“On promet beaucoup, pour se dispenser de donner peu.”
“We make large promises, to avoid making small presents.”
“On rencontre sa destinée
Souvent par des chemins qu’on prend pour l’eviter.”
“Man meets his destiny
Oft by the very roads he takes to ’scape it.”
“On renonce plus aisément à son interet qu’a son gout.”
“We are readier to sacrifice our interests than our tastes.”
“(Mais) on revient toujours
A ses premiers amours.”
“But we return alway
To the loves of yesterday.”
“On s’eveille, on se léve, on s’habille et l’on sort;
On rentre, on dine, on soupe, on se couche et l’on dort.”
“We wake, rise, dress, then out of doors we creep;
Return, dine, sup, then go to bed and sleep.”
“On se fait toujours aimer, pourvu qu’on se rende aimable; mais on
ne se fait pas toujours estimer, quelque merite qu’on ait.”
“We can always make sure of affection if we make ourselves amiable, but
we cannot always be sure of esteem, whatever may be our merits.”
“On tire plus de services par les promesses que par les présens; car les hommes se mettent en état de meriter ce qu’ils espérent de nous: mais ils ne savent gre qu’a eux-mêmes de ce qu’ils reçoivent.”
“We more readily secure the services of others by promises than by presents, for men set themselves to deserve what they hope to get from us, but thank none but themselves for what they receive.”
“On tourne una pensée comme un habit, pour s’en servir plusieurs fois.”
“We turn a thought as we turn a coat, in order to use it several times.”
“On va bien loin sitot qu’on se fourvoie.”
“We travel far once we have missed our way.”
“(Qu’)on veut régner toujours quand on régne une fois.”
“We would reign always when we once have reigned.”
