Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,269 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
EnglishItalianoPolskiעבריתFrançaisPortuguêsفارسیEspañol中文РусскийDeutschالعربيةहिन्दी日本語ΕλληνικάLatina
Wisdom
LoveFriendshipHappinessHopeFearCourageDeathLifeTimeWarPeaceFreedomTruthWisdomKnowledgeScienceArtMusicNatureMoneyWorkPowerGodBeautyLaughterFamilySuccess and failureChangeDreamsBooks and reading
“Never was a continent naturally so clean, and made so dirty, as Australia. There was not an animal pest, scarcely a vegetable pest; fools and the old world supplied them all.”
Randolph Bedford (1868–1941) said by 1941 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Outnumbered and outmanoeuvred by fools! So be it. On one condition – the minute your eggs start to unscramble, the three of you are going to say loud and clear, under my direction: ‘Cobra told us not to do this, but did we listen? Hell no!ʼ”
Yaba Badoe (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I’m not one of those fools who think that by ignoring reality you can make it go away.”
John G. Hemry (born 1956) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I'm a disciplinarian, I don't condone gossip and I don't suffer fools easily.”
Shirley Frimpong-Manso (born 1977) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What matter though the scorn of fools be given, If the path followed lead us on to heaven!”
Sarah Josepha Hale (1788–1879) first seen 1847 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Chase of Power; or, 'Now for It'", st. 4; Godey's Lady's Book, vol. 34, no. 5 (May 1847), p. 225
“There is so much servility in rigor and restraint, that of consequence there can be no greater ene∣my to Ingenuity and good nature. Fools are to be always bauld upon, and blows are fitter for beasts than rational creatures; wherefore there can nothing more engage an ingenious generous soul, than cheerfulness and liberty; not over-frightned.”
Hannah Woolley (1622–1675) said by 1675 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Though fools spurn Hymen's gentle powers, We, who improve his golden hours, By sweet experience know That marriage, rightly understood, Gives to the tender and the good A paradise below.”
Charles Cotton (1630–1687) said by 1687 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Fire-side, st. 5. Dodsley's Collection (1755) vol. 4
“There are many closet Nazis in the Republican Party. Most conservatives are closet Nazis. If you scratch a conservative you'll find a Nazi underneath, just as if you scratch a liberal you'll find a communist. I don't think ignorance played that much of a role. Either way, the Republicans don't come out of this looking too hot. There are 56,000 people in this state who are either Nazis or fools.”
Harold Covington (1953–2018) first seen 1980 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Associated Press in response to his getting 43% of the state vote in 1980, "Nazi gets 43% of statewide vote", Associated Press (printed in Journal and Courier, p. 1), May 8, 1980, also quoted in Danger: E…
“The fig lies in the pocket as the last weapon of fools.”
Oleg Medvedev (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I will not comment. I cannot be talking to fools. When you say Fayose took N720million you must be able to say to which account. If it is by Ghana must go bag, you must show the picture of how that Ghana must go bag is being carried”
Ayo Fayose (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is a gathering of Lovers. In this gathering there is no high, no low, no smart, no ignorant, no special assembly, no grand discourse, no proper schooling required. There is no master, no disciple. This gathering is more like a drunken party, full of tricksters, fools, mad men and mad women. This is a gathering of Lovers.”
Shahram Shiva wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now my real criticism of these post-police murder riots is the wrong focus, go burn the City or Downing Street, or hunt police fools.”
Alaa Abd El-Fattah (born 1981) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: [@alaa] Twitter / X (8 August 2011). The Telegraph (27 December 2025)
“Berlusconi cannot treat us all like fools, and his attacks on the judiciary are shameful and unacceptable. Compared to Berlusconi, Ben Ali is nothing. We can't expect anything from Berlusconi. We need a groundswell of public opinion, because not all Italians are like him. We need to shake things up, because those people are clinging on like a limpet to a rock.”
Pier Luigi Bersani (born 1951) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every now and then the world turns on its face, to let out the fools that hide in it.”
Menashe lustig (born 1978) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I’m not someone who can write a song about surfing or having pizza parties or whatever other fools do.”
Tony Molina first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Since I Left You, 2023
“People think it’s embarrassing to really want something right now. Death to nonchalance. What’s the point? Why are we pretending? And why is it not cool to try or to desire? When we watched movies growing up, people made grand gestures and made fools of themselves. I want to see yearners onscreen.”
Ella Rubin (born 2001) first seen 2026 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: LaMantia, Brooke (August 4, 2026). "Ella Rubin on ‘Sterling Point’ and Messy Feelings". The Cut.
“Last words are for fools who haven't said enough.”
Karl Marx (disputed) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Various attributions, [https://www.lexicallab.com/2017/10/chunk-of-the-day-famous-last-words/
“Prejudice is the reason of fools.”
Voltaire (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.”
Voltaire (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The innumerable fools have made the learned very scarce.”
Ali (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Enemity is the occupation of fools.”
Ali (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Fools are stubborn in their way, As coins are harden’d by th’ allay; And obstinacy’s ne’er so stiff As when ’tis in a wrong belief.”
Samuel Butler (poet) (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For fools are stubborn in their way, As coins are harden’d by th’ allay; And obstinacy’s ne’er so stiff As when ’tis in a wrong belief.”
Samuel Butler (poet) (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For 5 years Mr. T disappeared. Fools went unpitied and Jibba-Jabba went unchallenged!”
Mr. T (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All they that love not tobacco and boys are fools.”
Christopher Marlowe (disputed) first seen 1593 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Remark attributed to Marlowe from the testimony of Richard Baines, a government informer, in 1593.
“The Christian god can easily be pictured as virtually the same god as the many ancient gods of past civilizations. The Christian god is a three headed monster; cruel, vengeful and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes: fools and hypocrites.”
Thomas Jefferson (misattributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is a special providence for drunkards, fools, and the United States of America.”
Otto von Bismarck (misattributed) first seen 1849 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: This saying appears as early as 1849 in the form "the special providence over the United States and little children", attributed to Abbé Correa. There is no good evidence that Bismarck ever repeated it. See talk page fo…
“The Times and the Guardian accuse us of operating a police-state. The BBC Persian programme has made similair allegations, saying that countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia should be denied access to Western military technology. What are the bloody fools on about? Do they seriously regard Iraq, or Algeria, or Libya as liberal regimes?”
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (attributed) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Asadollah Alam (1991), The Shah and I: The Confidential Diary of Iran's Royal Court, 1968-77, page 490
“Fools never understand people of wit.”
Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Great men undertake great things because they are great, and fools because they think them easy.”
Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[Anti-monopoly] is a movement inspired by a set of fools and black-mailers. To be sure, there are some men in it whose motives are good, if their sense is not. When I want to buy up any politician, I always find the Anti-Monopolists the most purchasable. They don't come so high.”
William Henry Vanderbilt (disputed) first seen 1882 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in Clarence P. Dresser, "Vanderbilt in the West" New York Times (October 9, 1882).
“I told you so, you fucking fools.”
Robert Conquest (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The science of fools with long memories.”
James Planché (misattributed) first seen 1852 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Description of heraldry. Quoted by Planché in The Pursuivant of Arms; or, Heraldry Founded upon Facts (London: W. M. Wright, 1852) p. 3. Misattributed to Planché in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1922) p…
“My lungs began to crow like chanticleer, That fools should be so deep-contemplative; And I did laugh sans intermission An hour by his dial.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“As if we were villains by necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“She was a wight, if ever such wight were,-- _Des._ To do what? _Iago._ To suckle fools and chronicle small beer. _Des._ O most lame and impotent conclusion!”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Since call'd The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown.”
John Milton (1608–1674) said by 1674 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“How charming is divine philosophy! Not harsh and crabbed, as dull fools suppose, But musical as is Apollo's lute, And a perpetual feast of nectar'd sweets Where no crude surfeit reigns.”
John Milton (1608–1674) said by 1674 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“And ever since the Conquest have been fools.”
Earl Of Rochester (1647–1680) said by 1680 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“'T is an old maxim in the schools, That flattery 's the food of fools; Yet now and then your men of wit Will condescend to take a bit.”
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) said by 1745 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For forms of government let fools contest; Whate'er is best administer'd is best. For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight; His can't be wrong whose life is in the right. In faith and hope the world will disagree, But all mankind's concern is charity.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Of all the causes which conspire to blind Man's erring judgment, and misguide the mind; What the weak head with strongest bias rules,-- Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Yet let not each gay turn thy rapture move; For fools admire, but men of sense approve.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Fired that the house rejects him, "'Sdeath! I 'll print it, And shame the fools.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Rare gift! but oh what gift to fools avails!”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.”
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) said by 1790 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Truth from his lips prevail'd with double sway, And fools who came to scoff, remain'd to pray.”
Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774) said by 1774 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Fools are my theme, let satire be my song.”
Lord Byron (1788–1824) said by 1824 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source