When the world says, “Give up,” hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”
—Anonymous
I know the world is filled with troubles and many injustices. But reality is as beautiful as it is ugly. I think it is just as important to sing about beautiful mornings as it is to talk about slums. I just couldn’t write anything without hope in it.
—Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) American Lyricist, Librettist
Such is hope, heaven’s own gift to struggling mortals, pervading, like some subtle essence from the skies, all things both good and bad.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Of all ills that one endures, hope is a cheap and universal cure.
—Abraham Cowley (1618–67) English Poet, Essayist
Have hope. Though clouds environs now, And gladness hides her face in scorn, Put thou the shadow from thy brow—No night but hath its mom.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
Hope—fortune’s cheating lottery, where for one prize, a hundred blanks there be.
—Abraham Cowley (1618–67) English Poet, Essayist
From the withered tree, a flower blooms.
—Zen Proverb Japanese School of Mahayana Buddhism
It has been a thousand times observed, and I must observe it once more, that the hours we pass with happy prospects in view are more pleasing than those crowned with fruition.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
The worldly hope men set their hearts upon turns ashes—or it prospers; and anon, like snow upon the desert’s dusty face, lighting a little hour or two—is gone.
—Omar Khayyam (1048–1123) Persian Mathematician
Hope is nature’s veil for hiding truth’s nakedness.
—Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) Swedish Inventor, Humanitarian
If it were not for hopes, the heart would break.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
I always entertain great hopes.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Hope and fear are inseparable.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is unchangeable or certain.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Isn’t it the moment of most profound doubt that gives birth to new certainties? Perhaps hopelessness is the very soil that nourishes human hope; perhaps one could never find sense in life without first experiencing its absurdity…
—Vaclav Havel (1936–2011) Czech Dramatist, Statesman
The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune’s spite; revive from ashes and rise.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
My hopes are not always realized, but I always hope.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
There is nothing that fear and hope does not permit men to do.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Hope is the major weapon against the suicide impulse.
—Karl Menninger (1893–1990) American Psychiatrist
Hope works in these ways: it looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst; it discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot; it regards problems, large or small, as opportunities; it pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit; it “lights the candle” instead of “cursing the darkness”.
—Unknown
Hope is the best part of our riches.—What sufficeth it that we have the wealth of the Indies in our pockets, if we have not the hope of heaven in our souls?
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Where there is no vision, there is no hope.
—George Washington Carver (1864–1943) American Scientist, Botanist, Educator, Inventor
Young people, especially, are looking for religion so desperately that they are inventing new ones. They should not have to invent new ones; the old religions are pretty good.
—Irving Kristol (1920–2009) American Political Writer, Publisher
Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Cold hopes swarm like worms within our living clay.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
I have a knack of hoping, which is as good as an estate in reversion, if one can keep from the temptation of turning it into certainty, which may spoil all.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.
—Bert Williams (1876–1922) American Entertainer, Actor
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