Antoine de Saint-Exupery Quotes

It’s quite possible that this man is absurd. But he’s less absurd than the king, the very vain man, the businessman, and the drunkard. At least his work has some meaning. When he lights his lamp, it’s as if he’s bringing one more star to life, or one more flower. When he puts out his lamp, that sends the flower or the star to sleep. Which is a fine occupation. And therefore truly useful.[translation by Richard Howard]It may well be that this man is absurd. But he is not so absurd as the king, the conceited man, the businessman, and the tippler. For at least his work has some meaning. When he lights his street lamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That is a beautiful occupation. And since it is beautiful, it is truly useful.[translation by Katherine Woods][Peut-être bien que cet homme est absurde. Cependant il est moins absurde que le roi, que le vaniteux, que le businessman et que le buveur. Au moins son travail a-t-il un sens. Quand il allume son réverbère, c’est comme s’il faisait naître une étoile de plus, ou une fleur. Quand il éteint son réverbère ça endort la fleur ou l’étoile. C’est une occupation très jolie. C’est véritablement utile puisque c’est joli.]

It is much harder to judge yourself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself, it’s because you are truly a wise man.[translation by Richard Howard]It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.[translation by Katherine Woods][Il est bien plus difficile de se juger soi-même que de juger autrui. Si tu réussis à bien te juger, c’est que tu es un véritable sage.]

If you love a flower that lives on a star, then it’s good, at night, to look up at the sky. All the stars are blossoming.[translation by Richard Howard]If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the sky at night. All the stars are a-bloom with flowers…[translation by Katherine Woods][Si tu aimes une fleur qui se trouve dans une étoile, c’est doux, la nuit, de regarder le ciel. Toutes les étoiles sont fleuries.]

I’ve always loved the desert. You sit down on a sand dune. You see nothing. You hear nothing. And yet something shines, something sings in that silence…[translation by Richard Howard]I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams…[translation by Katherine Woods][J’ai toujours aimé le désert. On s’assoit sur une dune de sable. On ne voit rien. On n’entend rien. Et cependant quelque chose rayonne en silence…]

I need to put up with two or three caterpillars if I want to get to know the butterflies.[translation by Richard Howard]I must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.[translation by Katherine Woods][Il faut bien que je supporte deux ou trois chenilles si je veux connaître les papillons.]

I know a planet inhabited by a red-faced gentleman. He’s never smelled a flower. He’s never looked at a star. He’s never loved anyone. He’s never done anything except add up numbers. And all day long he says over and over, just like you, ‘I’m a serious man! I’m a serious man!’[translation by Richard Howard]I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: ‘I am busy with matters of consequence![translation by Katherine Woods][Je connais une planète où il y a un Monsieur cramoisi. Il n’a jamais respiré une fleur. Il n’a jamais regardé une étoile. Il n’a jamais aimé personne. Il n’a jamais rien fait d’autre que des additions. Et toute la journée il répète comme toi:  “Je suis un homme sérieux! Je suis un homme sérieux!”]

I have spent lots of time with grown-ups. I have seen them at close range… which hasn’t much improved my opinion of them.[translation by Richard Howard]I have lived a great deal among grown-ups. I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And that hasn’t much improved my opinion of them.[translation by Katherine Woods][J’ai beaucoup vécu chez les grandes personnes. Je les ai vues de très près. Ça n’a pas trop amélioré mon opinion.]

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is exhausting for children to have to provide explanations over and over again.[translation by Richard Howard]Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.[translation by Katherine Woods][Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c’est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours et toujours leur donner des explications.]

For travelers, the stars are guides. For other people, they’re nothing but tiny lights.[translation by Richard Howard]For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky.[translation by Katherine Woods][Pour d’autres elles ne sont rien que de petites lumières. Pour d’autres, qui sont savants, elles sont des problèmes.]

But eyes are blind. You have to look with the heart.[translation by Richard Howard]The eyes are blind. One must look with the heart…[translation by Katherine Woods][Mais les yeux sont aveugles. Il faut chercher avec le cœur.]

“Your planet is very beautiful,” he said. “Does it have any oceans?”
“I couldn’t say,” said the geographer.
“Oh!” The little prince was disappointed. “And mountains?”
“I couldn’t say,” said the geographer.
“And cities and rivers and deserts?”
“I couldn’t tell you that, either,” the geographer said.
“But you’re a geographer!”
“That’s right,” said the geographer, “but I’m not an explorer.”
[translation by Richard Howard]“Your planet is very beautiful,” he said. “Has it any oceans?”
“I couldn’t tell you,” said the geographer.
“Ah!” The little prince was disappointed. “Has it any mountains?”
“I couldn’t tell you,” said the geographer.
“And towns, and rivers, and deserts?”
“I couldn’t tell you that, either.”
“But you are a geographer!”
“Exactly,” the geographer said. “But I am not an explorer.[translation by Katherine Woods][– Elle est bien belle, votre planète. Est-ce qu’il y a des océans?
– Je ne puis pas le savoir-dit le géographe.
– Ah! – Le petit prince était déçu- Et des montagnes?
– Je ne puis pas le savoir – dit le géographe.
– Et des villes et des fleuves et des déserts?
– Je ne puis pas le savoir non plus – dit le géographe.
– Mais vous êtes géographe!
– C’est exact -dit le géographe -, mais je ne suis pas explorateur.]