I will give you a definition of a proud man: he is a man who has neither vanity nor wisdom—one filled with hatreds cannot be vain, neither can he be wise.
—John Keats (1795–1821) English Poet
No race can prosper ’til it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling the field, as in writing a poem.
—Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American Educationist
Every man has a right to be conceited until he is successful.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A proud man never shows his pride so much as when he is civil.
—George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) British Nobleman, Politician
The nobler the blood the less the pride.
—Danish Proverb
Pride, as it is compounded of the vanity and ill nature that dispose men to admire themselves, and contemn other men, retains its vigor longer than any other vice, and rarely expires but with life itself. Without the sovereign influence of God’s grace, men very rarely put off all the trappings of their pride till they who are about them put on their winding-sheet.
—Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–74) English Statesman, Historian
A penny in an empty box rattles loudly.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
One may be humble out of pride.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Pride is the mask we make of our faults.
—Hebrew Proverb
Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates excellence from mediocrity.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy. When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more, that your appearance may be all of a piece; but it is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Conceit may puff a man up, but can never prop him up.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
I hear the words, the thoughts, the feeling tones, the personal meaning, even the meaning that is below the conscious intent of the speaker. Sometimes too, in a message which superficially is not very important, I hear a deep human cry that lies buried and unknown far below the surface of the person. So I have learned to ask myself, can I hear the sounds and sense the shape of this other person’s inner world? Can I resonate to what he is saying so deeply that I sense the meanings he is afraid of, yet would like to communicate, as well as those he knows?
—Carl Rogers (1902–1987) American Psychologist
It’s a fine thing to rise above pride, but you must have pride in order to do so.
—Georges Bernanos (1888–1948) French Author
There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice. And at the same time I have very seldom met anyone, who was not a Christian, who showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.
The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
A self-made man? Yes, and one who worships his creator.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Pride is a sign of the worst poverty—ignorance.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Pride often defeats its own end, by bringing the man who seeks esteem and reverence, into contempt.
—Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678–1751) English Politician, Philosopher
My pride fell with my fortunes.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
John Bunyan had a great dread of spiritual pride; and once, after he had preached a very fine sermon, and his friends crowded round to shake him by the hand, while they expressed the utmost admiration of his eloquence, he interrupted them, saying: “Ay! you need not remind me of that, for the Devil told me of it before I was out of the pulpit!”
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
The proud are ever most provoked by pride.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Pride counterbalances all our miseries, for it either hides them, or if it discloses them, boasts of that disclosure. Pride has such a thorough possession of us, even in the midst of our miseries and faults, that we are prepared to sacrifice life with joy, if it may but be talked of.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Exclusiveness is a characteristic of recent riches, high society, and the skunk.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
If a proud man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is that he keeps his at the same time.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
We hear much of a decent pride, a becoming pride, a noble pride, a laudable pride. Can that be decent, of which we ought to be ashamed? Can that be becoming, of which God has set forth the deformity? Can that be noble which God resists and is determined to abase? Can that be laudable, which God calls abominable?
—Richard Cecil
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something…almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.
—Steve Jobs (1955–2011) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
To acknowledge our faults when we are blamed, is modesty; to discover them to one’s friends, in ingenuousness, is confidence; but to proclaim them to the world, if one does not take care, is pride.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Pride, like the magnet, constantly points to one object, self; but unlike the magnet, it has no attractive pole, but at all points repels.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave: Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise, – His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
Labor wants also pride and joy in doing good work, a sense of making or doing something beautiful or useful – to be treated with dignity and respect as brother and sister
—Thorstein Veblen (1857–1929) American Economist, Social Critic
Pride the first peer and president of hell.
—Daniel Defoe (1659–1731) English Writer, Journalist, Pamphleteer
Conceit is the quicksand of success.
—Arnold Glasow (1905–98) American Businessman
Shame is pride’s cloak.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Self-conceit may lead to self destruction.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Nothing can be more unphilosophical than to be positive or dogmatical on any subject.—When men are the most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken and have there given reins to passion without that proper deliberation and suspense, which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
Pride is seldom delicate, it will please itself with very mean advantages; and envy feels not its own happiness, but when it may be compared with the misery of others
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
The proud are pettish and the pettish are foolish.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Conceit is to nature what paint is to beauty; it is not only needless, but it impairs what it would improve.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The infinitely little have a pride infinitely great.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening.
—Unknown
Though Diogenes lived in a tub, there might have been, for aught I know, as much pride under his rags, as in the fine-spun garments of the divine Plato.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
There are two sides to every question: my side and the wrong side.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
There is no cure for the pride of a virtuous nation but pure religion.
—Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) American Christian Theologian