It is with nations as with individuals, those who know the least of others think the highest of themselves; for the whole family of pride and ignorance are incestuous, and mutually beget each other.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Pride will spit in pride’s face.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
There was one who thought himself above me, and he was above me until he had that thought.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
They take their pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost little
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates excellence from mediocrity.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
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
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
A beggar’s rags may cover as much pride as an alderman’s gown.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
Every man has a right to be conceited until he is successful.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The sin of pride may be a small or a great thing in someone’s life, and hurt vanity a passing pinprick, or a self-destroying or ever murderous obsession.
—Iris Murdoch (1919–99) British Novelist, Playwright, Philosopher
Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
I frankly confess I have a respect for family pride.—If it be a prejudice, it is prejudice in its most picturesque shape.—But I hold it is connected with some of the noblest feelings in our nature.
—Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–38) English Poet, Novelist
Pride and poverty don’t get along, but often live together.
—Common Proverb
There is an awful lot of negative energy out there and some of it is directed at us by other people. But other people’s reactions and opinions are simply other people’s reactions and opinions. They are having their own experience and none of it has anything to do with you—it does not make you wrong, guilty, bad, unworthy, famous, loveable, or important. If you take it personally and take on the poison of another’s words, it becomes a very negative agreement you have with yourself. What anybody thinks about you, or says about you, is really about them. Not taking it personally allows you to be in relationship with anyone and not get trapped in their stuff. This agreement can also pertain to things that we take personally that cause us to go into upset.
—Miguel Angel Ruiz (b.1952) Mexican Spiritualist Author
There is nothing that will kill a man so soon as having nobody to find fault with but himself.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Cast out pride and vanity; have no thought of trying to rule over others or of outdoing them.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Pride the first peer and president of hell.
—Daniel Defoe (1659–1731) English Writer, Journalist, Pamphleteer
Pride leads to the destruction of man.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
In vain have I struggled, it will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
To find oneself jilted is a blow to one’s pride. One must do one’s best to forget it and if one doesn’t succeed, at least one must pretend to.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
Pride had rather out of the way than go behind
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
To be proud of learning is the greatest ignorance.
—Jeremy Taylor
Self-control is promoted by humility. Pride is a fruitful source of uneasiness. It keeps the mind in disquiet. Humility is the antidote to this evil.
—Lydia H. Sigourney (1791–1865) American Poetaster, Author
The proud are pettish and the pettish are foolish.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
The passions grafted on wounded pride are the most inveterate; they are green and vigorous in old age.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Humility is pride in God
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
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
Pride is the common forerunner of a fall. It was the devil’s sin, and the devil’s ruin; and has been, ever since, the devil’s stratagem, who, like an expert wrestler, usually gives a man a lift before he gives him a throw.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
I am done with great things and big things, great institutions and big success, and I am for those tiny invisible molecular moral forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet which if you give them time, will rend the hardest monumentos of man’s pride.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Some movie stars wear their sunglasses even in church. They’re afraid God might recognize them and ask for autographs.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
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
The proud are ever most provoked by pride.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
At every trifle, scorn to take offence; that always shows great pride, or little sense.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Has God forgotten all I have done for Him.
—Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) King of France
I am the greatest. Not only do I knock em out, I pick the round!
—Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) American Sportsperson
There are proud men of so much delicacy that it almost conceals their pride, and perfectly excuses it.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble
—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 comes before a fall
—Common Proverb
If you can once engage people’s pride, love, pity, ambition (or whatever is their prevailing passion) on your side, you need not fear what their reason can do against you.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening.
—Unknown
We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, “Oh, nothing!” Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts—not to hurt others.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
My pride fell with my fortunes.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
It is pride which plies the world with so much harshness and severity. We are as rigorous to offenses as if we had never offended.
—Paxton Blair
Pride, avarice, and envy are in every home.
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) American Novelist, Playwright
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
Riches are apt to betray a man into arrogance.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician