Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims

Rochefoucauld’s work gathers bite‑sized moral observations that cut straight to the heart of human behavior. Each maxim is a compact, often paradoxical statement that reveals the selfish motives and hidden vanity behind everyday actions. The accompanying Reflections expand these insights, turning a terse aphorism into a brief, probing essay. Listeners will find the style both elegant and sharply witty, a mirror for anyone who enjoys contemplating the undercurrents of social life.

First published in the late 1600s, the collection reflects the courtly intrigue and restrained despotism of the ancien régime, offering a candid look at the values of that era. The translation presented here strives to bring both the original Maxims and, for the first time in English, the longer Reflections, incorporating several supplements that survived only in French manuscripts. This careful rendering invites modern listeners to hear a voice that, despite centuries of distance, still speaks with startling relevance to today’s ambitions and anxieties.