Works and Days Quotes

“A man who works evil against another works it really against himself, and bad advice is worst for the one who devised it”
― Hesiod, Works and Days

“So you, the kings, you too must reflect upon this punishment, because the immortals are here in the midst of manking, observing those who do not hold the gods in awe...but grind each other down with crooked judgements”
― Hesiod, Works and Days

“Never procrastinate. Never say you’ll do it tomorrow or the next day. Slow workers never fill their barns. Neither do procrastinators. Diligence does the job.”
― Hesiod, Work and Days

“For the gods keep hidden from men the means of life. Else you would easily do work enough in a day to supply you for a full year even without working; soon would you put away your rudder over the smoke, and the fields worked by ox and sturdy mule would run to waste. But Zeus in the anger of his heart hid it, because Prometheus the crafty deceived him; therefore he planned sorrow and mischief against men. He hid fire; but that the noble son of Iapetus stole again for men from Zeus the counsellor in a hollow fennel-stalk, so that Zeus who delights in thunder did not see it. But afterwards Zeus who gathers the clouds said to him in anger: `Son of Iapetus, surpassing all in cunning, you are glad that you have outwitted me and stolen fire -- a great plague to you yourself and to men that shall be. But I will give men as the price for fire an evil thing in which they may all be glad of heart while they embrace their own destruction.”
― Hesiod, Work and Days

“А коли пізній зробиш посів, то ліки й на те є:
Лиш перший раз закує, у дувняку десь, зозуля,
Втішивши серце смертних людей на землі неозорій,
Зевс на третій день задощить і дощитиме, поки
Врівень не стане з копитом вола, - ні більше, ні менше.
Ось тоді пізній орач - із раннім зрівнятися може.”
― Hesiod, Hesiod: Works And Days:

“One who delays his work is always wrestling with ruin.”
― Hesiod, Work and Days

“(...) ὧδ᾽ ἔρδειν, καὶ ἔργον ἐπ᾽ ἔργῳ ἐργάζεσθαι.”
― Hesiod, Work and Days