Patience is a most necessary qualification for business; many a man would rather you heard his story than granted his request. One must seem to hear the unreasonable demands of the petulant, unmoved, and the tedious details of the dull, untired. That is the least price that a man must pay for a high station.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906–2001) American Aviator, Author
Impatience never commanded success.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
Patience and fortitude conquer all things.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Consider the postage stamp, my son. It secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Time cools, time clarifies; no mood can be maintained quite unaltered through the course of hours.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
Beware the fury of a patient man.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Our patience will achieve more than our force.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Patience makes lighter what sorrow may not heal.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Time is like a river of fleeting events, and its current is strong; as soon as something comes into sight, it is swept past us, and something else takes its place, and that too will be swept away.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
If you should put even a little on a little and should do this often, soon this would become big.
—Hesiod (f.700 BCE) Greek Poet
Patience and shuffle the cards.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Almost all good businesses engage in ‘pain today, gain tomorrow’ activities.
—Charlie Munger (b.1924) American Investor, Philanthropist
Patience is the mother of a beautiful child.
—African Proverb
Trust to God to weave your thread into the great web, though the pattern shows it not yet.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Time deals gently only with those who take it gently.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Wisely and slow;—they stumble that run fast.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Avoid being impatient. Remember time brings roses.
—Unknown
Time brings all things to pass.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Poet
Accustom yourself to that which you bear ill, and you will bear it well.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.
—Chinese Proverb
Let me look upward into the branches of the flowering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well.
—Wilferd Arlan Peterson (1900–95) American Author
The biggest pitfall as you make your way through your life is impatience.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of his soul.—Men must not turn bees, and kill themselves in stinging others.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
That which in mean men we entitle patience, is pale, cold cowardice in noble breasts.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A mule will labor ten years willingly and patiently for you, for the privilege of kicking you once.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
Who can be patient in extremes?
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The greatest power is often simple patience.
—E. Joseph Cossman
Slow and steady wins the race.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Patience permits us to cling to our faith in the Lord when we are tossed about by suffering as if by surf. When the undertow grasps us we will realize that we are somehow being carried forward even as we tumble. We are actually being -helped even as we cry for help.
—Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) American Mormon Religious Leader
The general order of things that takes care of fleas and moles also takes care of men, if they will have the same patience that fleas and moles have, to leave it to itself.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
And he shall reign a goodly king And sway his hand o’er every clime With peace writ on his signet ring, Who bides his time.
—James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer
Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.
—Franklin P. Jones
Like farmers we need to learn that we cannot sow and reap the same day.
—Unknown
In all evils which admit a remedy, impatience should be avoided, because it wastes that time and attention in complaints which, if properly applied, might remove the cause.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Always be patient with the rich and powerful.
—Spanish Proverb
The twin killers of success are impatience and greed.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Time bears away all things, even the mind.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
Patience is the support of weakness; impatience is the ruin of strength.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Patience is the courage of the conqueror, the strength of man against destiny—of the one against the world, and of the soul against matter.—Therefore it is the courage of the gospel; and its importance, in a social view and to races and institutions, cannot be too earnestly inculcated.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
I saw a ship of material build
(Her standards set, her brave apparel on)
Directed as by madness mere
Against a solid iceberg steer,
Nor budge it, though the infactuate ship went down.
The impact made huge ice-cubes fall
Sullen in tons that crashed the deck;
But that one avalanche was all—
No other movement save the foundering wreck.
Along the spurs of ridges pale,
Not any slenderest shaft and frail,
A prism over glass-green gorges lone,
Toppled; or lace or traceries fine,
Nor pendant drops in grot or mine
Were jarred, when the stunned ship went down.
Nor sole the gulls in cloud that wheeled
Circling one snow-flanked peak afar,
But nearer fowl the floes that skimmed
And crystal beaches, felt no jar.
No thrill transmitted stirred the lock
Of jack-straw neddle-ice at base;
Towers indermined by waves—the block
Atilt impending—kept their place.
Seals, dozing sleek on sliddery ledges
Slipt never, when by loftier edges
Through the inertia overthrown,
The impetuous ship in bafflement went down.
Hard Berg (methought), so cold, so vast,
With mortal damps self-overcast;
Exhaling still thy dankish breath—
Adrift dissolving, bound for death;
Though lumpish thou, a lumbering one—
A lumbering lubbard loitering slow,
Impingers rue thee ad go slow
Sounding thy precipice below,
Nor stir the slimy slug that sprawls
Along thy dead indifference of walls.
—Herman Melville (1819–91) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Poet
Serene I fold my hands and wait.
—John Burroughs (1837–1921) American Naturalist, Writer
Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
When I consider how my light is spent
E’re half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide,
Lodg’d with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, least he returning chide,
Doth God exact day-labour, light deny’d,
I fondly ask; But patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts, who best
Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’re Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and waite.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
He surely is most in need of another’s patience, who has none of his own.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet