Men are in general so tricky, so envious, and so cruel, that when we find one who is only weak, we are happy.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Union of the weakest develops strength not wisdom. Can all men, together, avenge one of the leaves that have fallen in autumn?. But the wise man avenges by building his city in snow.
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955) American Poet
Only strength can cooperate. Weakness can only beg.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
And he has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Better make a weak man your enemy than your friend.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
It is a talent of the weak to persuade themselves that they suffer for something when they suffer from something; that they are showing the way when they are running away; that they see the light when they feel the heat; that they are chosen when they are shunned.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
The wise man does not deny and affirm, he does not exalt himself and he does not despair, he does not believe either in the existence of God or in his existence. The wise man has no certainty, he only has more or less probable hypotheses.
—Luciano De Crescenzo (b.1928) Italian Writer, Film Actor, Director, Engineer
A weak mind is like a microscope, which magnifies trifling things, but cannot receive great ones.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Weaknesses, so called, are nothing more nor less than vice in disguise!
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
If weakness may excuse, what murderer, what traitor, parricide, incestuous, sacrilegious, but may plead it? All wickedness is weakness; that plea, therefore, with God or man will gain thee no remission.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
This work somehow awakened my dormant powers of will and I began to practice self-control. At first my resolutions faded like snow in April, but in a little while I conquered my weakness and felt a pleasure I never knew before—that of doing as I willed.
—Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) Serbian-American Electrical Engineer, Inventor
The weak may be joked out of anything but their weakness.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–1795) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
Credulity is the man’s weakness, but the child’s strength.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
We are more often treacherous, through weakness than through calculation.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.
—John Adams (1735–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
The weakest spot with mankind is where they fancy themselves most wise.
—Charles Simmons (1924–2017) American Editor, Novelist
Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
Ambition, old as mankind, the immemorial weakness of the strong.
—Vita Sackville-West (1892–1962) English Gardener, Author, Poet
Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.
—Pierre Corneille (1606–84) French Poet, Dramatist
The yielding of the weak is the concession to fear.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Success is achieved by development of our strengths, not by elimination of our weakness.
—Marilyn vos Savant (b.1946) American Columnist, Author, Lecture, Playwright
There are two kinds of weakness, that which breaks and that which bends.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
The more weakness, the more falsehood; strength goes straight; every cannon-ball that has in it hollows and holes goes crooked. Weaklings must lie.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
The weak soul, within itself unblest, leans for all pleasure on another’s breast.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Few men have done more harm than those who have been thought to be able to do the least; and there cannot be a greater error than to believe a man whom we see qualified with too mean parts to do good, to be, therefore, incapable of doing hurt. There is a supply of malice, of pride, of industry, and even of folly, in the weakest, when he sets his heart upon it, that makes a strange progress in wickedness.
—Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–74) English Statesman, Historian
She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Our strength grows out of our weaknesses.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Some of our weakness is born in us, some of it comes through education; it is a big question as to which gives us the most trouble.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Delusion and weakness produce not one mischief the less, because they are universal.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
To be weak is miserable, doing or suffering.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
When mental energy is allowed to follow the line of least resistance and to fall into easy channels, it is called weakness
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we are not able to comprehend.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The acknowledgment of our weakness is the first step toward repairing our loss.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Emphasize strengths, don’t fix weaknesses.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
People who have no weaknesses are terrible; there is no way of taking advantage of them.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Weakness has its hidden resources, as well as strength. There is a degree of folly and meanness, which we cannot calculate upon, and by which we are as much liable to be foiled as by the greatest ability or courage.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Our worries always come from our weaknesses.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Weaklings must lie.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.
—Jean Vanier (1928–2019) French-Canadian Philosopher, Theologian, Humanitarian
The weak are more likely to make the strong weak than the strong are likely to make the weak strong.
—Marlene Dietrich (1901–92) German-born American Actor, Singer
Some of our weaknesses are born in us, others are the result of education; it is a question which of the two gives us most trouble.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Human love is often but the encounter of two weaknesses.
—Francois Mauriac (1885–1970) French Novelist
Man’s biological weakness is the condition of human culture.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Power over others is weakness disguised as strength. True power if within, and it is available to you now.
—Eckhart Tolle (b.1948) German Spiritual Writer, Public Speaker, Spiritual Teacher
The weakest and most timorous are the most revengeful and implacable.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Confession is always weakness. The grave soul keeps its own secrets, and takes its own punishment in silence.
—Dorothy Dix (1861–1951) American Journalist, Columnist