The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
To what extent is any given man morally responsible for any given act? We do not know.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
We hand folks over to God’s mercy, and show none ourselves.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
I firmly believe a great many prayers are not answered because we are not willing to forgive someone.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
To be honest, one must be inconsistent.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
It’s a lie, but Heaven will forgive you for it
—Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) Canadian Political Scientist, Humorist
Forgiveness is giving up my right to hurt
you back because you have hurt me.
—Unknown
To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
To be social is to be forgiving.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
When people screw up, give them a second chance.
—Richard Branson (b.1950) British Entrepreneur
He who has injured thee was either stronger or weaker than thee. If weaker, spare him; if stronger, spare thyself.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; Therefore, we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true, or beautiful, or good, makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; Therefore, we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, could be accomplished alone; Therefore, we must be saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our own standpoint; Therefore, we must be saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.
—Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) American Christian Theologian
A reconciled friend is a double enemy.
—Common Proverb
And when a man injures and oppresses you and deals unjustly with you, you should deal kindly with him and forgive him. This you will strike at the root of hatred and enmity and he who is your enemy will become your friend.
—The Holy Quran Sacred Scripture of Islam
A more glorious victory cannot be gained over another man, than this, that when the injury began on his part, the kindness should begin on ours.
—John Tillotson
To have the power to forgive,
Is empire and prerogative,
And ’tis in crowns a nobler gem,
To grant a pardon than condemn.
—Samuel Butler
Forgive and forget.
—Common Proverb
We achieve inner health only through forgiveness—the forgiveness not only of others but also of ourselves.
—Joshua L. Liebman (1907–48) American Jewish Rabbi, Author
Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast.
—Marlene Dietrich (1901–92) German-born American Actor, Singer
Who would care to question the ground of forgiveness or compassion?
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
The folly which we might have ourselves committed is the one which we are least ready to pardon in another.
—Philibert Joseph Roux (1780–1854) French Surgeon
Let us forget and forgive injuries.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
The sun should not set on our anger; neither should it rise on our confidence.—We should forgive freely, but forget rarely.—I will not be revenged; this I owe to my enemy.—I will remember; this I owe to myself.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Women will forgive anything.
Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.
—Robert A. Heinlein (1907–88) American Science Fiction Writer
Forgive those who have hurt you.
—Les Brown
He who forgives a thief is a thief himself.
—Spanish Proverb
A sin confessed is half forgiven.
—French Proverb
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
Never repeat old grievances.
—Common Proverb
When my children do wrong, I ache to hear their stumbling requests for forgiveness. I’m sure our heavenly Father aches even more deeply to hear from us.
—Unknown
Keeping score of old scores and scars, getting even and one-upping, always makes you less than you are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Classic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
When thou forgivest, the man who has pierced thy heart stands to thee in the relation of the sea-worm, that perforates the shell of the mussel, which straightway closes the wound with a pearl.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
That a partner ‘gets’ you, this is what above all cements love: love as accurate (but still benevolent) interpretation.
—Marty Nemko (b.1950) American Career Coach
Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.
—Indira Gandhi (1917–84) Indian Head of State
It is much easier to repent of sins that we have committed than to repent of those that we intend to commit.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
We forgive freely or we do not really forgive at all.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
Resentment is one burden that is incompatible with your success. Always be the first to forgive; and forgive yourself first always.
—Dan Zadra
Whom they have injured, they also hate.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.
—Lawrence G. Lovasik
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
—Paul Boese
Every beginning is hard.
—Unknown
You are goodness and mercy and compassion and understanding. You are peace and joy and light. You are forgiveness and patience, strength and courage, a helper in time of need, a comforter in time of sorrow, a healer in time of injury, a teacher in times of confusion. You are the deepest wisdom and the highest truth; the greatest peace and the grandest love. You are these things. And in moments of your life you have known yourself to be these things. Choose now to know yourself as these things always.
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
May I tell you why it seems to me a good thing for us to remember wrong that has been done us? That we may forgive it.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance and love have no end, and the Lord of life holds all who die and all who mourn.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
In my youth I stressed freedom, and in my old age I stress order. I have made the great discovery that liberty is a product of order.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
The only unforgivable sin: Being unforgiving.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Forgiveness is the way to true health and happiness.
—Gerald Jampolsky (b.1925) American Psychiatrist