Truth is rarely writ in ink; it lives in nature.
—Martin H. Fischer
Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life and share with the people the same happiness.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
To all new truths, or renovation of old truths, it must be as in the ark between the destroyed and the about-to-be renovated world. The raven must be sent out before the dove, and ominous controversy must precede peace and the olive wreath.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Five things constitute perfect virtue: gravity, magnanimity, earnestness, sincerity and kindness.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Say not, ‘I have found THE truth,’ but rather, ‘I have found A truth.’.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
Truth will rise above falsehood as oil above water.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
—Buddhist Teaching
No problem can be solved until it is reduced to some simple form. The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific, concrete form is a very essential element in thinking.
—J. P. Morgan (1837–1913) American Financier, Philanthropist, Art Collector
The ultimate test of what a truth means is the conduct it dictates or inspires.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Chase after the truth like all hell and you’ll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat-tails.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
The search for truth is more precious than its possession.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance.
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Why abandon a belief merely because it ceases to be true? Cling to it long enough and… it will turn true again, for so it goes. Most of the change we think we see in life is due to truths being in and out of favor.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
To be persuasive, we must be believable; to be believable, we must be credible; to be credible, we must be truthful.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
I am entirely motivated without anger. The truth sets us free, and freedom acts.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Women have been conditioned to believe that to be powerful is unfeminine and unattractive. It is my experience that nothing could be further from the truth.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Most writers regard truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in it use.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The most natural beauty in the world is honesty and moral truth; for all beauty is truth. True features make the beauty of a face; and true proportions the beauty of architecture; as true measures that of harmony and music. In poetry, which is all fable, truth still is the perfection.
—Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1621–83) British Statesman
Truth is by nature self-evident, as soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Let us labor for that larger comprehension of truth, and that more thorough repudiation of error, which shall make the history of mankind a series of ascending developments.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
For everything exists and not one sigh nor smile nor tear, one hair nor particle of dust, not one can pass away.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
You must have absolute faith in your own perceptions of truth. Never act in haste or hurry; be deliberated in everything; wait until you know the true way.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
When you’re operating on uninvestigated theories of what’s going on and you aren’t even aware of it, you’re in what I call “the dream”. Often the dream becomes troubling; sometimes it even turns into a nightmare. At times like these, you may want to test the truth of your theories by doing The Work on them. The Work always leaves you with less of your uncomfortable story. Who would you be without it? How much of your world is made up of unexamined stories? You’ll never know until you inquire.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
The fact, if they are there, speak for themselves.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
It is as hard to tell the truth as to hide it.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
The TRUTH: It may not lead you to where you thought you were going, but it will always lead you somewhere better. When ignored, it will eventually show itself. The closeness of your relationships is directly proportional to the degree to which you have revealed the truth about yourself. It can be painful.
—Unknown
It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
I’m going to speak my mind because I have nothing to lose.
—S. I. Hayakawa (1906–92) Canadian-born American Academic, Elected Rep, Politician
There are two peculiarities in the truths of religion: a divine beauty which renders them lovely, and a holy majesty which makes them venerable.—And there are two peculiarities in errors: an impiety which renders them horrible, and an impertinence which renders them ridiculous.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
There are admirable potentialities in every human being. Believe in your strength and your youth. Learn to repeat endlessly to yourself, ‘It all depends on me’.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
The truth that is suppressed by friends is the readiest weapon of the enemy.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
What a man sees only in his best moments as truth is truth in all moments.
—Joseph Cook
Never allow the integrity of your own way of seeing things and saying things to be swamped by the influence of a master, however great.
—George Parsons Lathrop (1851–98) American Poet, Novelist, Newspaper Editor
The best mind-altering drug is truth.
—Lily Tomlin (b.1939) American Comedy Actress
Frank and explicit; that is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and to confuse the minds of others.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The superior man does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
You need not tell all the truth, unless to those who have a right to know it all. But let all you tell be truth.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.
—Max Planck (1858–1947) German Theoretical Physicist
It seems mutants have something in their lives called gravy. They know truth, but it is buried under thickening and spices of convenience, materialism, insecurity, and fear. They also have something called frosting. It seems to represent how they spend almost all the seconds of their existence in doing superficial, artificial, temporary, pleasant-tasting, nice appearing projects and spend very few actual seconds of their lives developing their eternal beingness.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
Professors in every branch of the sciences, prefer their own theories to truth: the reason is that their theories are private property, but truth is common stock.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Be fearless and pure; never waver in your determination or your dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful, loving, and full of the desire to serve…Learn to be detached and to take joy in renunciation. Do not get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show good will to all. Cultivate vigor, patience, will, purity; avoid malice and pride. Then, you will achieve your destiny.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything else is not only impossible, but the mark of a fake messiah.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
Of course, it is the same old story. Truth usually is the same old story.
—Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British Head of State
The more abstract the truth you want to teach, the more thoroughly you must seduce the senses to accept it.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
The basic truth of all things, as nearly as we may ever dream of determining and knowing this truth, is form, that which is, as it is. The way and shape of the thing no less than the thing itself.
—William Saroyan (1908–81) American Playwright, Novelist
Truth is a naked and open daylight
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher