The best man of all is he who knows everything himself. Good also the man who accepts another's sound advice; but the man who neither knows himself nor takes to hear what another says, he is no good at all.
HesiodThere is also an evil report; light, indeed, and easy to raise, but difficult to carry, and still more difficult to get rid of.
HesiodIt is a hard thing for a man to be righteous, if the unrighteous man is to have the greater right.
HesiodDrink your fill when the jar is first opened, and when it is nearly done, but be sparing when it is half-empty; it's a poor savingwhen you come to the dregs.
HesiodBut they who give straight judgements to strangers and to those of the land and do not transgress what is just, for them the city flourishes and its people prosper.
HesiodThat man is best who sees the truth himself. Good too is he who listens to wise counsel. But who is neither wise himself nor willing to ponder wisdom is not worth a straw.
HesiodA man who works evil against another works it really against himself, and bad advice is worst for the one who devised it
HesiodDo not put your work off till to-morrow and the day after; for a sluggish worker does not fill his barn, nor one who puts off his work: industry makes work go well, but a man who puts off work is always at hand-grips with ruin.
Hesiod...Perses, hear me out on justice, and take what I have to say to heart; cease thinking of violence. For the son of Kronos, Zeus, has ordained this law to men: that fishes and wild beasts and winged birds should devour one another, since there is no justice in them; but to mankind he gave justice which proves for the best.
HesiodAt the beginning of the cask and the end take thy fill but be saving in the middle; for at the bottom the savings comes too late.
HesiodIt is best to do things systematically, since we are only human, and disorder is our worst enemy.
HesiodHe is senseless who would match himself against a stronger man; for he is deprived of victory and adds suffering to disgrace.
HesiodEvil can be got very easily and exists in quantity: the road to her is very smooth, and she lives near by. But between us and virtue the gods have placed the sweat of our brows; the road to her is long and steep, and it is rough at first; but when a man has reached the top, then she is easy to attain, although before she was hard.
HesiodThe gods being always close to men perceive those who afflict others with unjust devices and do not fear the wrath of heaven.
HesiodFar best is he who is himself all-wise, and he, too, good who listens to wise words; But whoso is not wise or lays to hear another's wisdom is a useless man.
HesiodBring a wife home to your house when you are of the right age, not far short of 30 years, nor much above this is the right time for marriage.
HesiodPotter is potter's enemy, and craftsman is craftsman's rival; tramp is jealous of tramp, and singer of singer.
HesiodWhoever, fleeing marriage and the sorrows that women cause, does not wish to wed comes to a deadly old age.
Hesiod