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Wisdom
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“In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says that whoever drinks his wisdom, shall become like him. God’s ‘I AM’ is recognized as ‘I AM’ from ‘I AM.’ The Name of God is all consuming fire. Yet the bush is not consumed.”
Silouan of Shropshire wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When God created the world, He placed sin and ignorance within satisfication of the appetite and knowledge and wisdom withing hunger. When Sahl hungered he was powerful, and whenever he ate, he became weak.”
Sahl al-Tustari (818–896) said by 896 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My master Herakleitos used to say: Most men might as well be blind and deaf, for all that they comprehend what lies about them. If you would gain wisdom, he said, get about, see things for yourself, and subject the impressions thus gained to the divine power of reason.”
L. Sprague de Camp (1907–2000) said by 2000 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is difficult, in an era in which most Americans acquire their information from packaged sound bites that require almost no effort from audiences, to convey the excitement of a time when people were willing to expend a good deal of energy looking at evidence, and listening to opinions, that challenged the received wisdom of previous ages.”
Susan Jacoby (born 1945) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think conventional wisdom is, by definition, the antithesis of entrepreneurialism, so I am probably on the other side of a lot of it.”
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu (born 1980) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you continue to stand idly by while my people vanish in a bloodbath, if you fail to act with conviction and resolve as you did in Rwanda, Chechen ghosts will stain your honour as surely as they do Russia’s. May God grant you the wisdom and vision to serve the cause of peace and justice.”
Aslan Maskhadov (1951–2005) said by 2005 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Her first non-fiction book, Manifesto, on never giving up, is to be published next month. And she has taken that wit and wisdom so many places, including, most crucially, the academy, where today she is professor of creative writing at Brunel University in London and vice-president of the Royal Society of Literature.”
Abena Busia (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To me, he was more than a father. He was a role model, a confidant, a teacher. His wisdom was never forced, but gently offered, always at the right time and always with kindness. He taught me the value of hard work, the importance of kindness, and the power of a good heart”
Alice Eduardo (born 1965) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: ‘Our Silent Guardian’" in Philippine Star (21 February 2025)
“According to theologians, noetic, pure, angelic prayer is in its power wisdom inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Gregory of Sinai (1255–1346) said by 1346 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Magic is nothing but the wisdom of the Creator revealed and planted in the creature. It is a name — as Agrippa saith — "not distasteful to the very Gospel itself.”
Thomas Vaughan (philosopher) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“suspended from the high branches of an old wisdom tree”
Sandra María Esteves (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One of the most difficult things the doctor and teacher have to do is to blast the popular and ancient delusion that there is an instinctive preparation for parenthood; that because a husband and wife produce a child they are mysteriously endowed with perfect wisdom concerning the nurture and development of this child.”
Esther Loring Richards (1885–1956) first seen 1080 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Richards, Esther Loring (1929-02-01). "Mental Aspects of Play". American Physical Education Review. 34 (2): 98–100. doi:10.1080/23267224.1929.10652371.
“Pray, because the church leaders, the bishops, the archbishops, need great wisdom as they negotiate with government, and as they try very hard to envision a future that even the politicians can't always envision, as they speak for justice and peace and so on, and pray that they find willing partners.”
Nick Baines (bishop) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Anglican AB Welby concludes visit to Uganda and Sudan (3 August 2017) Vatican Radio
“There is nothing more conducive to the destruction of a nation, whether it be republic or monarchy, than the lack of men of wisdom or intellect.”
John VI Kantakouzenos (1292–1383) said by 1383 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The secret to my beautiful physique is the fact that I eat healthy and I don’t eat junk food. Sometimes, I get advances from some men who are younger than me but I handle them with wisdom. Some of them would say there is no big deal in dating younger men but I don’t believe in dating someone younger than me.”
Biola Adebayo wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My kind, you have to work on yourself extra in following the laws of GOD in building the right core values, having SENSE, emotional intelligence, appropriate body language towards situations, use of words, generally growing in the Spirit’s things! Wisdom. Knowledge. Understanding. Be extra.”
Shola Allyson (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I wake up every day and ask God to give me the wisdom to help me create an environment that helps his people so they can do their best.”
Aisa Kirabo Kacyira (1965–2025) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Strength in sisterhood. The Journal Record. (April 2010)
“I just turned forty-two. I've been selfish. I've been an asshole. I've made mistakes and I've been all too human. Twelve years ago this book would have been about how spectacular I am. That book would have sucked ass. Yeah it would have had its moments, but the last dozen years have been marred with failure and loss and gifted with growth, reflection, and hopefully, a little wisdom.”
Tim Kennedy (fighter) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The achievements we have made in the past 70 years since the founding of the PRC is not a windfall or a handout from others. Neither was it made by engaging in military expansion or colonial exploitation. Instead, it has been achieved through the hard work, wisdom and bravery of the Chinese people, as well as through our win–win cooperation with the world since Reform and Opening Up.”
Wei Fenghe (born 1954) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It was the sublime ancient tolerance of Hinduism that he often stressed, that was the true proof of the wisdom and mature dignity of the Hindu tradition.”
Robert Charles Zaehner (1913–1974) said by 1974 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We need to cherish, to listen to the wisdom of the “Ancients,” As they listen to us. Bristlecone Pines don’t decay...they erode like stone.”
Rita Deanin Abbey (1930–2021) said by 2021 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Leadership is rooted not in power and authority, but in service and wisdom.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When on me devotion do women and folks flippant shower, then know they are in wisdom’s bower.”
Sankardev (1449–1569) said by 1569 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: quoted in Nani Gopal Mahanta - Citizenship Debate over NRC and CAA_ Assam and the Politics of History (2021, SAGE Publications India)
“The exciting thing about writing is how it happens, how a story takes on life, begins to move in its own direction, surprises the writer with its growing. When it's working, time passes quickly, the characters speak inside your inner ear, the scenes are there just needing words. When it's working, the story shows you a new way to live, it offers a writer wisdom one would never have without it.”
Linda Hogan (writer) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Everything that I’ve been through—everything that I’ve been taught, all the successes that I’ve had, all the failures that I’ve had, all the wisdom that I was given, I’ve learned from people who have done it before me.”
Michael B. Jordan (born 1987) first seen 2021 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Michael B. Jordan on Power, Purpose, and His Navy SEAL Workout" in Men's Health (11 March 2021)
“Our heart is in the sky. We understand that woman is the sun and the earth: she is grandmother; she is mother; she is Thought, Wisdom, Dream, Reason, Tradition, Memory, Deity, and Life itself.”
Paula Gunn Allen (1939–2008) said by 2008 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In recent days, footage has emerged of the former chancellor and the former chair of the 1922 committee offering their services for £60,000. On top of that, the former health secretary offered his wisdom for £10,000 a day. Can I ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he is inevitably booted out of office, what will his going rate be?”
Mhairi Black (born 1994) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Mhairi Black mocks Tory MPs caught up in row over £10,000 per day consultancy work", Daily Record" (29 March 2023)
“The sooner you learn that you have to be independent, that you are alone, and if there are people to help you it's a blessing, but it's not a given-I think this is the beginning of strength and wisdom.”
Shirley Geok-lin Lim (born 1944) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore.”
Bola Tinubu (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: https://fmino.gov.ng/inaugural-address-by-president-bola-ahmed-tinubu-delivered-on-29-may-2023/.Continuing his remarks on post-election reconciliation, Tinubu pledged to respect his political opponents and recognize the…
“Desirest thou the teacher's work? Ask wisdom from above. It is a work of toil and care Of patience and of love.”
Iphigenia Efunjoke Coker (1924–2019) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Coker recipe for success as a teacher in 2008.
“Prayer; I always start my day with prayer to thank God for keeping me alive and safe. I also ask him for wisdom and strength to go through the day.”
Florence Dolphyne (born 1938) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I owe all that I am to my unschooled but educated parents who despite not having gone to formal school, still had the wisdom to value the education of the girl child instead of marriage, as was the case then.”
Mary Okwakol (born 1951) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Because we are failing to teach our children, a lot of them lack wisdom which leads to the lack of maturity among many of the youth and that translates into our politics.”
Nana Anima Wiafe-Akenten wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is wisdom in the everyday beauty of fragile complex beings grappling with contradiction”
Pregs Govender (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As a leader one cardinal attribute that you should possess is vision. Your vision should lead you to accept that things can be made better, and that you’re prepared with the knowledge you have acquired, consultations with fellow stakeholders, and wisdom that you must have as a leader to make it happen – the betterment of society.”
John Kufuor (born 1938) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I hope of course that the women will be inspired by the lessons offered by those who are walking the path with them, and that networks of solidarity and connection would develop from this meeting. Practically, I am keen to work on a publication that would capture the insights and wisdom that emerged from the gathering”
Sarojini Nadar (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As a matter of fact, regional countries have every wisdom and capability to settle their differences and disputes. At the end of the day, only enhancing dialogue and communication and promoting solidarity and cooperation will ensure stability in our region.”
Li Shangfu (born 1958) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I keep in mind Rabbi Tarfon’s ancient wisdom that “you are not required to complete the task, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Let this be my advice to young writers, too. Keep writing and never give up.”
Alix Kates Shulman (born 1932) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The question is why Brexit has spectacularly failed. Of course, the conventional Remainer wisdom is that it was doomed from the start. But this neglects the elephant in the room: as it turns out, Britain is terrified of freedom.”
Sherelle Jacobs wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It’s planting seeds. That’s all we can do as teachers—plant the seeds through knowledge, through art, through wisdom, and through our actions.”
Ricardo Caté first seen 2020 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Magazine article (2020)
“In the Aboriginal world, we deeply understand that all animals that belong to this land are our close relatives. We understand the importance of our close inter-connectivity with everything in our world. This is the ancient wisdom that we must follow. If we care for our country, the country will care for us.”
Alexis Wright (born 1950) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The black summer bushfires killed 3 billion animals. They are our relatives; they deserve to be mourned" article (2023)
“The wind and sun, the salt water, the hard work aged a body rapidly, and when I would look at the old man who clammed, I was too young to sense the wisdom their years on the water had bestowed upon them and saw only what I did not want to become.”
Jeffrey Ford (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The search for wisdom in precedent flourished as if naturally among a people whom foreign observers at a later date have praised especially for its reliance upon tradition rather than upon those wide general theories which claim universal validity.”
David C. Douglas (1898–1982) first seen 1660 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 'The Development of English Medieval Scholarship between 1660 and 1730', Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Vol. 21 (1939), p. 32
“This is a book crafted by many memories, youthful insights, and the wisdom that come with seasons of despair and triumph. It is, most of all, another tribute to the men and women who rode the teacherous currents and sailed with the fair winds of most of the twentieth century.”
Tom Brokaw (born 1940) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I bring to the political arena a voice of wisdom,” she says. “People should vote for me not because of my gender but because of what I am able to deliver to them.”
Edith Nawakwi (1959–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There are great people the world today who were born out outside wedlock and there are miserable people today who were born to parents who married virgins. Definitions, determinations and the future belong to God. It is an act of wisdom to desist from defining people based on what you see about them today.”
Kafui Danku (born 1982) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Never abort a child because of marriage – Kafui Danku, Ghana Web, 20 March 2018.
“Great leaders are great learners. They seek wisdom from those who have gone before them and use it to forge their own paths”
Wendy Yvonne Nomathemba Luhabe (born 1957) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Take the best from the best 26 January, 2025
“I tell them about what I do when I’m down, how to get out of my own head. I give them a lot of wisdom.”
Mercy Akide-Udoh (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As I continue to explore the knowledge and wisdom of people around the world working to build and strengthen their communities, I’ve been uncovering inspiring examples of local initiatives striving for a carbon neutral future.”
Taryn Lane wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You should listen to those whose voices remain unheard although the wisdom they carry is shaped by their closeness to the earth. No refined language but the pace of life at a gallop refashioned outmoded images, well-worn phrases, and ways of thinking that are out of date.”
Véronique Tadjo (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source