Here I have gathered a great list of Jules Renard quotes in French and English translation.
All the Jules Renard’s quotes are authentic and they are linked to proper sources.
Click on the links below each quote and you can actually see the particular quotation by Jules Renard from verified sources.
French author Jules Renard is popularly known for his autobiographical novel titled “lPoil de carotte” (Carrot Head), which was published in 1894.
It is about his own wretched childhood and his harsh mother.
The British writer Somerset Maugham wrote about it in the preface of his book “A Writer’s Workbook“.
Here I have gathered a list of popular Jules Renard quotes in French and English translation for your reading pleasure.
“I do not care to know a lot of things I want to know things that I like.” – Jules Renard
“Je me moque de savoir beaucoup de choses : je veux savoir des choses que j’aime.” (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: )
(Another .)
“The scholar generalizes, the artist individualizes.” – Jules Renard
“Le savant généralise, l’artiste individualise.” (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: )
(Another .)
“Men of nature, as they are called, do not spend much time talking about nature.” – Jules Renard
“Les hommes de la nature, comme on les appelle, ne parlent guère de la nature. (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: )
(Another .)
“The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat.” – Jules Renard
“L’idéal du calme est dans un chat assis.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: )
(Another link.)
“To have a horror of the bourgeois is bourgeois..” – Jules Renard
“L’horreur des bourgeois est bourgeoise.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 10 avril 1889; p.33)
(Another .)
“Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it.” – Jules Renard
“Cherchez le ridicule en tout, vous le trouverez.” (French)
(The quote in French is found: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 17 février 1890; p.69)
(Another link.)
”Life is neither long nor short: it has long-drawn-out moments.” – Jules Renard
“La vie n’est ni longue, ni courte : elle a des longueurs.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 22 août 1909; p.1525)
(Another .)
“If you want to please women, tell them the things you would not want other men to tell your wife.” – Jules Renard
“Si vous voulez plaire aux femmes, dites-leur ce que vous ne voudriez pas qu’on dît à la vôtre.” (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, vol.12, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 29 avril 1898; p.586)
(Another link.)
“Truth is always disenchanting. Art is here in order to falsify it.” – Jules Renard
“La vérité désenchante toujours. L’art est là pour la falsifier.” (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 22 août 1909; p.1523)
(Another link.)
“There is false modesty, but there is no false pride.” – Jules Renard
“Il y a la fausse modeStie, mais il ny a pas de faux orgueil.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 10 mars 1909; p.1497)
(Another .)
“Literature is an occupation in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none.” – Jules Renard
“La littérature est un métier où il faut sans cesse recommencer la preuve qu’on a du talent pour des gens qui n’en ont aucun.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 28 février 1909; p.1497)
(Another link.)
“Fame is the smoke without fire that we hear so much about.” – Jules Renard
“La gloire, c’est la fumée sans feu dont on parle tant.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 17 juin 1908; p.1442)
(Another link.)
“Moments when even the man who is least modest is astonished to find that he is something.” – Jules Renard
“Heures où l’homme le moins modeste s’étonne d’être quelque chose.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 3 janvier 1908; p.1399)
(Another link.)
“I understand life less and less, and love it more and more.” – Jules Renard
“La vie, je la comprends de moins en moins, et je l’aime de plus en plus.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 12 février 1907; p.1349) (Another link.)
“You do not understand life any more at forty than you did at twenty, but you are aware of this fact, and you admit it. To admit it is to remain young.” – Jules Renard
“On ne comprend pas plus la vie à quarante ans qu’à vingt, mais on le sait, et on l’avoue. C’est ça, de la jeunesse.” (French)
()
(The quote in French is found in: )
(Another link.)
“When the defects of others are perceived with so much clarity, it is because one possesses them oneself.” – Jules Renard
“Quand on peut voir si nettement les défauts des autres, c’ est qu’ on les a.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 23 octobre 1908; p.1471)
(Another link.)
“It is more difficult to be an honorable man for eight days than a hero for fifteen minutes.” – Jules Renard
“Il est plus difficile d’être un honnête homme huit jours qu’un héros un quart d’heure.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 17 juillet 1908; p.1363)
(Another link.)
“The danger of success is that it makes us forget the world’s dreadful injustice.” – Jules Renard
“Le danger du succès c’est qu’il nous fait oublier l’effroyable injustice du monde.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, vol.15., Francois Bernouard, 1927, 13 janvier 1908; p.1405)
(Another link)
(Also can be found in )
“Shadow lives only in light.” – Jules Renard
“L’ombre ne vit qu’à la lumière.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 10 janvier 1908; p.1403)
(Another link.)
“Certainly there are good and bad times, but our mood changes more often than our fortune.” – Jules Renard
“Certes, il y a de bons et de mauvais moments, mais notre humeur change plus souvent que notre fortune.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, vol.14, Francois Bernouard,1927, 30 janvier 1905; p.1162)
“The one who loves and admires us most is, after all, the one who knows us least.” – Jules Renard
“Celui qui nous aime et nous admire le mieux, c’est encore celui qui nous connaît le moins.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 20 juin 1905; p.1191)
(Another .)
“The fool who understands his foolishness may no longer be quite such a fool, but the lazy man can be aware of his laziness, bemoan it, and remain lazy.” – Jules Renard
“Le sot qui sent sa sottise n’est déjà plus si sot, mais le paresseux peut connaître sa paresse, en gémir, et le rester.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, juillet 1905; p.1194)
“The working man goes to political meetings, the bourgeois to lectures.” – Jules Renard
“L’ouvrier va aux réunions politiques, le bourgeois, aux conférences.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 5 juillet 1905; p.1197)
(Another link.)
“Socialism must come down from the brain and reach the heart.” – Jules Renard
“Il faut que le socialisme descende du cerveau jusqu’au cœur.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 18 août 1905; p.1204)
(Another link.)
“Life is badly arranged. The poor and the ignorant should be rich, and the intelligent man, poor.” – Jules Renard
“La vie est mal faite. Les pauvres, ignorants, devraient être riches, et, l’homme intelligent, pauvre.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 5 novembre 1905; p.1224)
(Another link.)
“The reward of great men is that, long after they have died, one is not quite sure that they are dead.” – Jules Renard
“La récompense des grands hommes, c’est que, longtemps après leur mort, on n’est pas bien sûr qu’ils soient morts.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 22 décembre 1893; p.228)
(Another link.)
“If rest is not to some extent work, it quickly becomes boredom.” – Jules Renard
“Si le repos n’est pas encore, un peu, du travail, c’est tout de suite de l’ennui.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 17 août 1903; p.1029)
(Another link.)
“Be modest! It is the kind of pride least likely to offend.” – Jules Renard
“Sois modeste! C’ est le genre d’ orgueil qui déplaît le moins.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 30 septembre 1895; p.341)
(Another link.)
“All our criticism consists of reproaching others with not having the qualities that we believe ourselves to have.” – Jules Renard
“Toute notre critique, c’est de reprocher à autrui de n’avoir pas les qualités que nous croyons avoir.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 29 juillet 1895; p.333)
(Another link.)
“God is no solution. It doesn’t arrange anything. It makes nothing right.” – Jules Renard
“Dieu n’ est pas une solution. Ca n’ arrange rien.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: )
“Nothing is sweeter to a man’s heart that the rapture of the woman he loves.” – Jules Renard
“Rien n’est plus doux au cœur d’un homme que le ravissement de la femme qu’il aime.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: )
“We spend our lives talking about this mystery – our life.” – Jules Renard
“Nous passons notre vie à causer de ce mystère : notre vie.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 27 avril 1894; p.259)
(Another link.)
“There are no friends; only moments of friendship.” – Jules Renard
“Il n’y a pas d’amis : il y a des moments d’amitié.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 3 janvier 1894; p.232)
(Another link.)
“There are a few essential needs, and one should depart from them neither inwardly nor outwardly. Outwardly, it is foolishness; inwardly, it is pride.” – Jules Renard
“Il faut le strict necessaire, et il faut ne s’en e’carter ni en dedans, ni en dehors: en dehors, c’est de la sottise, en dedans, c’est de l’orgueil”.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 4 février 1895; p.308)
(Another link.)
“The more one reads, the less one imitates.” – Jules Renard
“Plus on lit, et moins on imite.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 26 avril 1893; p.190)
(Another link.)
“My brain is becoming like a spider’s web; life can no longer go by without being caught.” – Jules Renard
“Mon cerveau devient comme une toile d’araignée : la vie n’y peut plus passer sans se faire prendre.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 8 septembre 1907; p.1378)
(Another link.)
“Words are the small change of thought.” – Jules Renard
“Les mots sont la menue monnaie de la pensée.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 15 novembre 1888; p.24)
(Another link.)
“Certain liars have such a need of lying that one takes pity on them and helps them along.” – Jules Renard
“Certains menteurs ont un tel besoin de mentir qu’on a pitié d’eux et qu’on les aide.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 1er février 1910; p.1542)
(Another .)
“Don’t tell a woman she is pretty. Tell her that she is not like the others, and all her avenues will be open to you.” – Jules Renard
“Ne dites pas à une femme qu’elle est jolie. Dites-lui seulement qu’elle ne ressemble pas aux autres, et toutes ses carrières vous seront ouvertes.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.12, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 29 avril 1898; p.585)
(Another link.)
“Inspiration is perhaps only the joy of writing; it does not precede writing.” – Jules Renard
“L’inspiration, ce n’est peut-être que la joie d’écrire : elle ne la précède pas.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.12, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 9 mai 1898; p.587)
(Another link.)
“Work thinks; laziness muses.” – Jules Renard
“Le travail pense, la paresse songe.” (French)
((The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.11, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 27 décembre 1887; p.21)
(Another link.)
“We did not have the same thoughts, but we had thoughts of the same color.” – Jules Renard
“Nous n’avions pas les mêmes pensées, mais nous avions des pensées de même couleur.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.12, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 138 décembre 1896; p.439)
(Another .)
“If I were to begin life again, I should want it as it was. I would only open my eyes a little more. I did not see properly, and I did not see everything in that little universe in which I was feeling my way. ” – Jules Renard
“Si je recommençais ma vie, je la voudrais telle quelle. J’ouvrirais seulement un peu plus l’œil. J’ai mal vu, et je n’ai pas tout vu de ce petit univers où j’allais à tâtons.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 13 mars 1906; p.1272)
(Another link.)
“The shepherd with his sheep looks like a church with its village.” – Jules Renard
“Le berger avec ses moutons a l’air d’une église avec son village.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.12, Francois Bernouard, 2 janvier, 1899; p.624)
(Another link.)
“If you fear solitude, do not try to be just.” – Jules Renard
“Si tu crains la solitude, n’essaie pas d’être juste.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.14, Francois Bernouard, 1927, juillet 1905; p.1195)
(Another link.)
“Posterity! Why should people be less stupid tomorrow than they are today?” – Jules Renard
“Postérité ! Pourquoi les gens seraient-ils moins bêtes demain qu’aujourd’hui ?” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol.15, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 24 janvier 1906; p.1259)
(Another link.)
“Art is something sterner and does not tolerate over-refinement. Simple does not mean bloodless.” – Jules Renard
“L’art est plus sévère et résiste mal au goût épuré. Le simple n’est pas le mièvre.” (French)
(The quote in French is found in: Les oeuvres complètes de Jules Renard : 1864-1910, Vol. 12, Francois Bernouard, 1927, 5 août 1899; p.656)
(Another link.)