Quotes from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow

Jerome K. Jerome ·  95 pages

Rating: (1.9K votes)


“Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“It is so pleasant to come across people more stupid than ourselves. We love them at once for being so.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch one another and find sympathy. We differ widely enough in our nobler qualities. It is in our follies that we are at one.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“I like idling when I ought not to be idling; not when it is the only thing I have to do. Thatis my pig-headed nature. The time when I like best to stand with my back to the fire, calculating how much I owe, is when my desk is heaped highest with letters that must be answered by the next post. When I like to dawdle longest over my dinner is when I have a heavy evening's work before me. And if, for some urgent reason, I ought to be up particularly early in the morning, it is then, more than at any other time, that I love to lie an extra half-hour in bed.

Ah! how delicious it is to turn over and go to sleep again: "just for
five minutes." Is there any human being, I wonder, besides the hero of
a Sunday-school "tale for boys," who ever gets up willingly?”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“If there is one person I do despise more than another, it is the man who does not think exactly the same on all topics as I do...”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow



“What readers ask nowadays in a book is that it should improve, instruct and elevate. This book wouldn't elevate a cow. I cannot conscientiously recommend it for any useful purposes whatever. All I can suggest is that when you get tired of reading "the best hundred books," you may take this for half an hour. It will be a change.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“Being poor is a mere trifle. It is being known to be poor that is the sting.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“إنا لا نصاب بالحب مرتين. إن كيوبيد لا يطلق سهمين على نفس القلب. وصيفات الحب هن صديقات العمر: الإحترام والإعجاب والحنان، أما مولاهن العلوي في موكبه الملكي فلا يزورنا إلا مرة يمضي بعدها. فقد نميل إلى شخص، وقد نتعلق بشخص، وقد نولع بهذا أو ذاك، لكنا لا نحب مرة ثانية، إن الحب كالألعاب النارية لا يومض في السماء إلا مرة.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“اننى أحب الكسل عندما لا يصح أن أكون كسولا ، لا عندما يكون الكسل هو الشئ الوحيد أمامى”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“Swearing relieves the feelings - that is what swearing does. I explained this to my aunt on one occasion, but it didn't answer with her. She said I had no business to have such feelings.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow



“Idling has always been my strong point.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but grumble with the rest; and if you can do with a little, ask for a great deal. Because if you don't you won't get any.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“To be misunderstood is the shy man's fate on every occasion; and whatever impression he endeavors to create, he is sure to convey its opposite.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“Young ladies take their notions of our sex from the novels written by their own, and compared with the monstrosities that masquerade for men in the pages of that nightmare literature, Phytagoras' plucked bird and Frankenstein's demon were fair average specimens of humanity.

In these so-called books, the chief lover, or Greek god, as he is admiringly referred to -by the way, they do not say which "Greek god" it is that the gentleman bears such a striking likeness to; it might be hump-backed Vulcan, or double-faced Janus, or even driveling Silenus. He resembles the whole family of them, however, in being a blackguard, and perhaps this is what is meant.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“يا أيها الززمن ادفع بيديك هذة الذكريات المرة عن قلوبنا المثقلة بالهموم”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow



“Speak truth, and right will take care of itself.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“وحدى أنا الآن الطريق مظلم مظلم أتعثر لا أعرف كيف و لا أهتم
الطريق على ما يبدو يقود إلى لا مكان ، ليس ثمة ضوء يرشدنى
لكن الصباح جاء أخيرا جاء ووجدت انى كبرت و أصبحت نفسى”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“It must be eight years since I last saw Joseph Taboys. How pleasant it would be to meet his jovial face again, to clasp his strong hand, and to hear his cheery laugh once more! He owes me 14 shillings, too.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“الأطفال يوفرن لنا البسمة فى دراما الحياة الثقيلة”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“أكثر الظلال كآبة ظلال أنفسنا نحنت الميتة”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow



“Oh, give me back the good old days of fifty years ago," has been the cry ever since Adam's fifty-first birthday.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“It is only the first baby that takes up the whole of a woman's time.Five or six do not require nearly so much attention as one.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“To tell you the truth - mind, this is strictly between ourselves, please; I shouldn't like your wife to know I said it - the women folk don't understand these things; but between you and me, you know, I think it does a man good to swear.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“نجتث الحشائش السامة لا الأزهار من حديقة الذكريات”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“I do like cats. They are so unconsciously amusing. There is such a comic dignity about them, such a "How dare you!" "Go away, don't touch me" sort of air.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow



“A woman never thoroughly cares for her
lover until he has ceased to care for her; and it is not until you have
snapped your fingers in Fortune's face and turned on your heel that she
begins to smile upon you.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“There are various methods by which you may achieve ignominy and shame. By murdering a large and respected family in cold blood and afterward depositing their bodies in the water companies' reservoir, you will gain much unpopularity in the neighborhood of your crime, and even robbing a church will get you cordially disliked, especially by the vicar. But if you desire to drain to the dregs the fullest cup of scorn and hatred that a fellow human creature can pour out for you, let a young mother hear you call dear baby "it.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“По океана на Живота всеки трябва сам да направлява кормилото си; никой не може да ни помогне и да ни даде съвет, защото никой не знае, нито е знаел пътя на тази безбрежна шир. Защото океанът на Живота е много дълбок и никой човек не познава силните течения под неговата слънчева повърхност.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


“Affection will burn cheerily when the white flame of love is flickered out. Affection is a fire that can be fed from day to day and be piled up ever higher as the wintry years draw nigh.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, quote from Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow


About the author

Jerome K. Jerome
Born place: in Walsall, Staffordshire, The United Kingdom
Born date May 2, 1859
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