Voltaire quote:

I've seen this misquoted, requoted, or paraphrased as: "Perfect is the worst enemy of Good Enough", "Perfection is the enemy of Good Enough", "Better Than Is the Enemy of Good Enough", "Better Is the Enemy of Good Enough" -- each seems to be an adaptation for a specific moral that the (mis)quoter is trying to convey.

For example "Better" rather than "Perfect" is commonly used to convey when someone wants a perceived upgrade in some manner, be it lifestyle, software, or processes. In this sense, the statement is basically "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." In some cases, this is very viable, such as when considering moving across town for a slightly better house, only to lose a lot of money in realtor's commission and closing fees. Unfortunately, in general, it's used to convey malaise and a desire to quell those who would "rock the boat".

I believe Voltaire's original point about "perfection", specifically, rather than simply "better", is that to attain a perfect thing, whatever that is, becomes infinitely more difficult as you near it. So, at some point, you have to cut your losses, and simply say -- "Good enough". This is not a justification for shoddy workmanship or laziness, for that certainly would not be, per se, "Good enough". The point is more to know when to realize that any additional effort toward improvement would result in a negligible improvement, especially in comparison to the effort required.

Posted by Famous Quotes on Saturday, November 19, 2005 @ 6:17 AM

The original quote in French is "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.", from Voltaire's Dictionnaire Philosophique (1764) Literally translated as "The best is the enemy of good.", but is more commonly cited as "The perfect is the enemy of the good."

In other words, pursuing the "best" solution may end up doing less actual good than accepting a solution that, while not perfect, is effective. One could also infer that the best makes that which is good seem to be worth less than it is.

Posted by Famous Quotes on Saturday, November 19, 2005 @ 7:17 AM

Maybe 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't'.
The French, is maybe not commonly used, nor even considered proverbial, but fits the need to express the English saying in French.
To date I have only found'mieux vaut un demon qu'on connait qu'un ange qu'on connait pas.' The Voltaire quote is more suitable so that's that unless anyone has some other ideas?
Yun Zhong Jian

Posted by Yun zhong jian on Saturday, February 09, 2008 @ 3:01 AM

I believe that quotations are the reflection of the entire life of our great philosophers and thinkers. And they have transmissted their message through these simple, concise and attractive words. The quotations have played very important role to change the human behaviours.

Posted by Sohail Ansari Advocate on Thursday, February 28, 2008 @ 5:57 AM

Regarding "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't": Does anyone know the origin of this quotation? I can only find "English proverb" as a description, but I'm trying to find out if the origin can be traced to any individual.

Thanks.

Posted by Dennis on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 @ 3:09 PM

I believe the limits of human capacity was the warning implied in the quote. We have seen time and again when those that wish to implement utopia go to murderous lengths to achieve it at the price of life and liberty.
We also see it in those children stricken with the need for perfection (a solipcism in itself) ruin their lives in that futile pursuit. They simply cannot finish any project because it could be "improved."

Posted by Randll on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 @ 5:28 PM

My own interest in this quote (and what it means) is pragmatic. I am a physician and a researcher. I find that fellow physicians.fellow researchers, and, most importantly, patients use the promise of perfection (or the expectation of perfection) as a rationale for doing nothing, rejecting actions that would achieve beneficial but not perfect results.

I think think that when "something" is known to be better than "nothing", "perfect" is actually "bad."

And I agree that the need for perfection is often inflicted, with the worst consequences, on children (and adults trying to get a Ph.D. or M.S. or to finish a project in order to move on to the next...or perhaps to move on to a life.)

Posted by diana on Thursday, May 15, 2008 @ 7:56 PM

Well, considering that compared to "perfect", "good" is pretty execrable...

But I don't understand why perfectionism would lead to stagnation. Ceaseless zeal should get the goal achieved...

Posted by Skyknight on Monday, July 28, 2008 @ 11:11 PM

what do think of this?

Perfection is the enemy of the good.
Gustave Flaubert
French realist novelist (1821 - 1880)

A bit of plagiarism, don't you think?

Posted by Charles on Friday, August 01, 2008 @ 3:12 PM

came across this in Jim Webb's book, a time to fight. great book.

Posted by dan de arment on Thursday, August 07, 2008 @ 1:58 PM

I once read the following quote by Gen. George Patton:

"A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow."

Which is, I think, similar to Voltaire.

Posted by Mark on Saturday, August 16, 2008 @ 9:57 AM

"The perfect is the enemy of the good" when a "good" solution isn't pursued because it's not "perfect," or when nothing is attempted because perfection won't be attained.

Posted by GJ on Sunday, August 31, 2008 @ 2:18 PM

All this talk about cutting losses, not obsessing about striving for perfection, etc., surely not only misses Voltaire's real point but actually inverts it.

Voltaire meant that true excellence is threatened by the merely good, and must therefore remain hostile to it.

Posted by Neil Saunders on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 12:57 PM

Business leaders often interpret the quote as good being the enemy of excellent. I think this misses Voltaire's point. Excellence is just a better form of good;not perfection which in complex systems is unattainable. Voltaire was very attuned to the meaning of words. I'm not fluent in French, but I'm sure he was able to convey the meaning as excellent instead of perfect had he wanted to do so.

Posted by Rodney Roe on Saturday, November 15, 2008 @ 8:35 AM

Perfection is a mirage. You can't reach it, and the more time you try to get to it the more time you waste. Aiming for excellent is OK, but aiming for perfection is plain bad engineering (and business) practice.

Posted by Jack on Thursday, November 27, 2008 @ 6:59 AM

As an early mentor of mine once put it: "Sometimes you have to cut a cow in half".

Posted by Wendell on Saturday, February 14, 2009 @ 8:09 PM

Voltaire's quote is an essential idea for recovering perfectionists to keep in mind. Here's another - "Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression." - Isaac Bashevis Singer. It'll always look better in your head, so...jump the chasm and embrace what you create.

Posted by Daniel on Thursday, March 19, 2009 @ 4:02 PM

I don't know what Voltaire meant, or even what he SAID.

Neil Saunders' interpretation is spot on, IFF what Voltaire said is: "The Perfect and The (merely) Good are enemies."

In my field (numismatics), there are not a few who have known more than the rest of us, but took their knowledge to the grave, for fear of publishing something --heck, ANYTHING-- Posterity might ever question. But I wonder if all Voltaire had in mind was a cost/benefit analysis?

It is possible, of course, that we ingenious and unaffected Americans have in fact IMPROVED Voltaire's meaning. (If we can agree about what Americans think he meant.)

I hope all these comments in English are not too ridiculous, to those who know French letters.

--Paul Bosco
Manhattan

Posted by Paul J. Bosco on Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 6:50 PM

Actually, I believe Voltaire was speaking of committee work. :)

I also like JRR Tolkien's elaboration on the theme in his short story "Leaf by Niggle."
--Russ

Posted by Russ Johnson on Thursday, April 09, 2009 @ 2:18 PM

The modern description ... "paralysis by analysis"

Posted by Wally Wright on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 @ 9:41 AM

This is akin to the 80/20 rule used in data processing projects.

80% of the benefit comes from 20% of the work. That is the good.

The last 20% of benefit (the perfect) requires 4 times more work. That is the perfect.

Often people believe perfection (100% benefit) is only slightly more expensive/difficult than the good (80% benefit). That isn't true.

Posted by Doug on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 @ 9:32 PM

"Voltaire meant that true excellence is threatened by the merely good, and must therefore remain hostile to it."

No he didn't. a) You clearly know nothing about Voltaire. b) If he had meant that, he would have said that the good is the enemy of the perfect. c) It's a stupid interpretation: excellence isn't perfection, and it's mediocrity, not "the good", that is the enemy of excellence.

Posted by Marcel Kincaid on Saturday, June 27, 2009 @ 3:05 AM

Aloha,

I have never heard this quote stated in this manner by Voltaire and the supposed meaning behind the quote. I have been quoting something similar "The Good is the Enemy of the Better."

This to me means today that I have come to many points in my life were times have been Good whether by accomplishing a goal, raising children, career advancements, etc. I have in my past always rested on my laurels and stopped working toward doing better or setting new goals to achieve.

This quote has allowed me to keep challenging myself toward the better and not just settling for the good.

Mahalo, Ben

Posted by Ben Kaneaiakala on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 @ 1:20 AM

Many good comments above, when viewed through the lense of a middle manager of the 20th century.
We can look much deeper and disregard the French philosophers as plagiaristically misrepresenting a Biblical principal.
While comforting for inferiors to judge by cost analysis, it misses the mark. Do we seek to do what is easy, or what is right?
Romans 5:7, written by an ancient Jew tells us; "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die."
Christ was not persecuted because he was; a good man, a good teacher, a Heretic. Rather because he was perfect. By his own representation that one must not accept failure, he challenged the Roman and Religeous authority of the day.
For all of you middle managers looking for a quote to inspire your bosses, forget this one. For if you make excuses for mediocre work, you are the problem not the solution.
When we look at any clique in modern business, you will find the water cooler gang is not speaking poorly of the lazy and corrupt. They are bashing the achievements of those who are steadfast in doing what is right. In simple fear that they cannot measure up. Thus, they demonize the few that do.

Posted by Bob Parr on Monday, July 13, 2009 @ 4:16 PM

I have been using this quote a lot lately. As a practicing attorney with 23 years of experience, I understand the need for precision. I learned early in my career, however, that if I did not dare to make mistakes, I would not get anything done.

So I have always interpreted Voltaire to mean "Dare to make mistakes." In doing so, you may end up with a better result than had you not dared at the risk of mediocrity.

Posted by Schmave on Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 9:53 AM

This quote was introduced to me by my counselor. In his presentation to me he pointed to examples such as Jerry Falwell; people who focused on such loftiness that they forgot to regard and be vigilent in managing their own shadow(s). So loosing sense of the dark aspects of your persona makes you victim to the power they may have over you; keep your pitbull chained up or at least walk him with a muzzle. Know your shadow and take responsibility for it.

Posted by pr on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 @ 4:01 PM

Can it be interpreted as the best and the good are in constant struggle with each other? The primary desire of the best is to remain the best while the primary desire of the good is to become the best.

Posted by TC on Thursday, August 27, 2009 @ 4:51 AM

I just heard a variation of this frm my plastic surgeon regarding a reconstruction. He said better can be the enemy of good. what he was saying was to get a little bit better result you may mess up the good result you have. Think of michael jacksons nose as an extreme. If the surgeon does one thing , may need another and then another to fix that and could end up losing the "good" result you have not to mention the wear and tear on the body so gives me pause and saying makes a lot of sense this way.

Posted by jh on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 @ 10:40 PM

I first heard this quoted as "Good is the enemy of perfect." Doing research on this quote landed me on this page and discovered that the word order is reversed from what I learned, which changed the meaning for me.

"The perfect is the enemy of the good" I interpret as perfection at all costs.

"Good is the enemy of perfect" I interpret as putting reins on perfection and moving on.

After reading the thread, it seems that my word order interpretations are the opposite what others are discussing.

Maybe this why I have trouble communicating sometimes :)

Posted by Anddy on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 @ 9:02 AM

I was looking for something on the order of "Perfection can be the foe of the possible." Not sure if I evolved from Voltaire's into this phrase on my own or if someone actually voiced it.

Its meaning seems closer to that of Patton's, and to "paralysis by analysis" both of which are mentioned above.

A tendency to roadblocking perfection is a burden worth addressing for some of us.

Posted by CartaV on Thursday, October 01, 2009 @ 5:09 PM

I just used the original as stated in the topic. The context I used it in was for a 100 million dollar museum that will never be built versus a 10 million dollar that could be built. The high dollar project will be fought over, opposed and never funded. The smaller one stands a chance and could be expanded in the future. In this case the high dollar museum (the perfect) would prevent any museum (the good) from being built.

Posted by Paul C Hammond on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 @ 10:13 AM

Very interesting article. I think your interpretation is right.
As a french native however I think you mistranslate this quote. "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" means literally translated "the better is the enemy of the good".

Posted by Sebastian on Monday, November 02, 2009 @ 6:15 AM

eeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i want some thing different 2 comment__________________!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Ayushi on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 @ 7:29 AM

Ironically, good is the enemy of excellent. Such is life.

Posted by john on Thursday, November 19, 2009 @ 10:13 PM

As a supervisor, I would drive my employees crazy if I demanded perfection, and I would drive my good employees away.

Posted by My thoughts on Saturday, December 19, 2009 @ 12:26 PM

In political / social systems 'perfect' is an unattainable utopia. 'Good' in this case is the very difficult to define (or agree on) best response to the irreducible complexities of life. Voltaire's Dr Pangloss comes to mind.

Posted by MT on Sunday, December 20, 2009 @ 4:11 AM

The perfect is the enemy of the good gives me a sound meaning. No one is perfect. It is in relative terms that we use this term.If we end up in the thinking of perfect, the world will be devoid of creativity and thinking out of the box. I am really surprised when I hear people saying they have nothing enough doing the way their forefathers were doing with out changing a single thing. I believe complaint is meaningfull when it is with all creative ways of doing things.
For now this is enough. If you want me, I will be back next.
Wogari, University professor, Ethiopian, currently proofreading my PhD DESERTATION FOR TSUBMISSION.

Posted by Wogari on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 @ 3:47 AM

The above similar quote by Gen Patton is actually: "A good plan violently executed today, is better than a perfect plan next week."

Many military examples come to mind, particularly the ineffectiveness of Gen. McClellan in the U.S. Civil War who was always waiting for more reinforcements, more training, a greater advantage over his enemy (granted bad intelligence also came into play) and effectively did nothing of any consequence towards ending the war. [However his troops loved him for keeping them mostly safe and out of battle'>. When he finally did execute his "good" plan [the Peninsula campaign'> and came close to capturing Richmond and ending the war, he retreated instead because he thought he still didn't have enough troops (not perfect) to finish.

Posted by scott on Thursday, March 25, 2010 @ 2:30 PM

1) I can't believe I'm running into Paul Bosco on this site.

2)Great example of Gen. McClellan.

3)How about the Zen aphorism "If you meet the Buddha on the Road, kill Him."

Posted by Rick Sear on Monday, March 29, 2010 @ 8:39 PM

I was looking for the exact quote attributed to Voltaire along the lines of,"Perfection must never be the enemy of necessity". In other words, a good idea is still a good idea even if it has a downside. I think of an apartment building I once lived in, where the management refused to place fire extinguishers in the hallways because they might be stolen.

Posted by Frank Monaco on Saturday, May 08, 2010 @ 6:59 PM

Well, well. This is perfectly good!

Posted by susan on Friday, June 04, 2010 @ 2:38 AM

And...actually, it's better than perfect!

I love Paul Hammond's post about the museum. I hope the "good" one went through! Great posts everyone! Thank you...

Posted by susan on Friday, June 04, 2010 @ 2:44 AM

I believe the comment means that requiring perfection and not settling for anything less is counterproductive. Those who demand "no compromise" refuse to acknowledge the benefit of incremental change. For them, it's all or nothing, and they condemn those who are willing to work toward a goal without requiring a total revolution.
One of the examples I've heard from those all or nothing types is the holocaust victims being offered a glass of water to comfort them on the way to the gas chambers. They ridicule such a feeble effort, and say it would have been a worthless gesture since the victims would still have been murdered. Thus, perfection (liberation of the inmates) would be the only goal to work for, and anyone advocating for more humane treatment (i.e. a glass of water) was wrong because they would be tacitly approving the murder as long as the prisoners were given some creature comforts. So the perfectionists would not only condemn the captors, they would also condemn the "welfarists". In fact, they might condemn the welfarists even more harshly because they "should know better" and were acting hypocritically by not demanding total liberation.
I believe Voltaire might have suggested that, although the victims would have ended up being murdered, at least they would have had the comfort of a glass of water. And I think Voltaire would have felt that every step in the "good" direction is worthwhile.

Posted by Maureen Koplow on Sunday, June 06, 2010 @ 11:37 AM

First, it is interesting that you have a skill testing question to assure that only humans respond to this item.

Second, I am intrigued that no one responded to Ben Kaneaiakala's post. All very polite (and good).

I take exception to the assertion that Christ was perfect for a variety of reasons. Reason 1 is that historians (as opposed to religious scholars) are still uncertain as to whether there was a person who corresponds to the biblical Christ: reason 2 is heroes generally get better as their stories are retold over time (so, if I am not a fundamentalist Christian, I would think the facts behind the biblical stories might be more modest than what we have heard, but if I am a fundamentalist Christian, I would be saddened to think that Christ could never get better); reason 3 is that the story of Christ's anger at the money changers seems specifically designed to reveal at that he was not perfect and reason 4 is that, in my upbringing, the description of Christ was that he was both fully human and fully divine. Fully human requires imperfection.

I will stop there lest you think I am pursuing a perfect blog post.

Posted by Jim Dandy on Sunday, June 06, 2010 @ 3:43 PM

Well, I think what the quote means is that 'perfect' is driven by fear - fear of failure. When we put our attention on a certain outcome there's no attention on the task. While 'good' is when we put our attention on the task. 'Just do it!' Because 99% success is just showing up.

Posted by Neelam mehta on Tuesday, August 03, 2010 @ 11:48 PM

I couldn't disagree more about the current interpretation of the quote: what Voltaire means is that by accepting a 'good enough' solution we give up on the quest for the best. In fact the quote in French says 'le mieux' and not 'le meilleur', i.e. the 'better' is the worst enemy of the (simply) 'good'.

renato

Posted by renato on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 10:53 AM

I think that's not a good idea to try to become perfect because that doesn't make anysense

Posted by kakatwe on Thursday, October 07, 2010 @ 9:37 PM

If from the view point of totality all there is is perfection, then it would be seen that there is neither good nor bad. Perfection in this case is this enemy of both good & bad.

Posted by Mark L on Saturday, November 13, 2010 @ 10:56 AM

How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell;
Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

Wm. Shakespear, "King Lear" (Albany at I, iv)

Posted by G. Autin on Friday, December 10, 2010 @ 2:45 AM

As a Defense Analyst for over 40 years I would like to relate my understanding of Sergey Gorshkov's (Soviet Naval Admiral)use. I was told that he used "Better is the worst enemy of good enough." I am uncertain of the individual that did the Russian to English translation. This was during the cold war as Reagan strove to build a U.S. Navy of 600 modern ships. During this competition the Soviets were having trouble matching the industrial strength of the U.S. but the Admiral felt that his Navy could effectively compete with ships that were less than perfect. The Soviet Military complex applied his principles from Rocketry, to Aviation and Naval development. The most classic example I can relate was the use of Vacuum tubes in Aircraft electronics.
The U.S. struggled because it was well known that nuclear blasts would generate EMP that would wipe out the electronics. Instead of looking for an elegant solution to protect the microchips, the Soviets went to a Low Tech solution adhereing to the good enough principle.

Posted by Franco Lubinsky on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 @ 11:34 AM

Personally, I think it means that if you try to do something perfectly, you may end up not doing it at all, or ruining the good that you had already done. My surgeon used this phrase a few weeks ago, and his meaning was clearly that if he had tried to make my surgical corrections perfect, he would have ended up destroying the improvements that he had already made.

Posted by joe bob on Thursday, January 20, 2011 @ 4:57 PM

I am currently in a World lit 2 class and have just read Candide. I was very impressed by the French philosopher and once I had heard Obama had refrenced the quote" Don't let perfection stand in the way of necessity", which he didn't, but I still equate the meaning of this as such. Funny how we all hear diffrent thing huh; telephone anyone??

Ps- Jesus wasn't perfect and I would think he never would claim to be.

Posted by cjmajor2012 on Thursday, February 10, 2011 @ 7:35 AM

spending several paragraphs correcting people who misstated the quote is the enemy of accepting the fact that french->english translation is screwy sometimes

Posted by benzino on Saturday, February 19, 2011 @ 2:38 AM

"sometimes the good is the enemy of the best"there may just be another way? I don't know?what looks all so good may not be....you got the best then u got the enemy and what good....(evil) u see...which actually looks good....`but really no good behind it...compared to the best...if only we could see.....?

Posted by mark on Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 12:09 AM

rule 62 don't take yourself to darn seriously.....

Posted by mark on Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 12:10 AM

I hate footless commentary, when I don't have context to the quote, please, French speakers, comment if a better translation is available.


From "La Bégueule" (and courtesy of Google Translate)

"In his writings, a wise Italian
Said that the best is the enemy of the good;
No one can grow cautious,
In goodness of heart, talent, science;
Looking for the best in these chapters that;
Elsewhere avoid the chimera.
In his condition, which may be happy to please,

Living in his place, and keep what he has!
La belle Arsene is clear proof.
She was young: she was in Paris
A loving husband eager to please
At his whim, and with his contempt.
The uncle, sister, aunt, father-
Do not shine among wits;
But they were a very good character.
In the home of friends attended;
Great ease, a fairly good cheer;
Hobbies that our people knew,
Game, dance, show and dinner enjoyable
Made his life almost tolerable:
Because you know that perfect happiness
Is unknown to man it is not.
Mrs. Arsene was very little content
Its pleasures. His superb disgust
In his disdain, or blaming all fled.
It was called the beautiful sassy.

Or admire the weakness of people:
Plus she was distracted, indifferent,
Plus they tried, through care complacent
To tame her temper contemptuous;
And the more our beautiful abused
Of all the steps that we did to her.
To her lovers still more intractable
Ease to please, and can not love
His heart is left glossy consumer
In the grief of seeing nothing lovable.
In the end it all went away.
Courtiers she had a list;
All took sides, she remained single
With pride, fellow hard and sad:
Puffy but dry, enemy of lovemaking,
It swells the soul, and do not feed.
The disgusted had for godmother
The fairy Aline. We know that these spirits
Are row between the human species
And the divine and Mr. Gabalis
Wrote down their history some.
The fairy was sometimes at home
His godchild, and he said: "Arsene
Are you satisfied with the flower of your age?
Have you tastes and amusements?
You must lead a pretty sweet life. "
The other two-word reply: "I'm bored. "
- This is a great evil, "said the fairy, and I think
A beautiful secret is to live at home. "

Arsene finally begged her Aline
From out of his wretched country.
"I want to go to the divine sphere:
Let me see your beautiful paradise;
I can not stand my family
Neither my friends. I quite like that glitters,
The beautiful, rare, and I can never
I find that in your mouth;
It is a lively taste which I am wearing.
- Very happy, "says the indulgent fairy.

Every once in a light tank
Towards the east is the beautiful transported.
The car was flying, and our disgust,
To be in the air, believed in heaven.
She goes to stay beautiful
Godmother. A huge portico
Gold engraved in a brand new taste,
He seemed quite rich and beautiful;
But that's nothing when you see the castle.
For the gardens is a unique miracle;
Marly, Versailles, and small water jets,
Which have nothing to surprise and itchy.
The disdainful to this work angelic
Felt a little satisfaction.
Aline said: "This is your home;
I leave you a despotic power,
Order ahead. All my nation
Obey without reply.
I have four words to say to America,
I must go and make a few laps;
I come to you in a few days.
I hope, at least in my sweet retreat
You find the soul a bit satisfied. "

Aline hand. The beautiful free
Rest and arranged in the enchanted palace,
Order a queen, or rather goddess.
A crowd of a hundred beauties hastens
At least warn his wishes.
A Does hunger, a hundred dishes are made;
True nectar of the cellar was provided,
And all dishes are pure ambrosia;
The vases are of the finest diamonds.
The meal done, it leads to the moment
In the gardens on the banks of the fountains,
On lawns, breathe the breath
And fragrances of flowers and breezes.
Twenty tanks brilliant rubies, sapphires,
To carry arise of themselves,
As before the tripods of Vulcan
Went to heaven by a divine spring,
Offer their seat to the supreme majesty.
A thousand birds chirping sweet,
The water that ran on money drains,
Gave their murmurs charming;
Parrots repeating his words,
And echoes the saying after them.
Like Psyche, the most beautiful of the gods
At his parents removed with art,
At only love worthy reserved
In a palace of mortals ignored
Elements to command at will.
Mrs. Arsene is still best served:
More amenities surrounded his life;
More beauties decorated his living room;
She had everything, but he lacked Love.
To cheer our melancholy
He gave the evening a musical
Including the new arrangements and accents
Sixty cardinals would swoon.
These sounds were winners in the depths of souls;
But she saw, not without emotion,
That we had to sing as women,
"In this palace no beard on his chin!
What she says, thought my sponsor?
Point man here! Am I in a convent?
I feel good that we may serve me as a queen;
But without subjects greatness is the wind.
I like to reign over men's means;
They are all born to crawl in my chain:
That's their destiny is their primary duty;
I despise them, and I want to have. "
Thus spake the recluse intractable;
And yet the nymphs on the evening
With respect having served his table
We fell asleep to the sound of instruments.

The next day the same enchantments
Same feasts, such serenade;
And the pleasure was a little less spicy.
The next day seemed a bit bland;
The next day was sad and tiring;
The next day it was unbearable.

I remember the time not sustainable
Where I sang in my happy spring
Tomorrows softer and more pleasant.

Finally, the beautiful, every day festoyée,
Was so bored with his glory
That hating this excess of happiness,
Paradise in the heart ached.
Being alone, she advises a breach
In some wall, and, like the arrow
Seen from the string of a bow
Ms. jump, and you cross the park.

At the same moment palaces, gardens, fountains,
Gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies,
Everything goes to him flabbergasted;
She sees only the barren plains
On the great desert, and rocks awful:
The lady then tearing his hair,
Ask God forgiveness for his folly.
Night came, and already his gray hands
On the nature stretched out her curtains.
The screams of birds funeral,
The howling of bears and panthers,
Resound the solitary caves.
What other fairy, alas! take care
Rescue my crazy adventurous?
In her distress she saw in the distance,
In favor of a remainder of light,
At the corner of a wood, coal a dirty,
Who went by a little path
While whistling, back to his cottage.
"Whoever you are," said the proud beauty,
See pity on my misfortune that follows:
Because I do not know where to sleep tonight. "
When you're scared, all pride humanized.

The lumbering black, seeing her so well dressed,
Replied: "What a strange demon
You actually go in this crisis,
During the night, on foot, without a companion?
I'm still very far from my house.
That give me your arm, darling;
It will receive its little person
As we can. I had bacon and eggs.
Any French, that I imagine
Know, good or bad, do some cooking.
I have a bed that is enough for us both. "

Saying these words, the strong peasant
From a big kiss on her mouth amazed
Farm access to any repartee;
And he wants to be paid in advance
The new house in the beautiful granted.
"Alas! alas! said the lady afflicted
This will require me to be eaten here
On a charcoal or the teeth of wolves! "
Despair, shame, anger
The have stifled: it is unconscious.
Our gallant made it to life.
The fairy comes, and maybe a little later.
Present at all, she was away.
"You see," she said to her goddaughter,
You're a prude free.
My dear child, nothing is more perilous
But to leave the property to be better. "

The lesson made it renewed my beautiful
In his home. Everything changed for her
Before long, she soon changed.
For the benefit she corrected herself.
Without reading the fine ways to please
Moncrif of Mr. and without a book she liked.
What was he to his heart? he wanted.
It was sweet, attentive, polite,
Cheers and prudent, and even took in secret
Coal for a young lover discreet
And was then an accomplished woman."

Posted by sasguy on Wednesday, March 09, 2011 @ 3:04 PM

Not having read the poem, but being very conversant in French, I offer this correction:

"In his writings, a wise Italian
Said that the best is the enemy of the good;
No one can grow cautious,
In goodness of heart, talent, science;
Looking for the best in these chapters that;
Elsewhere avoid the chimera.
In her condition, which may be happy to please,

Living in her place, and keep what she has!
La belle Arsene is clear proof.
She was young: she was in Paris
A loving husband eager to please
At her whim, and with her contempt.
The uncle, sister, aunt, father-
Do not shine among wits;
But they were a very good character.
In the home of friends attended;
Great ease, a fairly good cheer;
Hobbies that our people knew,
Game, dance, show and dinner enjoyable
Made her life almost tolerable:
Because you know that perfect happiness
Is unknown to man it is not.
Mrs. Arsene was very little content
its pleasures. Her superb disgust
In her disdain, or blaming all fled.
It was called the beautiful sassy.

Or admire the weakness of people:
Plus she was distracted, indifferent,
Plus they tried, through care complacent
To tame her temper contemptuous;
And the more our beautiful abused
Of all the steps that we did to her.
To her lovers still more intractable
Ease to please, and can not love
Her heart is left glossy consumer
In the grief of seeing nothing lovable.
In the end it all went away.
Courtiers she had a list;
All took mates, she remained single
With pride, fellow hard and sad:
Puffy but dry, enemy of lovemaking,
It swells the soul, and do not feed.
The disgusted had for godmother
The fairy Aline. We know that these spirits
Are ranked between the human species
And the divine and Mr. Gabalis
Wrote down their history some.
The fairy was sometimes at home
Her godchild, and she said: "Arsene
Are you satisfied with the flower of your age?
Have you tastes and amusements?
You must lead a pretty sweet life. "
The other two-word reply: "I'm bored. "
- This is a great evil, "said the fairy, and I think
A beautiful secret is to live at home with yourself. "

Arsene finally begged her Aline
From out of her wretched country.
"I want to go to the divine sphere:
Let me see your beautiful paradise;
I can not stand my family
Neither my friends. I quite like that which glitters,
The beautiful, rare, and I can never
I find that in your mouth;
It is a lively taste which I am wearing.
- Very well, "says the indulgent fairy.

At once in a light chariot
Towards the east is the beautiful transported.
The chariot was flying, and our disgust,
To be in the air, believed in heaven.
She goes to stay with the beautiful
Godmother. A huge portico
Gold engraved in a brand new taste,
It seemed quite rich and beautiful;
But that's nothing when you see the castle.
For the gardens were a unique miracle;
Marly, Versailles, and small water jets,
Which have nothing to surprise and itchy.
The disdainful to this work angelic
Felt a little satisfaction.
Aline said: "This is your home;
I leave you a despotic power,
Order ahead. All my nation
Obey without reply.
I have four words to say to America,
I must go and make a few laps;
I come to you in a few days.
I hope, at least in my sweet retreat
You find the soul a bit satisfied. "

Aline hand. The beautiful free
Rest and arranged in the enchanted palace,
Order a queen, or rather goddess.
A crowd of a hundred beauties hastens
At least warn her wishes.
A Does hunger, a hundred dishes are made;
True nectar of the cellar was provided,
And all dishes are pure ambrosia;
The vases are of the finest diamonds.
The meal done, it leads to the moment
In the gardens on the banks of the fountains,
On lawns, breathe the breath
And fragrances of flowers and breezes.
Twenty tanks brilliant rubies, sapphires,
To carry arise of themselves,
As before the tripods of Vulcan
Went to heaven by a divine spring,
Offer their seat to the supreme majesty.
A thousand birds chirping sweet,
The water that ran on money drains,
Gave their murmurs charming;
Parrots repeating his words,
And echoes the saying after them.
Like Psyche, the most beautiful of the gods
At his parents removed with art,
At only love worthy reserved
In a palace of mortals ignored
Elements to command at will.
Mrs. Arsene is still best served:
More amenities surrounded her life;
More beauties decorated her living room;
She had everything, but she lacked Love.
To cheer her melancholy
In the evening, she gave a musical
Including new arrangements and accents
Sixty cardinals would swoon.
These sounds were winners in the depths of souls;
But she saw, not without emotion,
That we had to sing as women,
"In this palace no beard on his chin!
What she says, thought my sponsor?
Not a single man here! Am I in a convent?
I feel good that they may serve me as a queen;
But without subjects greatness is the wind.
I like to reign over men's means;
They are all born to crawl in my chain:
That's their destiny is their primary duty;
I despise them, and I am displeased with them. "
Thus spake the recluse intractable;
And yet the nymphs who during the evening
had respectfully served her table
They fell asleep to the sound of instruments.

The next day the same enchantments
Same feasts, such serenade;
And the pleasure was a little less spicy.
The next day seemed a bit bland;
The next day was sad and tiring;
The next day it was unbearable.

I remember the time not sustainable
Where I sang in my happy spring
Tomorrows softer and more pleasant.

Finally, the beautiful, every day festoyée,
Was so bored with her glory
That hating this excess of happiness,
Paradise in the heart ached.
Being alone, she noticed a breach
In some wall, and, like the arrow
Seen from the string of a bow
Ms. jumped, and she crossed the park.

At the same moment palaces, gardens, fountains,
Gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies,
Everything goes to her surprise;
She sees only the barren plains
On the great desert, and rocks awful:
The lady then tearing her hair,
Ask God forgiveness for his folly.
Night came, and already her gray hands
On the nature stretched out her curtains.
The screams of birds funeral,
The howling of bears and panthers,
Resound the solitary caves.
What other fairy, alas! take care
Rescue my crazy adventurous?
In her distress she saw in the distance,
Thanks to a remainder of light,
At the corner of a wood, a coal-miner,
Who went by a little path
While whistling, back to his cottage.
"Whoever you are," said the proud beauty,
See pity on my misfortune that follows:
Because I do not know where to sleep tonight. "
When you're scared, all pride humanized.

The lumbering black, seeing her so well dressed,
Replied: "What a strange demon
You actually go in this crisis,
During the night, on foot, without a companion?
I'm still very far from my house.
Then give me your arm, darling;
It will receive its little person
As we can. I had bacon and eggs.
Any French, that I imagine
Know, good or bad, do some cooking.
I have a bed that is enough for us both. "

Saying these words, the strong peasant
From a big kiss on her mouth amazed
Farm access to any repartee;
And he wants to be paid in advance
The new house in the beautiful granted.
"Alas! alas! said the lady afflicted
That I am to be eaten here
by a coal-minor or the teeth of wolves! "
Despair, shame, anger
The have stifled: it is unconscious.
Our gallant made it to life.
The fairy comes, and maybe a little later.
Present at all, she was away.
"You see," she said to her goddaughter,
You're careless.
My dear child, nothing is more perilous
But to leave the property to be better. "

The lesson made it renewed my beautiful
In her home. Everything changed for her
Before long, she soon changed.
For her benefit she corrected herself.
Without reading the fine ways to please
Moncrif of Mr. and without a book she liked.
What was it to her heart? It wanted.
She was sweet, attentive, polite,
Cheers and prudent, and even took in secret
Coal for a young lover discreet
And was then an accomplished woman."

Posted by Carol on Sunday, November 06, 2011 @ 1:32 PM

I' French. Actually it's: "the better is the enemy of the good".
For example, you did something good, you can destroy it if you try to make it better (perfect). It's particularly true for manual works.

Posted by bob on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 @ 8:21 PM

In my field of public policy analysis, timeliness is paramount. For example, if a legislator needs a particular document to persuade a committee to approve his bill, the document -- no matter how perfect -- is worthless if he receives it after the committee has adjourned. In this case, it's better to deliver 90% of the information requested (the "good") beforethe hearing than to deliver 100% (the "perfect")afterthe hearing. Thus, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

This situation also occurs when a potential client issues a request for proposals (RFP) with an absolute deadline after which proposals will not be accepted. Each respondant develops a proposal that, in its view, best meets the selection criteria established by the potential client. Because a proposal can always be made "better," there is a temptation to work on it to make it "perfect." If too much time is spent, however, the proposal will be submitted after the deadline and will not be considered at all. Once again, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

Posted by Ray on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 @ 2:34 PM