The vain regret that steals above the wreck of squandered hours.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
It is never too late with us, so long as we are aware of our faults and bear them impatiently.
—Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi (1743–1819) German Philosopher
Death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Many people can do well in school, even get PhDs, yet are unhireable in the real world. The degree is US’s most overrated product.
—Marty Nemko (b.1950) American Career Coach
Repentance won’t cure mischief.
—Scottish Proverb
Come, fair repentance, daughter of the skies! Soft harbinger of soon returning virtue; The weeping messenger of grace from heaven.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Author, Physician
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, Satirist, Short Story Writer
Repentance hath a purifying power, and every tear is of a cleansing virtue; but these penitential clouds must be still kept dropping; one shower will not suffice; for repentance is not one single action but a course.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
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
The slightest sorrow for sin is sufficient if it produce amendment, and the greatest insufficient if it do not.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Hindsight is always 20/20.
—Billy Wilder (1906–2002) American Filmmaker
Remorse is impotence, it will sin again. Only repentance is strong, it can end everything.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
So great is the virtue of repentance that it prolongs a man’s years.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Happy the man who repents in the strength of his manhood.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
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
The best part of repentance is a little sinning.
—Arabic Proverb
Repentance is but want of power to sin.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Remorse sleeps during prosperity but awakes bitter consciousness during adversity.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
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
Repentance may begin, instantly, but reformation often requires a sphere of years.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
If you would be good, first believe you are bad.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
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
Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.
—Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923) New Zealand-born British Author
The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actress
Repentance is the heart’s sorrow, and a clear life ensuing.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, 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
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