Repentance is but want of power to sin.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Before God can deliver us we must undeceive ourselves.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
It is foolish to lay out money for the purchase of repentance.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Of all acts of man repentance is the most divine. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
The vain regret that steals above the wreck of squandered hours.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
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
Come, fair repentance, daughter of the skies! Soft harbinger of soon returning virtue; The weeping messenger of grace from heaven.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Author, Physician
Great is the difference betwixt a man’s being frightened at, and humbled for his sins.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Hindsight is always 20/20.
—Billy Wilder (1906–2002) American Filmmaker
As the ocean never freezes, so the gates of repentance never close.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The best part of repentance is a little sinning.
—Arabic Proverb
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
A true repentance shuns the evil itself, more than the external suffering or the shame.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Remorse is impotence, it will sin again. Only repentance is strong, it can end everything.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
To do so no more is the truest repentance.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
One hour employed in this world in the exercise of repentance and good deeds is preferable to a whole life in the world to come; and one hour’s refreshment of spirit in the future world is preferable to the entire life in this.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
He who repents of having sinned is almost innocent.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
People do not mind their faults being spread out before them, but they become impatient if called on to give them up.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
If you would be good, first believe you are bad.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
He that hath promised pardon on our repentance hat not promised life till we repent.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Repentance, to be of any avail, must work a change of heart and conduct.
—Theodore L. Cuyler (1822–1909) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Writer
The tears of true penitence are not shed in vain.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
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
Repentance may begin, instantly, but reformation often requires a sphere of years.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924 ) British Idealist Philosopher
One contrition in man’s heart is better than many flagellations.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Repentance hath a purifying power, and every tear is of a cleansing virtue; but these penitential clouds must be still kept dropping; one shower will not suffice; for repentance is not one single action but a course.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
He who repeatedly sins, looking forward to penitence to cover his sins, his penitence will avail him nothing.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
“The horror of that moment,” the King went on, “I shall never, never forget!” “You will, though,” the Queen said, “if you don’t make a memorandum of it.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Anglican Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Photographer, Logician
Repentance is accepted remorse.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Mystic, Writer
This is another day! Are its eyes blurred With maudlin grief for any wasted past? A thousand thousand failures shall not daunt! Let dust clasp dust, death, death; I am alive.
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
As it is never too soon to be good, so it is never too late to amend; I will, therefore, neither neglect the time present, nor despair of the time past. If I had been sooner good, I might perhaps have been better; if I am longer bad, I shall, I am sure, be worse.
—Arthur Warwick
When a man has turned away from sin, reproach him no more.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice from the conviction that it has offended God.—Sorrow, fear, and anxiety are properly not parts, but adjuncts of repentance, yet they are too closely connected with it to be separated.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
He who seeks repentance for the past, should woo the angel virtue for the future.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Remorse is a violent dyspepsia of the mind.
—Ogden Nash (1902–71) American Writer of Sophisticated Light Verse
Happy the man who repents in the strength of his manhood.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
All of us who are worth anything spend our manhood in unlearning the follies, or expiating the mistakes of our youth.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
Remorse sleeps during prosperity but awakes bitter consciousness during adversity.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Even the most righteous shall not attain to so high a place in heaven as the truly repentant.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Whatever stress some may lay upon it, a death-bed repentance is but a weak and slender plank to trust our all upon.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman