--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who lives without committing any folly…" description: "\"He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. [Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.]\" — Francois de La Roche..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-committing-any-foll_1308958.png" --- # He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise… ![“He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. [Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.]” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-committing-any-foll_1308958.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-committing-any-foll_1308958.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-committing-any-foll_1308958.png) > “He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. \[Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.\]” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding all folly shows false wisdom; some mistakes reveal insight. **In simple terms:** No fool is truly wise. Key Takeaway Accept occasional errors as learning. Themes wisdom folly self‑awareness Mood thoughtful humorous Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - decision making - personal growth - leadership - teaching Key Concepts Moral philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - What folly have you learned from? - Can humility improve judgment? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Sage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sage/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise-as-he-thinks/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Folly consists not in committing Folly, but in being incapable of concealing it. All men make mistakes, but the wise conceal the blunders they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/folly-consists-not-in-committing-folly-but-in-being-incapable-of/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [The fool thinks he is wise and the wise thinks he is not a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-fool-thinks-he-is-wise-and-the-wise-thinks-he-is-not-a-fool/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We live in an age that reads too much to be wise, and that thinks too much to be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-live-in-an-age-that-reads-too-much-to-be-wise-and-that-thinks-too/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/a-great-source-of-calamity-lies-in-regret-and-anticipation-therefore/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [There is no folly like the folly of the wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/there-is-no-folly-like-the-folly-of-the-wise/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/where-ignorance-is-bliss-tis-folly-to-be-wise/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) > [If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/if-the-fool-would-persist-in-his-folly-he-would-become-wise/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > ['Tis folly to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/tis-folly-to-be-wise/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) > [The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-fool-who-persists-in-his-folly-will-become-wise/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“Yet, ah! why should they know their fate, Since sorrow never comes too late, And happiness too swiftly flies? Thought would destroy their Paradise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/yet-ah-why-should-they-know-their-fate-since-sorrow-never-comes-too/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) > [“… where ignorance is bliss, ’Tis folly to be wise wrote the poet Thomas Gray.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/where-ignorance-is-bliss-tis-folly-to-be-wise-wrote-the-poet-thomas/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [What I build upon I shall be told is a folly that wise men are not guilty of: I own it; but whilst it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-graham/what-i-build-upon-i-shall-be-told-is-a-folly-that-wise-men-are-not/) Sylvester Graham > [Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/love-is-the-wisdom-of-the-fool-and-the-folly-of-the-wise/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise. - Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/where-ignorance-is-bliss-tis-folly-to-be-wise-ode-on-a-distant/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Folly quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [Tis easy to break an idol, very easy: to regard the self as easy to subdue is folly, folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/tis-easy-to-break-an-idol-very-easy-to-regard-the-self-as-easy-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What curious little corners of folly are to be found in even the sanest brain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/what-curious-little-corners-of-folly-are-to-be-found-in-even-the/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Unnecessary hustle is one of the American follies. We hustle at both work and play, and consequently enjoy neither to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/unnecessary-hustle-is-one-of-the-american-follies-we-hustle-at-both/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Democracy is the worst form of government. It is the most inefficient, the most clumsy, the most unpractical… It reduces wisdom to impotence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-briffault/democracy-is-the-worst-form-of-government-it-is-the-most-inefficient/) [Robert Briffault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-briffault/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [One's conscience reproaches one much more stingingly for one's follies than one's crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-jewsbury/one-s-conscience-reproaches-one-much-more-stingingly-for-one-s/) [Geraldine Jewsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-jewsbury/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/we-are-more-heavily-taxed-by-our-idleness-pride-and-folly-than-we-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 1,246 Folly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. 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