“In life there are two things which are dependable. The pleasures of the flesh and the pleasures of literature.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Pleasing things: finding a large number of tales that one has not read before. Or acquiring the second volume of a tale whose first volume one has enjoyed. But often it is a disappointment.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“A man who has nothing in particular to recommend him discusses all sorts of subjects at random as if he knew everything.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“185. It Is Getting So Dark
I am the sort of person who approves of what others abhor and detests the things they like.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“ 134. Letters are Commonplace
Letters are commonplace enough, yet what splendid things they are! When someone is in a distant province and one is worried about him, and then a letter suddenly arrives, one feels as though one were seeing him face to face. Again, it is a great comfort to have expressed one's feelings in a letter even though one knows it cannot yet have arrived. If letters did not exist, what dark depressions would come over one! When one has been worrying about something and wants to tell a certain person about it, what a relief it is to put it all down in a letter! Still greater is one's joy when a reply arrives. At that moment a letter really seems like an elixir of life.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“To wash your hair, apply your makeup and put on clothes that are well-scented with incense. Even if you’re somewhere where no one special will see you, you still feel a heady sense of pleasure inside.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“71. Rare Things-- A son-in-law who's praised by his wife's father. Likewise, a wife who's loved by her mother-in-law.
A pair of silver tweezers that can actually pull out hairs properly.
A retainer who doesn't speak ill of his master.
A person who is without a single quirk. Someone who's superior in both appearance and character, and who's remained utterly blameless throughout his long dealings with the world.
You never find an instance of two people living together who continue to be overawed by each other's excellence and always treat each other with scrupulous care and respect, so such a relationship is obviously a great rarity.
Copying out a tale or a volume of poems without smearing any ink on the book you're copying from. If you're copying it from some beautiful bound book, you try to take immense care, but somehow you always manage to get ink on it.
Two women, let alone a man and a woman, who vow themselves to each other forever, and actually manage to remain on good terms to the end.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Someone who butts in when you're talking and smugly provides the ending herself. Indeed anyone who butts in, be they child or adult, is most infuriating.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“How ever did I pass
the time before I knew you?
I think of that past time
as now I pass each passing day
in lonely sorrow, lacking you.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“ 64. Surprising and Distressing Things
While one is cleaning a decorative comb, something catches in the teeth and the comb breaks.
A carriage overturns. One would have imagined that such a solid, bulky object would remain forever on its wheels. It all seems like a dream -- astonishing and senseless.
A child or grown-up blurts out something that is bound to make people uncomfortable.
All night long one has been waiting for a man who one thought was sure to arrive. At dawn, just when one has forgotten about him for a moment and dozed off, a crow caws loudly. One wakes up with a start and sees that it is daytime -- most astonishing.
One of the bowmen in an archery contest stands trembling for a long time before shooting; when finally he does release his arrow, it goes in the wrong direction.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“185. It Is Getting So Dark
Whatever people may think of my book, I still regret that it ever came to light.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Sometimes a person who is utterly devoid of charm will try to create a good impression by using very elegant language; yet he only succeeds in being ridiculous.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“8. The Cat Who Lived in the Palace
The cat who lived in the Palace had been awarded the head-dress of nobility and was called Lady Myobu.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“27. Trees
I shall say absolutely nothing about the spindle tree.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Women without prospect, who lead dull earnest lives and rejoice in their petty little pseudo-pleasures, I find quite depressing and despicable.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“I do wish men, when they're taking their leave from a lady at dawn, wouldn't insist on adjusting their clothes to a nicety, or fussily tying their lacquered cap securely into place. After all, who would laugh at a man or criticize him if they happened to catch sight of him on his way home from an assignation in fearful disarray, with his cloak or hunting costume all awry?”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“14. Hateful Things: Someone has suddenly fallen ill and one summons the exorcist. Since he is not home, one has to send messages to look for him. After one has had a long fretful wait, the exorcist finally arrives, and with a sigh of relief one asks him to start his incantations. But perhaps he has been exorcising too many evil spirits recently; for hardly has he installed himself and begun praying when his voice becomes drowsy. Oh, how hateful!”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Lighting some fine incense and then lying down alone to sleep. Looking into a Chinese mirror that’s a little clouded.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“30. Insects
The fly should have been included in my list of hateful things; for such an odious creature does not belong with ordinary insects...”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“A man you’ve had to conceal in some unsatisfactory hiding place, who then begins to snore.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“[33]* In the seventh month, when the heat is dreadful, everything in the building is kept open all through the night, and it’s delightful to wake on moonlit nights and lie there looking out. Dark nights too are delightful, and as for the sight of the moon at dawn, words cannot describe the loveliness. Picture her lying there, on a fresh new mat 1 placed near the outer edge of the gleaming wooden aisle-room floor, the low standing curtain pushed to the back of the room in a quite unseemly way. 2 It should normally be placed at the outer edge, but perhaps she’s concerned about being seen from within. Her lover must have already left. She is lying asleep, a robe drawn up over her head 3 – it is pale greyish-violet with deep violet inner lining, the outer surface a little faded, or perhaps it is a stiffish robe of rich gleaming damask. Beneath this, she is wearing a clove-tan or yellow gossamer-silk shift, and the long strings of her unlined scarlet skirted trousers trailing undone from below the hem of her clothing tell us that she must have fallen asleep with trousers still untied after her lover departed. The soft luxury of hair that lies piled in waves beside her speaks of its wonderful length.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“A palm-leaf carriage should move slowly, or else it loses its dignity.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Sarusawa Pond is a very special place, because the Emperor paid it a formal visit when he heard how one of the Palace Maidens had drowned herself there. 1 Thinking of Hitomaro’s marvellous words ‘her hair tangled as in sleep’, there is really nothing I can add.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“25. Flowering trees
The blossom of the pear tree is the most prosaic, vulgar thing in the world. The less one sees this particular blossom the better...”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“The Emperor’s cat had received the fifth rank, and was given the appropriate title-name ‘Myōbu’. It was a charming creature, and the Emperor was quite devoted to it. One”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Equally disagreeable is the man who, when leaving in the middle of the night, takes care to fasten the cord of his headdress. This is quite unnecessary; he could perfectly well put it gently on his head without tying the cord. And why must he spend time adjusting his cloak or hunting costume? Does he really think that someone may see him at this time of night and criticize him for not being impeccably dressed?
A good lover will behave as elegantly at dawn as at any other time. He drags himself out of bed with a look of dismay on his face. The lady urges him on: “Come, my friend, it’s getting light. You don’t want anyone to find you here.” He gives a deep sigh, as if to say that the night has not been nearly long enough and that it is agony to leave. Once up, he does not instantly pull on his trousers. Instead, he comes close to the lady and whispers whatever was left unsaid during the night. Even when he is dressed, he still lingers, vaguely pretending to be fastening his sash.
Presently he raises the lattice, and the two lovers stand together by the side door while he tells her how he dreads the coming day, which will keep them apart; then he slips away. The lady watches him go, and this moment of parting will remain among her most charming memories.
Indeed, one’s attachment to a man depends largely on the elegance of his leave-taking. When he jumps out of bed, scurries about the room, tightly fastens his trouser-sash, rolls up the sleeves of his Court cloak, over-robe, or hunting costume, stuffs his belongings into the breast of his robe and then briskly secures the outer sash—one really begins to hate him.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“After all, the cherry blossom blooms every year, but does anyone find it the less lovely for that?”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
“Cosas detestables
Cuando uno tiene prisa por salir, llega alguien de visita y se queda hablando un largo tiempo. Si es una persona de poca importancia, uno puede deshacerse de ella diciendo que podrán hablar en otra ocasión; pero si se trata de alguien a quien se le debe respeto, la situación se vuelve realmente detestable.
Uno encuentra un pelo sobre el suzuri, o el mismo sumi contiene un grano de piedra que, al frotar, produce un chirrito destemplado.
Un hombre que no se destaca en nada, discute toda clase de temas, riéndose, como si supiera algo de ello.
Envidiar la suerte de los demas y quejarse de la propia, hablar mal de la gente, interesarse por lo superficial, querer saberlo todo y estar resentido y vilipediar a los que no nos han informado de los hechos, o bien, cuando sólo se ha tenido una noticia parcial, hablar de ella con lujo de detalles como si se tratase de algo que conoce desde el principio: todo esto es odioso.
Se está por escuchar alguna noticia interesante cuando un niño empieza a llorar.
Un hombre nos viene a ver en secreto; un perro lo ve y se pone a ladrar: dan ganas de matarlo.
Ya es bastante tontería el invitar a un hombre a pasar la noche, ocultándolo donde no debería estar, y he aquí que ronca.
Uno va a la cama y está a punto de quedar dormido cuando un mosquito anuncia su presencia con voz aguda cerca de nuestra cara; hasta se siente el aire que mueve con sus alas a pesar de su pequeñez, y esto es en extremo odioso.
Estamos en medio de un relato cuando otra persona se inmiscuye, nos interrumpe, y trata de demostrar que es el único ser inteligente de la reunión. Tales personas son odiosas, se trate de niños o mayores.
Un hombre con el que tenemos relaciones amorosas, se pone a alabar a una mujer que conoció en el pasado, y aunque sea una cosa lejana no puede resultar menos horrible. ¡Cuánto más si se trata de alguien a quien él sigue visitando!
No soporto a las personas que salen sin cerrar la puerta tras de sí.”
― Sei Shōnagon, quote from The Pillow Book
Sei Shōnagon
Born place: Japan
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“My problem was not only drinking; it was selfishness. The booze was leading me to put myself ahead of others, especially my family. I loved Laura and the girls too much to let that happen. Faith showed me a way out.”
― George W. Bush, quote from Decision Points
“Courage is about learning how to function despite the fear, to put aside your instincts to run or give in completely to the anger born from fear. Courage is about using your brain and your heart when every cell of your body is screaming at your to fight or flee - and then following through on what you believe is the right thing to do.”
― Jim Butcher, quote from Ghost Story
“That's the whole problem, isn't it?" He turned his face toward the night sky and let out a horrible laugh, like a gasp of pain. "Why are you the only person who's allowed to be strong?”
― Katie Alender, quote from From Bad to Cursed
“thousand years ago the average life expectancy of mankind was only twenty-five years. It took another nine hundred years to extend that to thirty-seven. Today the average is seventy-eight. So, in the past hundred years, we more than doubled life expectancy. That”
― James Rollins, quote from Bloodline
“If guys don't open doors for you, then they aren't worth your time.”
― Abbi Glines, quote from Misbehaving
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A Year of Marvellous...BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.
We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.
Founded in 2023, BookQuoters has quickly become a large and vibrant community of people who share an affinity for books. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is typical of the Information Age but is a habit disdained by some diehard readers. We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. We hope you’ll join us.
