Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Idleness is an appendix to nobility.
—Robert Burton (1577–1640) English Scholar, Clergyman
The lazier a man is, the more he plans to do tomorrow.
—Norwegian Proverb
A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
Sometimes I think that idlers seem to be a special class for whom nothing can be planned, plead as one will with them—their only contribution to the human family is to warm a seat at the common table.
—Unknown
Loafing needs no explanation and is its own excuse.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Journalist, Poet, Essayist
By doing nothing we learn to do ill.
—Common Proverb
Idleness is many gathered miseries in one name.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Philosopher
Indolence is a delightful but distressing state; we must be doing something to be happy. Action is no less necessary than thought to the instinctive tendencies of the human frame.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Sloth is the key to poverty.
—Common Proverb
The insupportable labor of doing nothing.
—Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician
‘Tis the voice of the sluggard; I heard him complain, you have waked me too soon, I must slumber again.
—Isaac Watts (1674–1748) English Hymn writer
You must avoid sloth, that wicked siren.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort, and like them, are often successfully cured by remedies in themselves very nauseous and unpalatable.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Shun idleness. It is a rust that attaches itself to the most brilliant metals.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
That man is idle who can do something better.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Laziness. Unwarranted repose of manner in a person of low degree.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
If you ask me which is the real hereditary sin of human nature, do you imagine I shall answer pride, or luxury, or ambition, or egotism? No; I shall say indolence. Who conquers indolence will conquer all the rest. Indeed all good principles must stagnate without mental activity.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–95) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
Sloth never arrived at the attainment of a good wish.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
I never remember feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely.
—Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) Scottish Writer
It is not the hours we put in on the job, it is what we put into the hours that counts.
—Sidney Madwed (1926–2013) American Poet, Author
He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.
—English Proverb
‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
The path of least resistance makes all rivers, and some men, crooked.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.
—Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927) English Humorous Writer, Novelist, Playwright
Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry, all things easy.—He that rises late must trot all day, and hall scarce overtake his business at night, while laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The love of indolence is universal, or next to it.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Leave a Reply