Long while I sought to what I might compare
Those powerful eyes, which light my dark spirit;
Yet found I nought on earth, to which I dare
Resemble the image of their goodly light.
Not to the sun, for they do shine by night;
Nor to the moon, for they are changed never;
Nor to the stars, for they have purer sight;
Nor to the fire, for they consume not ever;
Nor to the lightning, for they still persevere;
Nor to the diamond, for they are more tender;
Nor unto crystal, for nought may they sever;
Nor unto glass, such baseness might offend her;
Then to the Maker's self the likest be;
Whose light doth lighten all that here we see. [ Spenser ]
Who fears to offend takes the first step to please. [ Gibber ]
We never can willingly offend where we sincerely love. [ Rowland Hill ]
The stone that lies not in your way, need not offend you. [ Proverb ]
Twenty to one offend more in writing too much than too little. [ Roger Ascham ]
Pleasures are sins: we regret to offend God; but, then, pleasures please us. [ Marguerite de Valois ]
Offend but one monk, and the lappets of all cowls will flutter as far as Rome. [ German Proverb ]
We are so desirous of vengeance that people often offend us by not giving offence. [ Madame Deluzy ]
Offend her, and she knows not to forgive; Oblige her, and she'll hate you while you live. [ Pope ]
If a man offend a harmless, pure, and innocent person, the evil falls back upon that fool, like light dust thrown up against the wind. [ Buddha ]
Business is the salt of life, which not only gives a grateful smack to it, but dries up those crudities that would offend, preserves from putrefaction and drives off all those blowing flies that would corrupt it. [ Feltham ]
Avarice is a uniform and tractable vice; other intellectual distempers are different in different constitutions of mind. That which soothes the pride of one will offend the pride of another, but to the favor of the covetous bring money, and nothing is denied. [ Johnson ]
There is in some men a dispassionate neutrality of mind, which, though it generally passes for good temper, can neither gratify nor warm us: it must indeed be granted that these men can only negatively offend; but then it should also be remembered that they cannot positively please. [ Lord Greville ]
Pity and forbearance, and long-sufferance and fair interpretation, and excusing our brother, and taking in the best sense, and passing the gentlest sentence, are as certainly our duty, and owing to every person that does offend and can repent, as calling to account can be owing to the law, and are first to be paid; and he that does not so is an unjust person. [ Jeremy Taylor ]