The most important of my discoveries have been suggested to me by my failures.
—Humphry Davy (1778–1829) British Chemist, Inventor
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
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely.
—Anne Louise Germaine de Stael (1766–1817)
Nothing in this world is a gift. Whatever must be learned must be learned the hard way.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
Sixty years ago I knew everything; now I know nothing; education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Entrepreneur, Business
The greatest wisdom is to realize one’s lack of it
—Constantin Stanislavski (1863–1938) Russian Actor, Theater Personality
To know that which before us lies in daily life, is the prime wisdom; what is more is fume, or emptiness, or fond impertinence, and renders us, in things that most concern, unpracticed and unprepared.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
The world is incomprehensible. We won’t ever understand it; we won’t ever unravel its secrets. Thus we must treat the world as it is: a sheer mystery.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of
this is the beginning of wisdom.
—Theodore Isaac Rubin (b.1923) American Psychiatrist, Author
If wisdom and diamonds grew on the same tree we could soon tell how much men loved wisdom.
—Lemuel K. Washburn
If only we were wiser or better people, perhaps the gods would explain to us the mad, unbearable things they do.
—Orson Scott Card (b.1951) American Author, Critic, Political Activist
It is easier to find a score of men wise enough to discover the truth than to find one intrepid enough, in the face of opposition, to stand up for it.
—Archibald Alexander Hodge (1823–86) American Presbyterian Theologian
He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge — who knows who has written and where it is to be found.
—Archibald Alexander Hodge (1823–86) American Presbyterian Theologian
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) (1184–1283) Persian Poet
As electricity is a great power in the world, so the inner mind is the greatest power available to you. Neither operates independently; both depend upon a separate agency to ignite them to action, and both bring helpful or harmful results according to the wisdom or ignorance with which they are directed.
—Roger McDonald (b.1941) Australian Novelist, Poet, Screenwriter, Writer
Some folks are wise and some are otherwise.
—Tobias Smollett (1721–71) Scottish Poet, Novelist, Author
It’s the height of folly to want to be the only wise one.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The extreme limit of wisdom — that’s what the public calls madness.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Novelist, Dramatist, Playwright, Artist
Immortal gods! How much does one man excel another! What a difference there is between a wise man and a fool.
—Terence Ancient Roman Playwright
Be wise; soar not too high to fall, but stoop to rise.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Dramatist
Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.
—Robert E. Lee (1807–70) American Military Leader, Engineer
Wisdom begins in wonder.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Anceient Greek Philosopher
Best trust the happy moments… The days that make us happy make us wise.
—John Masefield (1878–1967) English Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Wisdom is a variable possession. Every man is wise when pursued by a mad dog, fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion.
—Robertson Davies (1913–95) Canada Journalist, Playwright, Academic, Critic, Novelist
As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not amidst blame and praise.
—The Dhammapada (b.2001) Buddhist scripture
The wisdom of the wise is an uncommon degree of common sense.
—William Ralph Inge (1860–1954) English Anglican Clergyman, Priest, Mystic
It is always easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychologist, Psychiatrist
Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.
—David Starr Jordan (1851–1931) American Zoologist, Educator, Peace Activist
Wisdom comes by disillusionment.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish Philosopher
If you don’t get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is a law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher, Political leader, Scientist, Lawyer
We cannot advance without new experiments in living, but no wise man tries every day what he has proved wrong the day before.
—James Truslow Adams (1878–1949) American Historian, Writer
It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader, Philosopher, Civil Rights Activist
A scholar is greater than a prophet.
—The Talmud
Wisdom increases with years; and so does folly.
—The Talmud
The life of wisdom must be a life of contemplation combined with action.
—M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American Psychiatrist, Author
A man only becomes wise when he begins to calculate the approximate depth of his ignorance.
—Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007) Italian-born American Composer
When we know how to read our own hearts, we acquire wisdom of the hearts of others.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Critic, Writer
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
It is astonishing with how little wisdom mankind can be governed, when that little wisdom is its own.
—William Ralph Inge (1860–1954) English Anglican Clergyman, Priest, Mystic
A wise man thinks what is easy is difficult.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
I believe that traditional wisdom is incomplete. A composer can have all the talent of Mozart and a passionate desire to succeed, but if he believes he cannot compose music, he will come to nothing. He will not try hard enough. He will give up too soon when the elusive right melody takes too long to materialize.
—Martin Seligman (b.1942) American Psychologist, Author
Never try to reason the prejudice out of a man. It wasn’t reasoned into him, and it cannot be reasoned out.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Anglican Writer, Critic
The greatest scholars are not usually the wisest people.
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400) English Poet, Philosopher, Diplomat, Bureaucrat
You read of but one wise man, and all that he knew was — that he knew nothing.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
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
Everything I know I learned after I was thirty.
—Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929) French Head of State, Physician, Publisher, Political leader
That is true wisdom, to know how to alter one’s mind when occasion demands it.
—Terence Ancient Roman Playwright
Loosen the bonds of avarice from your hands and neck.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic, Poet, Theologian, Jurist
Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Entrepreneur, Business
You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers.
You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
—Naguib Mahfouz (1911–2006) Egyptian Novelist
How can you be a sage if you’re pretty? You can’t get your wizard papers without wrinkles.
—Bill Veeck (1914–86) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
—Laozi (b.604BCE–d:Unknown) Chinese Philosopher
A man’s life is interesting primarily when he has failed, I well know. For it’s a sign that he tried to surpass himself.
—Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929) French Head of State, Physician, Publisher, Political leader
There often seems to be a playfulness to wise people, as if either their equanimity has as its source this playfulness or the playfulness flows from the equanimity; and they can persuade other people who are in a state of agitation to calm down and manage a smile.
—Edward Hoagland (b.1932) American Essayist, Novelist
Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.
—Felix Frankfurter (1882–1965) American Judge
Some men are wise, and some are otherwise.
—Tobias Smollett (1721–71) Scottish Poet, Novelist, Author
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
—Confucius (551BCE–479BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Religious Leader
There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher, Political leader, Scientist, Lawyer