Idleness Quote by Jean de La Bruyère
![“[Il ne manque cependant à l'oisiveté du sage qu'un meilleur nom, et que méditer, parler, lire, et être tranquille s'appelât travailler.] There is, however, nothing wanting to the idleness of a philosopher but a better name, and that meditation, conversation, and reading should be called “work”.” quote by Jean de La Bruyère](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9bd/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_idleness_il-ne-manque-cependant-l-oisivet-du-sage_206863.jpg)
““[Il ne manque cependant à l'oisiveté du sage qu'un meilleur nom, et que méditer, parler, lire, et être tranquille s'appelât travailler.] There is, however, nothing wanting to the idleness of a philosopher but a better name, and that meditation, conversation, and reading should be called “work”.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Les Caractères, 1688
The philosopher’s idle pursuits are valuable, and should be recognized as work rather than laziness.
In simple terms: Idle intellectual activity is real work.
Key Takeaway
Value thoughtful leisure as productive.
Themes
philosophy
leisure
work
identity
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- creative writing
- personal reflection
- quiet study
Key Concepts
Stoicism
self‑actualization
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we reframe intellectual leisure as work?
- What benefits arise from recognizing contemplation as productive?
A Different Perspective
Some may view idleness as unproductive without cultural context.
![“The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. [Fr., La cour est comme un edifice bati de marbre; je veux dire qu'elle est composee d'hommes fort durs mais fort polis.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcf/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_built_the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marb_77288.jpg)
