Chacun se dit ami; mais fol qui s'y repose : rien n'est… — Jean de La Fontaine | Printable Wall Art

“Chacun se dit ami; mais fol qui s'y repose : rien n'est plus commun que ce nom, rien n'est plus rare que la chose.”
“Everyone calls himself a friend, but only a fool relies on it: nothing is more common than the name, nothing rarer than the thing.”

Words by Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) — French poet and fabulist, author of the Fables.

About this quote

This line draws a sharp distinction between casual acquaintances and true companions. While many people readily offer the title of friend, genuine loyalty and support are far harder to find. La Fontaine warns us not to place unconditional trust in mere words, reminding us that true friendship is proven through action rather than easy declarations.

The line comes from the fable Parole d'un Grec, published in the seventeenth century by French poet Jean de La Fontaine. His Fables drew on classical sources to offer pragmatic observations about human nature and society.

People often hang this print in a study or hallway as a thoughtful reminder about human relationships.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.