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
Let the dead Past bury its dead.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
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
He that hath promised pardon on our repentance hat not promised life till we repent.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
There is no greater sorrow than to recall a happy time in the midst of wretchedness.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
The tears of true penitence are not shed in vain.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
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
Your past is always going to be the way it was. Stop trying to change it.
—Unknown
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
A true repentance shuns the evil itself, more than the external suffering or the shame.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
One may disavow and disclaim vices that surprise us, and whereto our passions transport us; but those which by long habits are rooted in a strong and powerful will are not subject to contradiction. Repentance is but a denying of our will, and an opposition of our fantasies.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
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
It is foolish to lay out money for the purchase of repentance.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Right actions for the future are the best apologies for wrong ones in the past—the best evidence of regret for them that we can offer, or the world receive.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Hindsight is always 20/20.
—Billy Wilder (1906–2002) American Filmmaker
Repentance is the heart’s sorrow, and a clear life ensuing.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
As the ocean never freezes, so the gates of repentance never close.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
When a man has turned away from sin, reproach him no more.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
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
One contrition in man’s heart is better than many flagellations.
—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
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
Repentance is a hearty sorrow for our past misdeeds, and a sincere resolution and endeavor, to the utmost of our power, to conform all our actions to the law of God. It does not consist in one single act of sorrow, but in doing works meet for repentance; in a sincere obedience to the law of Christ for the remainder of our lives.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
The vain regret that steals above the wreck of squandered hours.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
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
Place not thy amendment only in increasing thy devotion, but in bettering thy life. It is the damning hypocrisy of this age that it slights all good morality, and spends its zeal in matters of ceremony, and a form of godliness without the power of it.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
It is the greatest and dearest blessing that ever God gave to men, that they may repent; and therefore to deny or to delay it is to refuse health when brought by the skill of the physician—to refuse liberty offered to us by our gracious Lord.
—Jeremy Taylor
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
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