If the people around you are spiteful and callous and will not hear you, fall down before them and beg their forgiveness; for in truth you are to blame for their not wanting to hear you.
—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-81) Russian Novelist, Essayist, Writer
I worry about fast forgivers. They tend to forgive quickly in order to avoid their pain. Or they forgive fast in order to gain an advantage over the people they forgive. And their instant forgiving only makes things worse… People who have been wronged badly and wounded deeply should give themselves time and space before they forgive… There is a right moment to forgive.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
I firmly believe a great many prayers are not answered because we are not willing to forgive someone.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
To what extent is any given man morally responsible for any given act? We do not know.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
If men wound you with injuries, meet them with patience: hasty words rankle the wound, soft language dresses it, forgiveness cures it, and oblivion takes away the scar. It is more noble by silence to avoid an injury than by argument to overcome it.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Dramatist
Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. American Author
God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won’t.
—Alfred Korzybski (1879–1950) Polish-born American Philosopher, Scientist, Mathematician
Forgiving is love’s toughest work, and love’s biggest risk. If you twist it into something it was never meant to be, it can make you a doormat or an insufferable manipulator. Forgiving seems almost unnatural. Our sense of fairness tells us people should pay for the wrong they do. But forgiving is love’s power to break nature’s rule.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
We may not know how to forgive, and we may not want to forgive; but the very fact we say we are willing to forgive begins the healing practice.
—Louise Hay (b.1926) American Author
Abandon your animosities and make your sons Americans.
—Robert E. Lee (1807–70) American Military Leader, Engineer
Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.
—Indira Gandhi (1917–84) Indian Head of State
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
Repentance is accepted remorse.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Christian Mystic
Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
—Jerry Della Femina (b.1936) American Businessperson
Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all of us love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour — unceasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.
—Henri Nouwen (1932–96) Dutch Catholic Priest, Writer, Theologian
Forgive, forget. Bear with the faults of others as you would have them bear with yours. Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or malicious.
—Phillips Brooks (1835-93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
We forgive too little; forget too much.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Christian Mystic
The heart has always the pardoning power.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Christian Mystic
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all of us love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour — unceasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.
—Henri Nouwen (1932–96) Dutch Catholic Priest, Writer, Theologian
What power has love but forgiveness?|In other words|by its intervention|what has been done|can be undone.|What good is it otherwise?
—William Carlos Williams (1883–1963) American Pediatrician, Doctor, Poet, Socialist, Author
To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.
—Robert Muller
When you forgive somebody else you accept the responsibility for your own future.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance and love have no end, and the Lord of life holds all who die and all who mourn.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
An eye for an eye makes the whole blind.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Of all acts of man repentance is the most divine. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Writer
To err is human, to forgive divine.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924) British Philosopher
You are goodness and mercy and compassion and understanding. You are peace and joy and light. You are forgiveness and patience, strength and courage, a helper in time of need, a comforter in time of sorrow, a healer in time of injury, a teacher in times of confusion. You are the deepest wisdom and the highest truth; the greatest peace and the grandest love. You are these things. And in moments of your life you have known yourself to be these things. Choose now to know yourself as these things always.
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
When you pray for anyone you tend to modify your personal attitude toward him.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) American Protestant Children’s Books Writer, Author, Public Speaker, Minister
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet
We forgive freely or we do not really forgive at all.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
We read that we ought to forgive our enemies; but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
If deeply based in wisdom, even anger is allowed.
—Hans Taeger
You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Author, Ethicist, Theologian, Academic
In my youth I stressed freedom, and in my old age I stress order. I have made the great discovery that liberty is a product of order.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Entrepreneur, Business
Pardon, not wrath, is God’s best attribute.
—Bayard Taylor (1825–78) American Poet, Literary Critic, Translator, Translator
What we forgive too freely doesn’t stay forgiven.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
People do not mind their faults being spread out before them, but they become impatient if called on to give them up.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I can pardon everybody’s mistakes except my own.
—Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato) (233BCE–148BCE) Ancient Roman Political leader, Jurist, Historian