What sort of man is fit to rule? Either a sage who has been invested with power or a king who seeks wisdom.

I search not, said the sage [Aristotle], for wisdom with the hope of ever coming to the end of it or attaining it completely; rather do I search for it so as not to be a fool, and the intelligent man should have no other motive than this.

The sage was asked, "How is it thou hast more wisdom than thy fellows?" He replied, "Because I spent on (midnight) oil more than they spent on wine."

Man is only wise during the time that he searches for wisdom; when he imagines he has completely attained it, he is a fool.

Kings may be the judges of the earth, but wise men are the judges of kings.

The worth of every man is proportionate to what he knows.

The sage [Diogenes] was asked, "Who are greater, the wise or the rich?" He replied, "The wise." It was then objected, "If so, how is it that there are more wise men at the doors of rich men than rich men at the doors of the wise?" He replied, "Because the wise appreciate the advantage of wealth, but the rich do not appreciate the advantage of wisdom."

The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others.

Nobody is wise unless he possesses three qualities: never to despise an inferior (in learning) while he searches after wisdom, not to envy one who is more wealthy, and not to accept payment for his wisdom.

The finest quality in man is that he should be an inquirer.

When wisdom is lacking in the believer, he must seek it even from skeptics.

The quest of wisdom in old age is like a mark made in the sand, but the quest of wisdom in youth is like an inscription on stone.

Poverty cannot disgrace the wise man, nor can lust enslave him.

Wisdom, about which there is no discussion, is like a hidden hoard from which nothing is withdrawn.

There are four mental types among human beings: the man who knows and is aware that he knows—he is wise, so inquire of him; the man who knows but is unaware that he knows—remind him and help him that he forget not (his knowledge); the man who is ignorant and knows that he is ignorant—teach him; the man who is ignorant but pretends to know—he is a fool, so keep away from him.

It is the practice of a fool, when he does wrong, to blame others; it is the practice of the seeker of instruction to blame himself; but it is the practice of the wise and pious man (so as to act that he has occasion) to blame neither himself nor others.

One who acts the part of a wise man, without possessing wisdom, is like an ass working the mill, going round and round without making progress.

Nobody can detect the error of his teacher until he knows varying opinions.

Four things will an honorable man not consider beneath his dignity to perform: stand up to greet his father, pay deference to his guests, inspect his carriages though he have a hundred servants, and honor the wise man to partake of his wisdom.

Beware of a fool who is devout, and of a wise man who is a sinner.

Said the sage, "When I hear evil speech, I pay no attention." Somebody asked him the reason, and he replied, "Because I am afraid of hearing still worse."

To a fool silence is the best answer.

Concerning Patience

A man came before a sage and said to him, "I perceive that human beings do harm, so my soul counsels me not to mingle with them." The sage replied, "Do not so, because thou canst not stand without them nor they without thee; they need thee as thou needest them. Nevertheless be in their company a deaf man that can hear, a blind man that can see, and a dumb man that can speak."

Somebody insulted a wise man, and one of his disciples said to him, "Master, permit me to punish him." The sage replied, "He is not a wise man who gives another permission to do wrong."

Who cannot control his temper is defective in intellect.

Who is mighty? He who responds to folly in humility and subdues his temper.

Whoever cannot control his temper, how much less can he control others!

The beginning of the success of a humble man is that his fellows assist him because of his submissiveness.

I find humility a greater help to me than all my fellowmen.

Concerning Faith

The sage was asked, "Why do we never perceive in thee a trace of anxiety?" He replied, "Because I never possessed a thing over which I would grieve had I lost it."

He also said, "Everything requires a fence." He was asked, "What is the fence?" He answered, "Trust." "What is the fence of trust?" he was asked; and he replied, "Faith." To the further question, "What is the fence of faith?" he answered, "To fear nothing."

Who refuses to accept the decree of his Creator, there is no healing to his stupidity.

Who is the wisest of men and the most trusting? He who accepts things as they come and go.




From The Choice of Pearls, by Solomon ben Judah ibn Gabirol . Translated by Rev. A. Cohen. (New York: Bloch Publishing Co.: 1925).