Quotes from Blaise Pascal

All the miseries of mankind come from one thing, not knowing how to remain alone.

Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.

All sorrow has its root in man's inability to sit quiet in a room by himself.

Noble deeds that are concealed are most esteemed.

The highest order of mind is accused of folly, as well as the lowest. Nothing is thoroughly approved but mediocrity. The majority has established this, and it fixes its fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.

Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what he loves.

Most of the evils of life arise from man's being unable to sit still in a room.

The origins of disputes between philosophers is, that one class of them have undertaken to raise man by displaying his greatness, and the other to debase him by showing his miseries

We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart.

The supreme function of reason is to show man that some things are beyond reason

The only shame is to have none

Justice without strength is helpless, strength without justice is tyrannical…. Unable to make what is just strong, we have made what is strong just.

The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.

Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is.

I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short.

There are truths on this side of the Pyrénées, which are falsehoods on the other.

Do you wish people to think well of you? Don't speak well of yourself.

Man is neither angel nor beast; and the misfortune is that he who would act the angel acts the beast.

The state of man: inconstancy, boredom, anxiety.

Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.

There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.

Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed.

True eloquence takes no heed of eloquence, true morality takes no heed of morality.

Our nature consists in motion complete rest is death.