But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Men in general judge more by the sense of sight than by the sense of touch, because everyone can see, but only a few can test by feeling. Everyone sees what you seem to be, few know what you really are, and those few do not dare take a stand against the general opinion.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
One out of four people in this country is mentally imbalanced. Think of your three closest friends. If they seem okay, then you’re the one.
—Ask Ann Landers (1918–2002) American Advice Columnist
When you judge others,
you do not define them, you define yourself.
—Earl Nightingale (1921–89) American Motivational Speaker, Author
Even God doesn’t plan to judge a man till the end of his days, why should you and I?
—Unknown
We find it hard to apply the knowledge of ourselves to our judgment of others. The fact that we are never of one kind, that we never love without reservations and never hate with all our being cannot prevent us from seeing others as wholly black or white.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Everyone complains of the badness of his memory, but nobody of his judgment.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A judgment about life has no meaning except the truth of the one who speaks last, and the mind is at ease only at the moment when everyone is shouting at once and no one can hear a thing.
—Georges Bataille (1897–1962) French Essayist, Intellectual
When you meet a man, you judge him by his clothes; when you leave, you judge him by his heart.
—Russian Proverb
My guiding principle is this: Guilt is never to be doubted.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Men of ill judgment often ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Less judgment than wit, is more sail than ballast. Yet it must be confessed, that wit gives an edge to sense, and recommends it extremely.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
A hasty judgment is a first step to recantation.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The average man’s judgment is so poor, he runs a risk every time he uses it.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
We are ashamed to seem evasive in the presence of a straightforward man, cowardly in the presence of a brave one, gross in the eyes of a refined one, and so on. We always imagine, and in imagining share, the judgments of the other mind.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
It is commonly seen by experience that excellent memories do often accompany weak judgements.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Don’t judge men’s wealth or godliness by their Sunday appearance.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Never judge someone by who he’s in love with; judge him by his friends. People fall in love with the most appalling people. Take a cool, appraising glance at his pals.
—Cynthia Heimel (1947–2018) American Humor Columnist, Feminist
Make no judgments where you have no compassion.
—Anne Mccaffrey (1926–2011) American-born Irish Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer
I have tried to make all my acts and commercial moves the result of definite consideration and sound judgment. There were never any great ventures or risks. I practiced honest, slow-growing business methods, and tried to back them with energy and good system.
—Marshall Field (1834–1906) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Philanthropist
Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Be curious, not judgmental.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Don’t mind anything that anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment.
—Donald Rumsfeld (1932–2021) U.S. Secretary of Defense
A Judge may be a farmer; but he is not to geld his own pigs. A Judge may play a little at cards for his own amusement; but he is not to play at marbles, or chuck farthing in the Piazza.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Let us remember, when we are inclined to be disheartened, that the private soldier is a poor judge of the fortunes of a great battle.
—William Motter Inge (1913–73) American Playwright, Novelist
We are firm believers in the maxim that for all right judgment of any man or thing it is useful, nay, essential, to see his good qualities before pronouncing on his bad.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
A man is not good or bad for one action.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Do not judge, and you will never be mistaken.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
Great Spirit, help me never to judge another until I have walked in his moccasins.
—American Indian Proverb
We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship, for to undertake to wound or offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Every act is to be judged by the intention of the agent.
—Unknown
If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
If you judge, investigate.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
But men never violate the laws of God without suffering the consequences, sooner or later.
—Lydia Maria Child (1802–80) American Abolitionist, Writer
When one cannot appraise out of one’s own experience, the temptation to blunder is minimized, but even when one can, appraisal seems chiefly useful as appraisal of the appraiser.
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972) American Poet
How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly!
—Elizabeth Gaskell (1810–65) English Novelist, Short-Story Writer
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Men are more apt to be mistaken in their generalizations than in their particular observations.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.
—Iris Murdoch (1919–99) British Novelist, Playwright, Philosopher
If you would judge, understand.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
It is no little wisdom for a man to keep himself in silence and in good peace when evil words are spoken to him, and to turn his heart to God and not to be troubled with man’s judgment.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
In our judgment of human transactions, the law of optics is reversed; we see the most indistinctly the objects which are close around us.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
Foolish men imagine that because judgment for an evil thing is delayed, there is no justice; but only accident here below. Judgment for an evil thing is many times delayed some day or two, some century or two, but it is sure as life, it is sure as death.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist