Quotes About Prudence

For no man is found so prudent as to know how to adapt himself to these changes, both because he cannot deviate from the course to which nature inclines him, and because, having always prospered while adhering to one path, he cannot be persuaded that it would be well for him to forsake it. And so when occasion requires the cautious man to act impetuously, he cannot do so and is undone: whereas had he changed his nature with time and circumstances, his fortune would have been unchanged.

Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage, and in accepting a less evil as a good.

The wise prince, therefore, has always avoided these arms and turned to his own and has been willing rather to lose with them than to conquer with the others, not deeming that a real victory which is gained with the arms of others.

prudence consists in knowing how to distinguish the character of troubles, and for choice to take the lesser evil.

Un hombre prudente debe discurrir siempre por las vías trazadas por los grandes hombres e imitar a aquellos que han sobresalido extraordinariamente por encima de los demás, con el fin de que, aunque no se alcance su virtud, algo nos quede, sin embargo, de su aroma.

Pero un príncipe sabio evitará siempre valerse de unas y de otras y recurrirá a sus propias armas, prefiriendo perder con ellas a ganar con las ajenas.

In politics there are no perfectly safe courses; prudence consists in choosing the least dangerous ones.

Let us enjoy the benefits of the time—but rather the benefits of their own valour and prudence, for time drives everything before it, and is able to bring with it good as well as evil, and evil as well as good.

Por eso hay que concluir que los buenos consejos, vengan de quien vengan, han de nacer de la prudencia del príncipe, y no la prudencia del príncipe de los buenos consejos.

Hükümdar ne olursa olsun asla insanlar?n mal?na göz dikmemelidir. Çünkü insanlar babalar?n?n ölümünü kolayl?kla içlerine sindirebilirler, ama mal varl?klar?ndan yoksun kalmalar?n? asla.

Nè creda mai alcuno Stato poter pigliare partiti sicuri; anzi pensi d'avere a prenderli tutti dubbi; perchè si trova questo nell'ordine delle cose, che mai si cerca fuggire uno inconveniente, che non s'incorra in un altro: ma la prudenza consiste in saper cognoscere la qualità degli inconvenienti, e prendere il manco tristo per buono.

Por ello, todo príncipe prudente ha desechado estas tropas y se ha refugiado en las propias, y ha preferido perder con las suyas a vencer con las otras, considerando que no es victoria verdadera la que se obtiene con armas ajenas.

The Prince' is bestrewn with truths that can be proved at every turn. Men are still the dupes of their simplicity and greed, as they were in the days of Alexander VI. The cloak of religion still conceals the vices which Machiavelli laid bare in the character of Ferdinand of Aragon. Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be—and are ruined. In politics there are no perfectly safe courses; prudence consists in choosing the least dangerous ones.

es defecto común de los hombres no preocuparse por la tempestad durante la bonanza)

Si se conocen anticipadamente los males que pueden después manifestarse, lo que no concede el cielo más que a un hombre sabio y bien prevenido, quedan curados muy pronto. Pero cuando, por no haberlos conocido, se les deja tomar un incremento tal que llega a noticia de todo el mundo, no hay ya arbitrio que los remedie.

Przezorny ksi??? powinien obmyÅ›li? sposób, aby obywatele zawsze i w ka?dej okolicznoÅ›ci odczuwali potrzebÄ™ jego rzÄ…du, wtedy staÅ'e bÄ™dÄ… mu wierni

Ne zaman bir sak?ncadan kaçmaya çal??sak bir baÅŸkas?na düÅŸeriz; ama saÄŸduyu, sak?ncalar?n niteliklerini tan?may? ve en az kötüyü iyi olarak seçmeyi bilmek demektir.

Por ello, todo príncipe prudente ha desechado estas tropas y se ha refugiado en las propias, y ha preferido perder con las suyas a vencer con las otras, considerando que no es victoria verdadera la que se obtiene con armas ajenas. No

How one lives is so far distant from how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.' (ch XV)

My mum and dad were always careful with money.

I'm not a big risk-taker - being bad just wasn't worth my time or the risk of having the consequences for it. So maybe I'm a little bit lame for that.

Never use a chainsaw when a scalpel will do.

When words are many, sin is not absent, / but he who holds his tongue is wise (Proverbs 10:19).

There is absolutely no shame in living within your income, however small it may be, but there is shame if creditors are always coming to your door.