Immortal gods! How much does one man excel another! What a difference there is between a wise man and a fool.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
Raphael paints wisdom; Handel sings it, Phidias carves it, Shakespeare writes it, Wren builds it, Columbus sails it, Luther preaches it, Washington arms it, Watt mechanizes it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Wisdom is the power to perceive the best ends to aim at and the best means for reaching those ends.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We must dare to think ‘unthinkable’ thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world. We must learn to welcome and not to fear the voices of dissent. We must dare to think about ‘unthinkable things’ because when things become unthinkable, thinking stops and action becomes mindless.
—J. William Fulbright (1905–95) American Political leader, Politician
No one over thirty-five is worth meeting who has not something to teach us,—something more than we could learn for ourselves, from a book.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Who are you whose prayers alone have prevailed? I am a teacher of little children.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
With happiness comes intelligence to the heart.
—Chinese Proverb
A man doesn’t begin to attain wisdom until he recognizes he is no longer indispensable.
—Richard Evelyn Byrd (b.1888) American Aviator, Explorer, Military Leader
The older I grow, the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adorn’d the venerable place;
Truth from his lips prevail’d with double sway,
And fools who came to scoff, remain’d to pray.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
The wisest have the most authority.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
You are wise to climb Mt. Fuji, but a fool to do it twice.
—Japanese Proverb
It’s the height of folly to want to be the only wise one.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
I cannot live without books.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Wisdom not only gets, but once got, retains.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value. He is considered successful in our day who gets more out of life than he puts in. But a man of value will give more than he receives.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Paradise is surrounded by what we dislike; the fires of hell are surrounded by what we desire.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic
We don’t know a millionth of 1 percent about anything.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.
—Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) Italian Monk, Founder of the Franciscan Order
There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Wisdom increases with years; and so does folly.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
No one should feel pride in anything that is not his own.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Speak less, say more.
—Indian Proverb
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Wisdom makes but a slow defense against trouble, though at last a sure one.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
We judge a man’s wisdom by his hope.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
It is human nature to think wisely and act foolishly.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
This is the manner of noble souls: they do not want to have anything for nothing; least of all, life. Whoever is of the mob wants to live for nothing; we others, however, to whom life gave itself, we always think about what we might best give in return…One should not wish to enjoy where one does not give joy.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Philosopher: A lover of wisdom, which is to say, Truth.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Fools are aye fond o’ flittin’ and wise men o’ sittin’.
—Scottish Proverb
Just as a fire is covered by smoke and a mirror is obscured by dust, just as the embryo rests deep within the womb, wisdom is hidden by selfish desire.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Stoicism is the wisdom of madness and cynicism the madness of wisdom.
—Bergen Evans
I keep six honest serving men; they taught me all I knew; their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.
—Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) British Children’s Books Writer, Short story, Novelist, Poet, Journalist
We can be knowledgeable with other men’s knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men’s wisdom.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
—James Oppenheim (1882–1932) American Poet, Novelist, Editor
When I was a young man I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Those who know others are intelligent; those who know themselves are truly wise . Those who master others are strong; those who master themselves have true power
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That’s control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That’s abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
A wise man can manage (his life) even though he lacks wealth. But lacking wisdom, no fool can hold his ground.
—Buddhist Teaching
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Straightforwardness and simplicity are in keeping with goodness.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Wisdom alone is the science of others sciences.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
Only the educated are free.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
He who learns the rules of wisdom without conforming to them in his life is like a man who ploughs in his field but does not sow.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm’s length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he feels that everything is going wrong and he’s about to be annihilated, he can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will tell him, I haven’t touched you yet.’
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author