The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.

If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest.

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.

When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.

Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.

I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.