important. A profusion of words is sure to lead to error."

"Richer is one hour of repentance and good works in this world than all of life of the world to come; and richer is one hour's calm of spirit in the world to come than all of life of this world."

"Say little and do much."