How poor are they that have not patience? What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.
—Dutch Proverb
The remedy of time is patience.
—Arabic Proverb
Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off.
—Unknown
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
Work and wait—“work and wait” is what God says to us in creation.
—Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–81) American Editor, Novelist
Patience: A minor form of despair disguised as a virtue.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
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
The secret of patience… to do something else in the meantime.
—Unknown
Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow—that is patience.
—Unknown
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
All’s well in the end, if you’ve only the patience to wait.
—Francois Rabelais (1494–1553) French Humanist, Satirist
The race is not [always] to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
If you are tempted to lose patience with your fellowman; stop and think how patient God has been with you.
—Unknown
Time deals gently only with those who take it gently.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
There is no great achievement that is not the result of patient working and waiting.
—Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–81) American Editor, Novelist
It does not matter how many tumbles you have in this life, so long as you do not get dirty when you tumble; it is only the people who have to stop to be washed and made clean, who must necessarily lose the race. And I can assure you that there is the greatest practical benefit in making a few failures early in life. You learn that which is of inestimable importance.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
Wise to resolve, patient to perform.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen.
—Ralph Marston
Patience when teased is often transformed into rage.
—Common Proverb
Patience is the art of caring slowly.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
—Anonymous
Patience is a remedy for every sorrow.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The strongest of all warriors are these two—Time and Patience.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
I am patient with stupidity, but not with those who are proud of it.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary Critic
All human errors are impatience, a premature breaking off of methodical procedure, an apparent fencing-in of what is apparently at issue.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
Serene I fold my hands and wait.
—John Burroughs (1837–1921) American Naturalist, Writer
Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
—Chinese Proverb