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
Happiness
LoveFriendshipHappinessHopeFearCourageDeathLifeTimeWarPeaceFreedomTruthWisdomKnowledgeScienceArtMusicNatureMoneyWorkPowerGodBeautyLaughterFamilySuccess and failureChangeDreamsBooks and reading
“And what is the joy of Christ? The joy and delight which springs forever in His great heart, from feeling that He is forever doing good; from loving all, and living for all; from knowing that if not all, yet millions on millions are grateful to Him, and will be forever.”
Charles Kingsley (1819–1875) said by 1875 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He who binds to himself a joy Does the wingèd life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sunrise.”
William Blake (1757–1827) said by 1827 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Man was made for joy and woe, And when this we rightly know Through the world we safely go. Joy and woe are woven fine, A clothing for the soul divine.”
William Blake (1757–1827) said by 1827 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Of this worlds theatre in which we stay, My love lyke the spectator ydly sits Beholding me that all the pageants play, Disguysing diversly my troubled wits. Sometimes I joy when glad occasion fits, And mask in myrth lyke to a comedy: Soone after when my joy to sorrow flits, I waile and make my woes a tragedy.”
Edmund Spenser (1552–1599) said by 1599 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Verily it is the most joy that may be, as to my sight, that He that is highest and mightiest, noblest and worthiest, is lowest and meekest, homeliest and most courteous: and truly and verily this marvellous joy shall be shewn us all when we see Him.”
Julian of Norwich (1342–1500) said by 1500 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In these three words: It is a Joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying to me, were shewed three heavens, as thus: For the joy, I understood the pleasure of the Father; and for the bliss, the worship of the Son; and for the endless satisfying, the Holy Ghost. The Father is pleased, the Son is worshipped, the Holy Ghost is satisfied.”
Julian of Norwich (1342–1500) said by 1500 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Find a place where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.”
Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living (1991), p. 152
“I have harbored hate of the Lord in my heart. Every man or woman who loves Him, they hate Him too, because He's a hard God, a jealous God, He Is, what He Is, and in this world He's apt to repay service with pain while those who do evil ride over the roads in Cadillac cars. Even the joy of serving Him is a bitter joy.”
Stephen King (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.”
Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) said by 1947 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is one of the most important moments in the life of our country. I stand here before you filled with deep pride and joy: — pride in the ordinary, humble people of this country. You have shown such a calm, patient determination to reclaim this country as your own, - and joy that we can loudly proclaim from the rooftops — free at last!”
Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) said by 2013 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Joy, in Nature's wide dominion, Mightiest cause of all is found; And 'tis joy that moves the pinion, When the wheel of time goes round”
Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) said by 1805 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Keen are the pangs Of hapless love, and passion unapprov'd: But where consenting wishes meet, and vows Reciprocally breath'd, confirm the tie, Joy rolls on joy, an inexhausted stream! And virtue crowns the sacred scene.”
Tobias Smollett (1721–1771) said by 1771 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Has joy any survival value in the operations of evolution? I suspect that it does; I suspect that the morose and fearful are doomed to quick extinction. Where there is no joy there can be no courage; and without courage all other virtues are useless.”
Edward Abbey (1927–1989) said by 1989 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You are my pride and joy And I just love you, little darlin' Like a baby boy loves his toy You've got kisses sweeter than honey And I work every day to give you all I know And that's why you're my pride and joy.”
Marvin Gaye (1939–1984) said by 1984 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns; Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy.”
Isaac Watts (1674–1748) said by 1748 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you ever think I am over-exuberant, too unconventional, too outspoken, remember that life has not blunted me nor made me blasé or indifferent, that all things are still a joy and of interest to me because of that secret source of enchantment that flows within me - the joy of life!”
Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania (1875–1938) first seen 1926 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 'Queen's Counsel, The Joy of Life', The Birmingham News 1926.
“Labour without joy is base. Labour without sorrow is base. Sorrow without labour is base. Joy without labour is base.”
John Ruskin (1819–1900) said by 1900 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He said, 'The royal robe I wear Trails all along the fields of light: Its silent blue and silver bear For gems the starry dust of night.' 'The breath of joy unceasingly Waves to and fro its folds starlit, And far beyond earth's misery I live and breathe the joy of it.'”
George William Russell (1867–1935) said by 1935 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One must preach life, not death; spread hope, not fear and cultivate joy, man's most valuable treasure. That is the secret of the greatest of the wise, and it will be the light of tomorrow. Passions are sad. Hatred is sad. Joy destroys passions and hatred. Let us begin by telling ourselves that sadness is never noble, beautiful or useful.”
Émile Chartier (1868–1951) said by 1951 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Anytime two human beings find genuine pleasure, joy, and love, the stars smile and the universe is enriched. Yet as long as that pleasure, joy, and love is still predicated on myths of black sexuality, the more fundamental challenge of humane interaction remains unmet. (p85)”
Cornel West (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When someone turns to me and addresses me as 'our Queen', that word means a lot to me because it makes me feel that they know my life is theirs. My joy is their joy. My worries are their worries. If the word 'queen' means something to me, 'our queen' means everything to me.”
Queen Rania of Jordan (born 1970) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview in Arabic with Al-Arabiya, 27/10/2013
“How can one forget joy? I believe that a work of art reaches perfection when it conveys silent joy and serenity.”
Luis Barragán (1902–1988) said by 1988 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Say does your heart expand to all mankind And would you ever to your neighbour do, — The weak, the strong, the enlightened and the blind — As you would have your neighbour do to you?And, when you, looking on your fellow men Behold them doomed to endless misery, How can you talk of joy and rapture then? May God withhold such cruel joy from me!”
Anne Brontë (1820–1849) said by 1849 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he pure memories given To help our joy on earth, when earth is past, Shall help our joy in heaven!”
Margaret Junkin Preston (1820–1897) first seen 1886 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In the Hereafter", Stanza 13, in For Love's Sake: Poems of Faith and Comfort (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph and Company, 1886), p. 36.
“The reward of joy is joy itself; not for its own sake; but for the sake of others.”
Kuruvilla Pandikattu (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Life must be a daring adventure or it is nothing at all. It's always a choice between joy and despair. I tried despair. Joy is more fun.”
David Gerrold (born 1944) first seen 2022 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Facebook post (July 2, 2022).
“I try to make a distinction between enjoyment and joy. You are only prepared to enjoy what you already have a taste for; wheras joy is shocking and surprising.”
Geoffrey Hill (1932–2016) said by 2016 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The thing that I have learned is that vulnerability is at the center of fear and shame, but it is also at the center of joy and gratitude and love and belonging...If we continue to wake up every day and put our game faces on and think that invulnerability is the way to be … then we pay the price, because I don't know that we would ever fully experience joy and love and belonging.”
Brené Brown (born 1965) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“God’s joy is to forgive. God’s being is mercy. Therefore, over the course of this year we need to open our hearts, so that this love, this joy of God might fill us all with this mercy.”
Pope Francis (1936–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Mind at rest is the Temple of Joy. So long as it is gurgling with its desires, passions and attachments in its stormy surface, the signature of joy gets ruffled out.”
Chinmayananda Saraswati (1916–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Our heart is like a factory. This factory can produce joy. It can also produce worry. If you can produce worry to make yourself unhappy, why don’t you produce joy instead? Many of our worries are much ado about nothing.”
Hsing Yun (1927–2023) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Not Having Is the Best State to Have Interview with UM’s Honorary Doctorate Recipient Master Hsing Yun" (2013)
“His faith in humanity began from an acknowledgement of limitation, not an illusion about perfectibility. He knew that joy flowed from honesty, rather than around it—sound familiar? In a similar way, Christians, whose identity is found apart from our ever-changing and often hopeless abilities and attributes, are free to laugh at ourselves. This is part and parcel of Christian joy.”
Jim Henson (1936–1990) said by 1990 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Old age is not meant to be survived alone," Man Rapadou said, her voice trailing with her own hidden thoughts. "Death should come gently, slowly, like a man's hand approaching your body. There can be joy in impatience if there is time to find the joy.” (p276)”
Edwidge Danticat (born 1969) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Humility is a marvelous partner to joy. I hope you will discover the joy of serving others.”
Don Soderquist (1934–2016) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Don Soderquist “Live Learn Lead to Make a Difference, Thomas Nelson, April 2006 p. 67.
“Joy of living, / Living joy... Zen doctrine is null. Before I die, Here is the secret of my teaching - My staff nods in agreement. Katsu!”
Seigan Soi (1588–1662) said by 1662 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“From praise comes joy, from joy – strength, from strength – virtue, from virtue – purity and from purity comes realization of one’s full potential.”
Leon MacLaren (1910–1994) said by 1994 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Leon MacLaren, The Machinery of Government, 1998
“No real joy can reach us from the rational mechanism of capitalist exploitation. Joy does not have fixed rules to catalogue it.”
Alfredo M. Bonanno (1937–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The search for joy is therefore an act of will, a firm refusal of the fixed conditions of capital and its values. The first of these refusals is that of work as a value. The search for joy can only come about through the search for play.”
Alfredo M. Bonanno (1937–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think the essence of the book would really be, it doesn't hurt to try. You know, I think that's been my motto forever. And I think it's done me very well. And I think the joy in the book is a big thing, because I think we live a lot of our lives without joy. And I think loving what you're doing while you're doing it is really important.”
Veronica Chambers (born 1970) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On what she hopes readers take away from her book A Girl's Guide to Love, Life and Foolish Bravery in “Veronica Chambers: 'The Joy of Doing Things Badly'” in NPR (2006 May 11)
“I have inherited this sense that seriousness does not necessarily go with grief, or seriousness does not necessarily go with joy, which to me is not glee, actually. Joy is this very complex, full, rigorous emotion. But yeah, I think the fact that I felt like I was being a little transgressive by titling it that indicates at least something about the way that I’ve come up in contemporary poetry.”
Ross Gay (born 1974) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On gratitude in poetry in “The Terrible and the Possible: An Interview with Ross Gay” in Los Angeles Review of Books (2016 Nov 11)
“Joy-Conに関して、お客様にご迷惑をおかけしていることをお詫び申しあげます。製品の改良については継続的に取り組んでいますが、Joy-Conは米国で集団訴訟の対象となっており、係争中の案件になりますので、具体的な対応については回答を差し控えたいと存じます。”
Shuntaro Furukawa (born 1972) first seen 2020 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: During a financial Q&A. Translated in Nintendo President Apologizes For Joy-Con Trouble by Brian Ashcraft, 30 June 2020,
“2025 is the year of joy for me!! The question I have started asking myself before every decision is, ‘Does this bring me joy?’ If the answer is yes I move forward… If not I lovingly decline.”
Keshia Knight Pulliam (born 1979) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Keshia Knight Pulliam in Horse Riding Gear Says “2025 Is Year of Joy”celebwell(december 26,2024)
“The joy of seeing Yuri Gagarin flying in space is only superseded by the joy of a good penalty save.”
Lev Yashin (1929–1990) said by 1990 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The optimistic nature finds joy in the very feeling for life; the pessimistic nature finds a feeling for life only in joy.”
Lou Andreas-Salomé (1861–1937) first seen 1882 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Notebook entry, Summer 1882; cited in Rudolph Binion's Frau Lou (Princeton University Press, 1968) p. 91, translation by Rudolph Binion
“I cry only for joy. I can see something beautiful and cry. And I'm not ashamed of it. After all, crying from joy is much better than from weakness.”
Dmitry Yazov (1923–2020) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Дмитрий Язов рассказал "РГ" о жизни маршала на пенсии" (4 December 2013)
“After rain comes sunshine and after darkness comes the glorious dawn. There is no sorrow without its alloy of joy, there is no joy without its admixture of sorrow. Behind the ugly terrible mask of misfortune lies the beautiful soothing countenance of prosperity, so tear the mask.”
Obafemi Awolowo (1909–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The greatest memorial service for both the people in the world and our ancestors is our spiritual progress, because then they are entitled to divine help. This is apart from our prayer, which is bold before God, and the joy which our grandparents feel over us, their pride and joy. But if we lead a bad life, they suffer threefold.”
Paisios of Mount Athos (1924–1994) said by 1994 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Saint Paisios, quoted in the book cover flap of Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters (2016, 3rd ed.)
“Walk with Mary on the paths of life with joy in one’s heart, at a time when it seems, in fact, that joy is the great absence in our world.”
Pietro Brollo (1933–2019) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Pilgrimage Shows Conflict Overcome (31 August 2009) Zenit
“If success means living with joy, contentment, and doing great things with my talent, then failure is the opposite of success. It means not living with joy, contentment, or using my skills and gifts. Failure would also mean not pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and not daring to try new things and ideas.”
Oreoluwa Lesi first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: https://www.lionessesofafrica.com/blog/2017/11/1/quote-of-the-day
“Another element I feel contributes to seeing ourselves as a visionary force is our capacity for joy...We must continue to see that potential for joy as we become old and jaded. And that's one of the things that conferences like this can do: make you feel old and jaded.”
Jewelle Gomez (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source