“To be great, be whole; don't exaggerate
Or leave out any part of you,
Be complete in each thing. Put all you are
Into the least of your acts.
So too in each lake, with its lofty life,
The whole moon shines.”

— Fernando Pessoa

The quote "To be great, be whole; don't exaggerate Or leave out any part of you, Be complete in ea…" is famous quote by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935), Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher and philosopher.

Para ser grande, sê inteiro: nada
Teu exagera ou exclui.
Sê todo em cada coisa. Põe quanto és
No mínimo que fazes.
Assim em cada lago a lua toda
Brilha, porque alta vive.
Ricardo Reis (heteronym), Ode (14 February 1933), in A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe, trans. Richard Zenith (Penguin, 2006)
Source: Poems of Fernando Pessoa

Original

Para ser grande, sê inteiro: nada Teu exagera ou exclui. Sê todo em cada coisa. Põe quanto és No mínimo que fazes. Assim em cada lago a lua toda Brilha, porque alta vive.

Poemas e citações Ordenadas por Heterônimos, Ricardo Reis
Variant: Para ser grande, sê inteiro: nada
Teu exagera ou exclui.
Sê todo em cada coisa. Põe quanto és
No mínimo que fazes.
Assim em cada lago a lua toda
Brilha, porque alta vive.
Source: Odes de Ricardo Reis
Source: Poems of Fernando Pessoa

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Sept. 29, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Fernando Pessoa photo

Fernando Pessoa 288

Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publi… 1888–1935

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