With people with only modest ability, modesty is mere honesty; but with those who possess great talent, it is hypocrisy.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
I am no more humble than my talents require.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Without humility there can be no humanity.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940) Scottish Novelist, Politician, Diplomat
Heaven’s gates are not so highly arched as princes’ palaces; they that enter there must go upon their knees.
—John Webster (1580–1634) English Dramatist, Poet
When you are as great as I am it is hard to be humble.
—Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) American Sportsperson
He that places himself neither higher nor lower than he ought to do exercises the truest humility.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Humility is often only a feigned submission, of which we make use to render others submissive. It is an artifice of pride which abases in order to exalt itself.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
I can’t tell you if genius is hereditary, because heaven has granted me no offspring.
—James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) American Painter, Etcher
Humility makes great men twice honourable.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
True humility—the basis of the Christian system—is the low but deep and firm foundation of all virtues.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
The churches must learn humility as well as teach it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Trees that, like the poplar, lift upward all their boughs, give no shade and no shelter whatever their height. Trees the most lovingly shelter and shade us when, like the willow, the higher soar their summits, the lowlier droop their boughs.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Humility is the ladder to divine understanding.
—Unknown
The doctrines of grace humble man without degrading, and exalt without inflating him.
—Charles Hodge (1797–1878) American Biblical Scholar
Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest accomplishment. As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline not to lose your sense of balance, humility, and commitment.
—Ross Perot (1930–2019) American Businessman
Humility is the root, mother, nurse, foundation, and bond of all virtue.
—John Chrysostom (c.347–407 CE) Archbishop of Constantinople
You shouldn’t gloat about anything you’ve done; you ought to keep going and find something better to do.
—David Packard (1912–96) American Businessperson, Philanthropist, Inventor
The fruits of humility are love and peace.
—Hebrew Proverb
Usually the modest person passes for someone reserved, the silent for a sullen person
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
The humbleness of a warrior is not the humbleness of the beggar. The warrior lowers his head to no one, but at the same time, he doesn’t permit anyone to lower his head to him. The beggar, on the other hand, falls to his knees at the drop of a hat and scrapes the floor to anyone he deems to be higher; but at the same time, he demands that someone lower than him scrape the floor for him.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–95) British Statesman, Writer, Politician
True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit—it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Too much humility is pride.
—German Proverb
Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self. It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought, though it might rather puzzle him to do that.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
Of all the idiots I have met in my life, and the Lord knows they have not been few or little, I think that I have been the biggest.
—Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) (1885–1962) Danish Novelist, Short-story Writer
Before honor is humility.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The greatest friend of Truth is time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion Humility.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
There is something in humility which strangely exalts the heart.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
It wasn’t until quite late in life that I discovered how easy it is to say “I don’t know!”
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Almost any difficulty will move in the face of honesty. When I am honest I never feel stupid. And when I am honest I am automatically humble.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.
—Benjamin Whichcote (1609–83) British Anglican Priest, Theologian, Philosopher
To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Modesty is the chastity of merit, the virginity of noble souls.
—Emile de Girardin (1806–81) French Journalist, Publisher
Because impudence is a vice, it does not follow that modesty is a virtue; it is built upon shame, a passion in our nature, and may be either good or bad according to the actions performed from that motive.
—Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733) Anglo-Dutch Philosopher, Satirist
Humility, like darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
In all that surrounds him the egotist sees only the frame of his own portrait.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
That is the consolation of a little mind; you have the fun of changing it without impeding the progress of mankind.
—Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925) American Encyclopedia Editor, Essayist
Knowledge, a rude unprofitable mass, the mere materials with which wisdom builds, till smoothed and squared and fitted to its place, does but encumber whom it seems to enrich. Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows no more.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Humble men and women do not have a low opinion of themselves; they have no opinion of themselves, because they so rarely think about themselves. The heart of humility lies in undivided attention to God and a de-selfing of our plans, projects, ambitions and soul. Humility is an indifference to our own well-being and a carefree disregard of the image we present. No longer concerned with appearing to be good, we can move freely in the mystery of who we really are, aware of the sovereignty of God and of our absolute insufficiency and yet moved by a spirit of radical self-acceptance without self-concern.
—Brennan Manning (1934–2013) American Theologian, Author
Humility is indeed beatness, a compulsory virtue that no one exhibits unless he has to.
—William S. Burroughs (1914–97) American Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Painter
I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
There is many a wounded heart without a contrite spirit.—The ice may be broken into a thousand pieces but it is ice still.—But expose it to the beams of the sun of righteousness, and then it will melt.
—Conyers Middleton (1683–1750) English Clergyman, Theologian
With all humility, I think, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing, you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor: you must be living in your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
If I only had a little humility, I would be perfect.
—Ted Turner (b.1938) American Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
Any party which takes credit for the rain must not be surprised if its opponents blame it for the drought.
—Dwight Morrow (1873–1931) American Businessman, Diplomat
The proud man counts his newspaper clippings, the humble man his blessings.
—Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979) American Catholic Religious Leader, Theologian
Modesty is the color of virtue.
—Diogenes Laertius (f.3rd Century CE) Biographer of the Greek Philosophers