Listening to advice often accomplishes far more than heeding it.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The advice that is wanted is commonly not welcome and that which is not wanted, evidently an effrontery.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Disease can never be conquered, can never be quelled by emotion’s willful screaming or faith’s symbolic prayer. It can only be conquered by the energy of humanity and the cunning in the mind of man. In the patience of a Curie, in the enlightenment of a Faraday, a Rutherford, a Pasteur, a Nightingale, and all other apostles of light and cleanliness, rather than of a woebegone godliness, we shall find final deliverance from plague, pestilence, and famine.
—Sean O’Casey (1880–1964) Irish Dramatist, Memoirist
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men count with you, but none too much: if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that’s in it, and—which is more—you’ll be a man, my son.
—Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) British Children’s Books Writer, Short story, Novelist, Poet, Journalist
We hate to have some people give us advice because we know how badly they need it themselves.
—Unknown
Advice is like castor oil, easy enough to give but dreadful uneasy to take.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Men give away nothing so liberally as advice.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Give me good advice but don’t advise me not to do it.
—Hebrew Proverb
It is always a silly thing to give advice, but to give good advice is absolutely fatal.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Never give advice in a crowd.
—Arabic Proverb
These words dropped into my childish mind as if you should accidentally drop a ring into a deep well. I did not think of them much at the time, but there came a day in my life when the ring was fished up out of the well, good as new.
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–96) American Abolitionist, Author
People who ask our advice almost never take it. Yet we should never refuse to give it, upon request, for it often helps us to see our own way more clearly
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Where there is no counsel, the people perish; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
When a man seeks your advice he generally wants your praise.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Good counsels observed are chains of grace.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.
—Spanish Proverb
Old men are fond of giving good advice, to console themselves for being no longer in a position to give bad examples.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
It takes a great man to give sound advice tactfully, but a greater to accept it graciously.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
The worst men often give the best advice.
—Philip James Bailey (1816–1902) English Poet
Disease is an experience of mortal mind. It is fear made manifest on the body. Divine Science takes away this physical sense of discord, just as it removes a sense of moral or mental in-harmony.
—Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910) American Christian Science Religious Leader, Humanitarian, Writer
I’m not a teacher: only a fellow-traveler of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead—ahead of myself as well as you.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Advice is a stranger; if he’s welcome he stays for the night; if not, he leaves the same day.
—African Proverb
Never give advice unless asked.
—German Proverb
No enemy is worse than bad advice.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Advice is seldom welcome. Those who need it most, like it least.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
One good punch on your enemy’s nose, gives more pleasure than hearing well-meaning advice from your elders.
—Tibetan Proverb
Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
The best advice is this: Don’t take advice and don’t give advice.
—Unknown
Good counsel rejected returns to enrich the givers bosom.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
We may give advice, but not the sense to use it.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
People are always willing to follow advice when it accords with their own wishes.
—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer
It is with diseases of the mind as with diseases of the body, we are half dead before we understand our disorder, and half cured when we do.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
It takes nearly as much ability to know how to profit by good as to know how to act for one’s self.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.
—Unknown
Every man, however wise, needs the advice of some sagacious friend in the affairs of life.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Not as thou sayest, but as thy fellows say.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
We are so happy to advise others that occasionally we even do it in their interest.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
Good advice is often annoying—bad advice never is.
—French Proverb
It never occurs to some politicians that Lincoln is worth imitating as well as quoting.
—Unknown
This is a great country, and it wasn’t made so by angry people. We have a sacred duty to bequeath it to our grandchildren in better shape than however we found it. We have a long way to go and we’re not getting any younger. Dante said that the hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who in time of crisis remain neutral, so I have spoken my piece, and thank you, dear reader. It’s a beautiful world, rain or shine, and there is more to life than winning.
—Garrison Keillor (b.1942) American Author, Humorist, Radio Personality
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
—Unknown
Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that’s no reason not to give it.
—Agatha Christie (1890–1976) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Giving advice to the ignorant is like the rain falling on muddy ground.
—Persian Proverb
Advice: It’s more fun to give than to receive.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Most people when they come to you for advice, come to have their own opinions strengthened, not corrected.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Too many captains sink the ship.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Never play leapfrog with a unicorn.
—Unknown