Childhood is a disease—a sickness that you grow out of.
—William Golding (1911–93) English Novelist
Everyone believes in his youth that the world really began with him, and that all merely exists for his sake
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Immaturity can last a lifetime.
—Robert Half
Like virgin parchment, capable of any inscription.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
Youth is like spring, an over-praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.
—Samuel Butler
Consider well the proportions of things. It is better to be a young June bug than an old bird of paradise.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Happy is he who fears God when in the prime of life.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
The condition of perfection is idleness: the aim of perfection is youth.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
In the morning of our days, when the senses are unworn and tender, when the whole man is awake in every part, and the gloss of novelty is fresh upon all the objects that surround us, how lively at that time are our sensations, but how false and inaccurate the judgments we form of things!
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Heaven lies about us in our infancy and the world begins lying about us pretty soon afterward.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
It is less painful to learn in youth than to be ignorant in age
—Common Proverb
Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short; youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Youthful rashness skips like a hare over the meshes of good counsel.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If a society is to preserve stability and a degree of continuity, it must know how to keep its adolescents from imposing their tastes, attitudes, values and fantasies on everyday life.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Poor in my youth, and in life’s later scenes – Rich to no end, I curse my natal hour, Who naught enjoyed while young, denied the means; And naught when old enjoyed, denied the power
—Greek Proverb
Youth no less becomes the light and careless livery that it wears, than settled age his sables and his weeds, importing health and graveness.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A sensual and intemperate youth translates into an old worn-out body.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Do not commit the error, common among the young, of assuming that if you cannot save the whole of mankind you have failed.
—Jan de Hartog (1914–2002) Dutch-American Novelist, Playwright
Let us fill a cup and drink to that most noble, ridiculous, laughable, sublime figure in our lives…The Young Man Who Was. Let us drink to his dreams, for they were rainbow-colored; to his appetites, for they were strong; to his blunders, for they were huge; to his pains for they were sharp; to his time for it was brief; and to his end, for it was to become one of us.
—Herman Wouk (1915–2019) American Novelist, Screenwriter
Young people are fitter to invent than to judge; fitter for execution than for counsel; and more fit for new projects than for settled business.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
It is the malady of our age that the young are so busy teaching us that they have no time left to learn.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Youth is to all the glad season of life, but often only by what it hopes, not by what it attains or escapes.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The child thinks of growing old as an almost obscene calamity, which for some mysterious reason will never happen to itself. All who have passed the age of thirty are joyless grotesques, endlessly fussing about things of no importance and staying alive without, so far as the child can see, having anything to live for. Only child life is real life.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
If youth did not matter so much to itself it would never have the heart to go on
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
What might be taken for a precocious genius is the genius of childhood. When the child grows up, it disappears without a trace. It may happen that this boy will become a real painter some day, or even a great painter. But then he will have to begin everything again, from zero.
—Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist
There is as close a connection between youth and faith as between age and compromise.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
I write of youth, of love, and have access by these to sing of cleanly wantonness.
—Catullus (84–54 BCE) Roman Latin Poet
The arrogance of age must submit to be taught by youth.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
—Unknown
Idle youth, enslaved to everything; by being too sensitive I have wasted my life.
—Arthur Rimbaud (1854–91) French Poet, Adventurer
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
That we may live to see England once more possess a free Monarchy and a privileged and prosperous People, is my Prayer; that these great consequences can only be brought about by the energy and devotion of our Youth is my persuasion. We live in an age when to be young and to be indifferent can be no longer synonymous. We must prepare for the coming hour. The claims of the Future are represented by suffering millions; and the Youth of a Nation are the trustees of Posterity.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
There is a period near the beginning of every man’s life when he has little to cling to except his unmanageable dream, little to support him except good health, and nowhere to go but all over the place.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
All sorts of allowances are made for the illusions of youth; and none, or almost none, for the disenchantments of age.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Youth has no age.
—Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist
It is a pity that, as one gradually gains experience, one loses one’s youth.
—Vincent van Gogh (1853–90) Dutch Painter
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
All natural goods perish. Riches take wings; fame is a breath; love is a cheat; youth and health and pleasure vanish.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Youth is a crown of roses, old age is a crown of rosemary.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Youth is a time when we find the books we give up but do not get over.
—Lionel Trilling (1905–75) American Literary Critic
Youth, abundant wealth, high birth, and inexperience, are, each of them a source of ruin. What then must be the fate of those in whom all four are combined.
—The Hitopadesha Indian Collection of Fables
In general, a man in his younger years does not easily cast off a certain complacent self-conceit, which principally shows itself in despising what he has himself been a little time before.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
All of us who are worth anything spend our manhood in unlearning the follies, or expiating the mistakes of our youth.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
If only, If only, life was as simple as it was during childhood.
—Indian Proverb
You can be young without money but you can’t be old without it.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
If a young man is loose in his principles and habits; if he lives without plan and without object, spending his time in idleness and pleasure, there is more hope of a fool than of him.
—Joel Hawes