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In the midst of the disguises and artifices that reign among men, it is only attention and vigilance that can save us from surprises.

— Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture (1709)

Au milieu des déguisements et des artifices qui règnent parmi les hommes, il n'y a que l'attention et la vigilance qui nous puissent sauver des surprises.

Original text (French)

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Source: Book V, Article II, 2nd proposition, p. 612
Work: Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture, 1709
Source quality: Precise citation Points to a specific work with a page, chapter, date or similar locator, so you can look it up.

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Notes from Wikiquote

English translation from Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture, edited by Patrick Riley (Cambridge University Press, 1990), p. 132

Topics

Honesty

More quotes by Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

The greatest weakness of all weaknesses is to fear too much to appear weak.

Heresies have never been more than particular opinions, since they began with five or six men.

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Human wisdom learns a lot if it learns to be silent.

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The usual destiny of those who refuse to listen to the truth is to be led to their ruin by deceptive prophets.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.