Famous quotes
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Wisdom
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“The wise men understood that this natural world is simply a guarantee that there exists a world that is perfect. God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom. That's what I mean by action.”
Paulo Coelho (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Two persons take trouble in vain, and use fruitless endeavors, — he who acquires wealth without enjoying it, and he who is taught wisdom but does not practice it. How much soever you may study science, when you do not act wisely you are ignorant. The beast whom they load with books is not profoundly learned and wise; what knoweth his empty skull whether he carrieth firewood or books?”
Saadi (1210–1292) said by 1292 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you try to save wisdom until the world is wise, Father, the world will never have it.”
Walter M. Miller Jr. (1923–1996) said by 1996 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Are you wise, Unbeliever?” “Who knows? If I am—wisdom is overrated.”
Stephen R. Donaldson (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What the Judgment of Solomon exemplifies is that wisdom trumps science and technology: Regardless of who the biological mother was—based on DNA test results, King Solomon recognized that the best mother would be the caring woman. Imagine an AI judge who is as wise as King Solomon!”
Newton Lee wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is the nature of the noble and the good and the wise that they impart to us of their nobility and their goodness and their wisdom while they live, making it natural for us to breathe the air they breathe and giving us confidence in our own untested powers. And the same influence in more ethereal fashion they continue to exert after they are gone.”
Felix Adler (1851–1933) said by 1933 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Solitude is Wisdom’s school. Attend then the lessons of your own soul; become a pupil of the wise God within you, for by his tuitions alone shall you grow into the knowledge and stature of the deities. The seraphs descend from heaven, in the solitudes of meditation, in the stillness of prayer.”
Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888) said by 1888 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The nine Wise Words are full of wisdom, besides being decidedly funny.”
John Tenniel (1820–1914) said by 1914 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One of the great lies humanity tells is that time produces wisdom. Oh, Ala will concede that time creates more opportunities for a person to become wise, but it’s hardly a guarantee.”
Veronica Roth (born 1988) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“...Wise men write many books, in words too hard to understand. But this, the purpose of our lives, the end of all our struggle, is beyond all human wisdom.”
Alan Paton (1903–1988) said by 1988 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Your father was a very wise man. But you cannot acquire his wisdom by pretending to have it already.”
Lisa Goldstein (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Oh yes, I am wise But it's wisdom born of pain Yes, I've paid the price But look how much I gained If I have to, I can do anything I am strong I am invincible I am woman”
Helen Reddy (1941–2020) said by 2020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I put a poor youth, if he be wise, before an aged prince devoid of wisdom.”
Gregory Thaumaturgus (213–270) said by 270 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Let us examine in what true wisdom consists, and we shall see, in the first point, that sinners are truly foolish, and, in the second, that the saints are truly wise.”
Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787) said by 1787 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Liguori, A. M. (1882). Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity: In What True Wisdom Consists. In N. Callan (Trans.), Sermons for All the Sundays in the Year (Eighth Edition, p. 43). Dublin; London: James Duffy & Sons.
“That life keeps teaching me how little I actually know. I used to think I was going to die wise, and now the one wisdom I have is I know very little.”
Mary Steenburgen (born 1953) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Mary speak on her philosophy in 2007.
“Compassionate the mountains rise Dim with the wistful dimness of old eyes That, having looked on life time out of mind, Know that the simple gift of being kind Is greater than all the wisdom of the wise.”
DuBose Heyward (1885–1940) said by 1940 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ampharete just smiled. “Might we go someplace else to converse? Much as I love this magnificent library, I do not feel completely at ease here—too many wise people walking about.” “Wisdom makes you uneasy?” Ampharete kept her smile. “When combined with prying eyes, yes.”
Paul Levinson (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.”
Michel de Montaigne (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is no mortal truly wise and restless at once; wisdom is the repose of minds.”
Johann Kaspar Lavater (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“True wisdom, indeed, springs from the wide brain which is fed from the deep heart; and it is only when age warms its withering conceptions at the memory of its youthful fire, when it makes experience serve aspiration, and knowledge illumine the difficult paths through which thoughts thread their way into facts,—it is only then that age becomes broadly and nobly wise.”
Edwin Percy Whipple (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Tsze-Kung asked Confucius, saying, "Master, are you a sage?" Confucius answered him: "A sage is what I cannot rise to. I learn without satiety, and teach without being tired." Tsze-Kung said: "You learn without satiety: that shows your wisdom. You teach without being tired: that shows your benevolence. Benevolent and wise:— Master, you a sage.”
Mencius (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages is preserved into perpetuity by a nation's proverbs, fables, folk sayings and quotations.”
William Feather (disputed) first seen 1986 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed in Zebras & Picket Fences (2008) by Jakob Weiss; if this is a statement by Feather, it clearly derives from the earlier remarks of Isaac D'Israeli: "The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be …
“He is truly wise who gains wisdom from another's mishap.”
Publius Syrus (active around 42 BC) bartlett, Public domain source
“Wisdom is the best gift God gave to humans. The best thing to do is to praise wisdom — this is right and fair.”
Ferdowsi (940–1020) said by 1020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wisdom shows us the right path and brings peace to the heart. Wisdom helps a person in this world and in the next world (the afterlife).”
Ferdowsi (940–1020) said by 1020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wisdom is peace, peace wisdom. Both are born of a humble heart and a nourished gratitude.”
Robert Service (1874–1958) first seen 1942 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: ServiceWise & OtherWise (1942)
“Conventional wisdom is not to put all of your eggs in one basket. 80/20 wisdom is to choose a basket carefully, load all your eggs into it, and then watch it like a hawk.”
Richard Koch (born 1950) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To me, God is the accumulated wisdom I've gathered throughout my life. When I pay attention, my body gives me a printout of this wisdom.”
Warren Farrell (born 1943) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“By the mere reading of this work one can of course achieve an intellectual knowledge, but not wisdom. Knowledge can be gained by transference, but wisdom must be acquired by experience and recognition, the latter depending on the spiritual maturity of the individual. And this maturity again is determined by the spiritual development that is formed on the path to initiation.”
Franz Bardon (1909–1958) said by 1958 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I have not lost my faith; and this I must attribute more to a miracle than to my own wisdom; more to Divine Providence than to my own virtue. Steadfastly, in fact from my earliest childhood, I have made this my prayer, "Lord God... grant me long life, and wisdom, and health of mind and body.”
Gerolamo Cardano (1501–1576) said by 1576 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What must be the knowledge of Him, from whom all created minds have derived both their power of knowledge, and the innumerable objects of their knowledge! What must be the wisdom of Him, from whom all things derive their wisdom!”
Timothy Dwight IV (1752–1817) said by 1817 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 275.
“The Chinese are a great nation, incapable of permanent suppression by foreigners. They will not consent to adopt our vices in order to acquire military strength; but they are willing to adopt our virtues in order to advance in wisdom. I think they are the only people in the world who quite genuinely believe that wisdom is more precious than rubies. That is why the West regards them as uncivilized.”
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) first seen 1922 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Problem of China (1922), Ch. XIII: Higher education in China
“If we concede to the State power and wisdom to single out "duly constituted religious" bodies as exclusive alternatives for compulsory secular instruction, it would be logical to also uphold the power and wisdom to choose the true faith among those "duly constituted." We start down a rough road when we begin to mix compulsory public education with compulsory godliness.”
Robert H. Jackson (1892–1954) said by 1954 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I have always felt that doubt was the beginning of wisdom, and the fear of God was the end of wisdom.”
Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) said by 1938 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital to remember that information — in the sense of raw data — is not knowledge, that knowledge is not wisdom, and that wisdom is not foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these.”
Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) first seen 2003 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Humanity will survive information deluge — Sir Arthur C Clarke" in OneWorld South Asia (5 December 2003)
“Wisdom sets bounds even to knowledge ... I want, once and for all, not to know many things. Wisdom requires moderation in knowledge as in other things.”
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) said by 1900 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom.”
Edmund Burke (1729–1797) said by 1797 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Humility is the hall-mark of wisdom. Socrates, whom the oracle, that is, the united opinion of the world in which he moved, pronounced to be the wisest man, was content with the title of a lover, rather than a professor, of wisdom.”
Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) said by 1726 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best…”
Frank Zappa (1940–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You should increasingly benefit yourselves by acquiring hearing, contemplating , and cultivating wisdom. Even though a person only has flesh eyes, if he has illuminating wisdom, he has clear understanding.”
Gautama Buddha (501–501 BC) said by 501 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I speak about universal evolution and teleological evolution, because I think the process of evolution reflects the wisdom of nature. I see the need for wisdom to become operative. We need to try to put all of these things together in what I call an evolutionary philosophy of our time.”
Jonas Salk (1914–1995) said by 1995 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The everlasting and paternal wisdom saith, "Whoso heareth Me is not ashamed." If he is ashamed of anything he is ashamed of being ashamed. Whoso worketh in Me sineth not. Whoso confesseth Me and feareth Me, shall have eternal life. Whoso will hear the wisdom of the Father must dwell deep, and abide at home, and be at unity with himself.”
Meister Eckhart (1260–1328) said by 1328 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“No single one can possess greater wisdom than the many scholars who are elected by all the men for their wisdom. Yet we can. We do. We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is still to be learned! So long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone!”
Ayn Rand (1905–1982) said by 1982 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What is the wisdom of a book compared with the wisdom of an angel?”
Friedrich Hölderlin (1770–1843) said by 1843 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Books won't stay banned. They won't burn. Ideas won't go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom. The surest path to wisdom is a liberal education.”
Alfred Whitney Griswold (1906–1963) first seen 1959 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Essays on Education quoted in The New York Times (24 February 1959).
“This type of man who is devoted to the study of wisdom is always most unlucky in everything, and particularly when it comes to procreating children; I imagine this is because Nature wants to ensure that the evils of wisdom shall not spread further throughout mankind.”
Erasmus (1466–1536) said by 1536 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He brought his malformed wisdom, his pool-hall, locker-room, joke-book wisdom to the front.”
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) said by 1968 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the dusk I saw her smile, that incredible female smile. It is called wisdom but it isn't that but rather an understanding that makes wisdom unnecessary.”
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) said by 1968 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the combat between wisdom and feeling, wisdom never wins.”
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) said by 1968 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wisdom thoroughly learned, will never be forgotten. Science is got by diligence; but Discretion and Wisdom cometh of GOD.”
Pythagoras (583–491 BC) said by 491 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source