The Jewish usurers are fast-rooted even in the smallest villages, and if they lend five gulden they require a security of six times as much. They charge interest, upon interest, and upon this again interest, so that the poor man loses everything that he owns.

Desiderius Erasmus

More Quotes by Desiderius Erasmus
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More Quotes From Desiderius Erasmus
Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself. by Desiderius Erasmus

Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.

Desiderius Erasmus
light-life uplifting inspirational

Read first the best books. The important thing for you is not how much you know, but the quality of what you know.

Desiderius Erasmus
quality important book
He who allows oppression shares the crime. by Desiderius Erasmus

He who allows oppression shares the crime.

Desiderius Erasmus
perseverance democracy freedom

Sacred scripture is of course the basic authority for everything; yet I sometimes run across ancient sayings or pagan writings - even the poets - so purely and reverently and admirably expressed that I can't help believing the author's hearts were moved by some divine power. And perhaps the spirit of Christ is more widespread than we understand, and the company of the saints includes many not on our calendar.

Desiderius Erasmus
writing running believe

I put up with this church, in the hope that one day it will become better, just as it is constrained to put up with me in the hope that I will become better.

Desiderius Erasmus
one-day church
Eagles don't catch flies. by Desiderius Erasmus

Eagles don't catch flies.

Desiderius Erasmus
eagles strength
A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit. by Desiderius Erasmus

A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit.

Desiderius Erasmus
nails wisdom overcoming
By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can m... by Desiderius Erasmus

By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.

Desiderius Erasmus
jesus-christ mankind made

There are some whose only reason for inciting war is to use it as a means to exercise their tyranny over their subjects more easily. For in times of peace the authority of the assembly, the dignity of the magistrates, the force of the laws stand in the way to some extent of the ruler doing what he likes. But once war is declared then the whole business of state is subject to the will of a few ... They demand as much money as they like. Why say more?

Desiderius Erasmus
exercise war mean

Picture the prince, such as most of them are today: a man ignorant of the law, well-nigh an enemy to his people's advantage, while intent on his personal convenience, a dedicated voluptuary, a hater of learning, freedom and truth, without a thought for the interests of his country, and measuring everything in terms of his own profit and desires.

Desiderius Erasmus
law men country
He who doesn't sin, is the greatest sinner of all. by Desiderius Erasmus

He who doesn't sin, is the greatest sinner of all.

Desiderius Erasmus
sin wisdom wise
Our determination to imitiate Christ should be such that we have... by Desiderius Erasmus

Our determination to imitiate Christ should be such that we have no time for other matters.

Desiderius Erasmus
persistence determination time
It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be... by Desiderius Erasmus

It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be what he is.

Desiderius Erasmus
being-yourself positive happiness

For them it's out-of-date and outmoded to perform miracles; teaching the people is too like hard work, interpreting the holy scriptures is for schoolmen and praying is a waste of time; to shed tears is weak and womanish, to be needy is degrading; to suffer defeat is a disgrace and hardly fitting for one who scarcely permits the greatest of kings to kiss the toes of his sacred feet; and finally, death is an unattractive prospect, and dying on a cross would be an ignominious end.

Desiderius Erasmus
hard-work teaching kings
Nothing is as peevish and pedantic as men's judgments of one anot... by Desiderius Erasmus

Nothing is as peevish and pedantic as men's judgments of one another.

Desiderius Erasmus
pedants criticism men
In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. by Desiderius Erasmus

In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Desiderius Erasmus
wisdom kings men

The majority of the common people loathe war and pray for peace; only a handful of individuals, whose evil joys depend on general misery, desire war.

Desiderius Erasmus
evil war people
The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its you... by Desiderius Erasmus

The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth

Desiderius Erasmus
wisdom education lying

At last concluded that no creature was more miserable than man, for that all other creatures are content with those bounds that nature set them, only man endeavors to exceed them.

Desiderius Erasmus
miserable lasts men
Concealed talent brings no reputation. by Desiderius Erasmus

Concealed talent brings no reputation.

Desiderius Erasmus
concealed reputation talent