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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“The soul indeed, assisted by Divine grace can reach a high degree of contemplation, of detachment from created things and of spiritual union with God. But such perfection, far from leading to Quietistic passivity and Subjectivism, implies rather a more earnest endeavour to labour for God's glory.”
Edward Aloysius Pace (1861–1938) first seen 1913 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quietism (1913) Catholic Encyclopedia
“Moreover, this new Short.Sharp collection frequently exposes the absurdities of contemporary existence in Mzansi, whether in the realm of precarious labour or fractured family dynamics, always returning to the question of how individuals inhabit and narrate themselves against broader currents of historical memory and social expectation. Mthobisi Myeni’s “The denizens” is exemplary in this respect.”
Aryan Kaganof (born 1964) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Republic is in labour. Screaming, pacing the political ward, cursing the colonial midwife for telling her to push. Her head is spinning, vision blurred, mind inside out. She drinks a cup of counterfeit morality and blubbers a prayer of hope for the stillborn baby.”
Harriet Anena wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They could be self selected a bit, but all the data indicates no specially enriched education (unlike Africans forex); they both just seem like they come from people of the main cities of each country, so had high enough wages to get a plain ticket, but we're just selected as labour and have no special reason to believe they were particularly clever among their country.”
Ann Bernstein wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the Constitution of Labour Party, the tenure of the ward, local government, and state party executives is three years. Having conducted no congresses at these levels within the constitutionally allowed tenure of the executives, their regimes have effectively expired.”
Kenneth Okonkwo (born 1968) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kenneth Okonkwo Dumps Labour Party", Vanguard News (11 February 2025)
“The people no longer have to face forced labour, and for the first time they are asked to participate in administration.”
Eduardo Mondlane (1920–1969) said by 1969 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is the workers that shall lead the struggle for freedom. No other person knows the feelings of influx control that makes cheap labour; the fact that we make people rich for nothing; our time has come.”
“As a matter of fact, Labour Party all over the world or other liberal parties tie their interest to the interest of the common people. My motivation is to align with other like minds in the National Assembly to champion the interest of the Nigerian people through well thought out legislations.”
Paul Nnamchi wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I have resigned from the Labour Party and registered with APC. There’s a lot of division in LP both at the national and state levels, and that’s one of the reasons I left,”
Sunday Umeha (born 1983) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All that is necessary is to exempt the unemployed from all, or the most onerous, provisions of South African labour law, and give them exemption certificates that allow them to enter into employment contracts with employers on any conditions they choose. Give the power to the jobless. Give them back their right to contract. Give them the freedom to make their own decisions about their own lives.”
Chris Hattingh wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The 2023 elections, by the special grace of almighty Allah who gives power, is as good as won by Labour Party because of the mistakes others have made.”
Datti Abubakar (1939–2005) said by 2005 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In an honest Service, says he, there is thin Commons, low Wages, and hard Labour; in this, Plenty and Satiety, Pleasure and Ease, Liberty and Power; and who would not ballance Creditor on this Side, when all the Hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour Look or two at choaking. No, A merry Life and a short one, shall be my Motto.”
Captain Charles Johnson wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Men are as demons and lust of wealth their chain, Which drags them forth to toil in shop and field; This chain is made of their fears and anxieties, Deem not that these men have no chains upon them. It causes them to engage in labour and the chase, It forces them to toil in mines and on the sea.”
Rumi (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Labour not after riches first, and think thou afterwards wilt enjoy them. He who neglecteth the present moment, throweth away all that he hath. As the arrow passeth through the heart, while the warrior knew not that it was coming; so shall his life be taken away before he knoweth that he hath it.”
Michel de Montaigne (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The ceaseless labour of your life is to build the house of death.”
Michel de Montaigne (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Like clocks, one wheel another on must drive; Affairs by diligent labour only thrive.”
George Chapman (disputed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is certainly true that I am unable to forget or give up any one with whom I have been intimate; far from this, I follow up every trace that remains of the past. Every such tie, nay, every accidental meeting, unites so many things together, and life is such a medley and patchwork, that we can never sufficiently labour to join the connecting links more and more closely to each other.”
Wilhelm von Humboldt (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The idea we form of a misfortune is ever somewhat different from the misfortune itself, when it appears in all its frightful certainty. We must trust in nothing so little, and must labour for nothing so unceasingly, as for the strengthening of our soul and for self-government, both of which are the only sure foundations of earthly happiness.”
Wilhelm von Humboldt (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Cheerfulness cannot be forced, and man has not much more power over the clouds that overshadow his mind than over those that darken the sky. Meanwhile man ought not to be altogether inactive, but must labour at his daily duties, and be watchful over himself.”
Wilhelm von Humboldt (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A Tory minister can sleep in ten different women's beds in a week. A Labour minister gets it in the neck if he looks at his neighbour's wife over the garden fence.”
Clement Attlee (attributed) first seen 1916 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Harold Wilson, Memoirs 1916-1964: The Making of a Prime Minister (Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Michael Joseph, London, 1986), p. 121.
“Socialism is what a Labour government does.”
Herbert Morrison (attributed) first seen 2002 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: An example of this attribution is Peter Riddell, "We believed you, Tony, but what comes next?", The Times, 14 January 2002, p. 16.
“Labour for his pains.”
Edward Moore (misattributed) first seen 1768 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed to Moore in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations and elsewhere, but actually from William Wilkie's "The Boy and the Rainbow", line 78, in his Fables (London: Edward and Charles Dilly, 1768) p. 45
Also quoted by: Edward Moore
“Philosophy, religious solitude And labour wait on temperance; in these Desire is bounded; they instruct the mind’s And body’s action.”
Thomas Nabbes (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“'T is my vocation, Hal; 't is no sin for a man to labour in his vocation.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I have had my labour for my travail.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Methought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep!" the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The labour we delight in physics pain.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“What needs my Shakespeare for his honour'd bones,-- The labour of an age in piled stones? Or that his hallow'd relics should be hid Under a star-y-pointing pyramid? Dear son of memory, great heir of fame, What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name?”
John Milton (1608–1674) said by 1674 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“By labour and intent study (which I take to be my portion in this life), joined with the strong propensity of nature, I might perhaps leave something so written to after times as they should not willingly let it die.”
John Milton (1608–1674) said by 1674 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style, Amaze th' unlearn'd and make the learned smile.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“To labour is the lot of man below; And when Jove gave us life, he gave us woe.”
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) said by 1744 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“How blest is he who crowns in shades like these A youth of labour with an age of ease!”
Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774) said by 1774 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire,--conscience.”
George Washington (1732–1799) said by 1799 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The many still must labour for the one.”
Lord Byron (1788–1824) said by 1824 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Sublime tobacco! which from east to west Cheers the tar's labour or the Turkman's rest.”
Lord Byron (1788–1824) said by 1824 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labour and to wait.”
Henry W. Longfellow (1807–1882) said by 1882 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Ah, why Should life all labour be?”
Alfred Tennyson (active around 1809) bartlett, Public domain source
“The mountains will be in labour; an absurd mouse will be born.”
Horace (65–8 BC) said by 8 BC at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Menenius Agrippa concluded at length with the celebrated fable: "It once happened that all the other members of a man mutinied against the stomach, which they accused as the only idle, uncontributing part in the whole body, while the rest were put to hardships and the expense of much labour to supply and minister to its appetites.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Lampis, the sea commander, being asked how he got his wealth, answered, "My greatest estate I gained easily enough, but the smaller slowly and with much labour.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
The Bible (active around 812) bartlett, Public domain source
“We currently have good labour laws, but there is always room for improvement and this ILO Convention is going to help us. It will also put greater pressure on our government to better apply the laws in place.”
Myrtle Witbooi first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Spotlight interview with Myrtle Witbooi. International Trade Union Confederation, 25 January 2012.
“We were fighting together for this freedom, so why must I now stand in front of you and beg you for labour laws for domestic workers?”
Myrtle Witbooi first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The power of speaking out: an interview with South Africa’s pioneering activist for domestic workers’ rights. openDemocracy, 9 February 2018.
“We English certainly do not like working for work's sake. There is nothing inside us that cries to be set going at an early hour and kept at it until a late hour. We have no private passion for being industrious.”
J. B. Priestley (1894–1984) first seen 1949 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: New Statesman, August 27 1949. Quoted in E. S. Turner, Roads to Ruin : The Shocking History of Social Reform, Michael Joseph, London, 1950 (pg. 66).
“People who work the day shift, kiss their kids goodnight, and head out for the night shift — without disappointment, without regret — that goodnight kiss a reminder of everything they're working for.”
Michelle Obama (born 1964) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You have to work hard in the industry. I didn't come into the industry and into the business and to do what I do to become famous. But I knew in the back of my head that if fame came along with it, that was a blessing. I love when someone recognizes me or wants an autograph. But for me it was about working rather than being a "star".”
John Barrowman (born 1967) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Fern Britton Meets John Barrowman BBC (2012)
“What's so pathetic about Putin's world view is that anything that makes him look weak can only be the work of the CIA. The possibility that Russian citizens working with free-spirited Western journalists and a Bulgarian Sherlock Holmes could get the better of him and his goons is not allowed.”
John Sweeney (journalist) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sometimes I feel I do know what to believe in. Sometimes I believe in working, writing, performing, doing the work. Other times I'm full of despair and I don't even believe in that, but for some reason I will get out of bed and do something anyway, even though I don't believe in it.”
John S. Hall (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I never think about genre when I work. I've written fantasy, science fiction, supernatural fiction, and am now working on a suspense novel. Genres are mostly useful as a marketing tool, and to help booksellers known where to shelve a book.”
Elizabeth Hand (born 1957) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Elizabeth Hand on Mortal Love at HarperCollins (2004)
“He must really think I'm a great guy. He must think that, because otherwise He would not have given me so much. I have a great family. I work in a place where I've always dreamt of working. He has helped me out so much that He must have a very high opinion of me. [When asked by the Spanish radio network Cope what he believed God thought about him].”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source