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. 1,158,808 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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“Who prays for the man who played himself? Who cries for the fool who ran toward the flood?”
Kiminou Knox (born 2006) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Before you act, it's Prudence soberly to consider; for after Action you cannot recede without dishonour: Take the Advice of some Prudent Friend; for he who will be his own Councellour, shall be sure to have a Fool for his Client.”
William De Britaine first seen 1682 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Humane Prudence, or, The Art by which a Man May Raise Himself and Fortune to Grandeur (London: printed for John Lawrence, 1682) p. 57
“Like most Radicals, he [Richard Cobden] lived in a fool's paradise where facts are of no account, and where, if principles prove fallacious, it is not the fault of the optimist who frames them, but of some vile conspirator against the common good.”
Charles Whibley (1859–1930) said by 1930 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A man may be as much a fool from the want of sensibility as the want of sense.”
Anna Brownell Jameson (1794–1860) said by 1860 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Richard was the rightful king, but a fool. Henry’s father is a capable man, but a usurper. Sometimes it is hard to know which of these positions is worse.”
Dan Jones (writer) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Trying to strategically self-censor pre-emptively for political purposes is a fool’s endeavour because”
Sahara Chowdhury wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I ain’t afraid of nothin.” “You’re a bigger fool than I took you for, then.”
Dale Bailey (born 1968) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Yes, I am a fool! But I will seek something better.”
James Myles O'Gorman (1804–1874) said by 1874 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I was aware that my daring escape had made Uncle look like a fool, and I knew that from that evening on I would be in the crosshairs of his vengeance.”
Mohammed Naseehu Ali (born 1971) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Keep learning. It is only the fool who says: the less I know, the more I understand.”
George Kanyeihamba (1939–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The guys who fall too easily looking to fool the referee just to gain set-pieces”
Gavin Lane (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wada has been doing such a fantastic job in trying to catch up with the cheats. And if the IAAF can come up with some near fool-proof strategy like DNA testing of athletes then we will doing our sport a huge favour.”
Saïd Aouita (born 1959) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Drug cheats should not get second chance: Aouita, September 15 2018
“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they’ve been fooled.”
Mark Twain (disputed) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Widely circulated online since 2011, there is no evidence that Twain wrote or said this.
“Lo! a besotted fool like thee to scorn, The votaries of love! God’s wine has drowned Thy wits and bidden thee wrestle with thy Lord, As when a bird his airy flight resumes Exultingly, nor dreads the distant lure, Fate to his bosom speeds the shaft of woe.”
Rumi (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Although a fool may show you sympathy At the end he will wound you with his folly.”
Rumi (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Jim Elliot (misattributed) first seen 1949 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Journal excerpt from Shadow of the Almighty (1989) by Elisabeth Elliot, Jim Elliot, 1949
“He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose.”
Jim Elliot (misattributed) first seen 1839 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted from The life of the Rev. Philip Henry, A.M., Matthew Henry, J. B. Williams, pub. W. Ball, 1839 p. 35 (Google Books)
“The next time I send a damn fool for something, I go myself.”
Samuel Goldwyn (misattributed) first seen 1990 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reported in Paul F. Boller, John George, They Never Said It (1990), p. 41-42.
“There’s but the twinkling of a star Between a man of peace and war; A thief and justice, fool and knave, A huffing off’cer and a slave; A crafty lawyer and a pickpocket, A great philosopher and a blockhead; A formal preacher and a player, A learn’d physician and man-slayer.”
Samuel Butler (poet) (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I pity the fool who drinks soy milk.”
Mr. T (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You've got to testify! Tell somebody about it. God is good!" "I pity the fool that don't get it." - Mr. T going for Jury Duty.”
Mr. T (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A fop of fashion is the mercer’s friend, the tailor’s fool, and his own foe.”
Johann Kaspar Lavater (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Virtue and sense are one; and trust me still A faithless heart betrays the head unsound. Virtue (for mere good nature is a fool) Is sense and spirit with humanity. ’Tis sometimes angry, and its frown confounds; ’Tis even vindictive, but in vengeance just, Knaves fain would laugh at it; some great ones dare But at his heart the most undaunted son Of Fortune dreads its name and awful charms.”
John Armstrong (poet) (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“None but a fool is always right.”
David Hare (dramatist) (misattributed) first seen 1827 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare Guesses at Truth (London: Macmillan, ([1827-48] 1867) p. 445.
“There are no foolish questions and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.”
Charles Proteus Steinmetz (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Abraham Lincoln (misattributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You silly old fool, you don't even know the alphabet of your own silly old business.”
William Henry Maule (attributed) first seen 1912 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 86. The quotation has been attributed to many others, such as Lord Chief Justice Campbell, Lord Chesterfield, Sir William Harcourt, Lord Pembroke, Lor…
“To succeed in the world, it is much more necessary to possess the penetration to discern who is a fool than to discover who is a clever man.”
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (attributed) first seen 1917 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reported in, C. N. Douglas, ed., Forty Thousand Quotations: Prose and Poetical (1917)
“A Woman never commands a Man, unless he be a Fool, but by her Obedience.”
Giovanni Paolo Marana (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Even when Richard didn't understand, he always seemed to understand better than the rest of us. And whatever he understood, he could make others understand as well. Richard made people feel like children do when a grown-up first treats them as adults. He was never afraid to tell the truth, and however foolish your question was, he never made you feel like a fool.”
Richard Feynman (1918–1988) said by 1988 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: W. Daniel Hillis, "Richard Feynman and the Connection Machine", Physics Today, volume 42, number 2, February 1989, p. 78-83, at p. 83
“A fool and his money is one big party.”
Robert Kiyosaki (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When a man has fulfilled all four of these requisites - to be wide awake, to have fear, respect, and absolute assurance - there are no mistakes for which he will have to account; under such conditions his actions lose the blundering quality of the acts of a fool. If such a man fails, or suffers a defeat, he will have lost only a battle, and there will be no pitiful regrets over that.”
Carlos Castaneda (1925–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write.”
Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) said by 1586 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Fish not, with this melancholy bait, For this fool gudgeon, this opinion.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Ay, now am I in Arden: the more fool I. When I was at home I was in a better place; but travellers must be content.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“One draught above heat makes him a fool; the second mads him; and a third drowns him.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“They fool me to the top of my bent.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For every inch that is not fool is rogue.”
John Dryden (1631–1700) said by 1700 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The fool of nature stood with stupid eyes And gaping mouth, that testified surprise.”
John Dryden (1631–1700) said by 1700 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“At thirty, man suspects himself a fool; Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan.”
Edward Young (1683–1765) said by 1765 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“No creature smarts so little as a fool.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“As yet a child, nor yet a fool to fame, I lisp'd in numbers, for the numbers came.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The fool of fate,--thy manufacture, man.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“A fool must now and then be right by chance.”
William Cowper (1731–1800) said by 1800 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“A prosperous fool is a grievous burden.”
Theognis (570–490 BC) said by 490 BC at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Let a fool hold his tongue and he will pass for a sage.”
Publius Syrus (active around 42 BC) bartlett, Public domain source
“An old doting fool, with one foot already in the grave.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
The Bible (active around 812) bartlett, Public domain source
“The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.”
The Bible (active around 812) bartlett, Public domain source