Wisdom
Wisdom Category

Wisdom Quotes

Profound insights and timeless truths about life's mysteries

15 Curated Quotes
Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit
Elbert Hubbard
Elbert Hubbard
— Epigrams, 1899

Hubbard poetically remarks that everyone makes mistakes, but wisdom lies in minimizing them and learning from them quickly.

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk
Doug Larson
Doug Larson
— Syndicated Column, Article in 20th century

Larson humorously points out how true wisdom often stems from listening and learning rather than simply speaking one's mind.

Turn your wounds into wisdom
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
— Public speeches and interviews

Learning from personal hardships and using them as stepping stones to grow wiser encapsulates resilience and growth.

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
— Wisdom in Education, Speech given in the 1930s

Einstein emphasizes that wisdom extends beyond formal education and is cultivated through persistent learning and experience.

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
— Discourses on Livy, Book I (1517)

This implies that wisdom involves foresight and timely action, avoiding procrastination.

Wisdom begins in wonder
Socrates
Socrates
— As recounted by Plato in his dialogues

This quote emphasizes the importance of curiosity and openness as the foundation of wisdom.

The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
— Essays: First Series (1841), "Nature"

Finding wonder and beauty in everyday experiences shows a deep wisdom and appreciation for life as it is.

In seeking wisdom, the first step is silence, the second listening, the third remembrance, the fourth practicing, the fifth teaching others
Solomon Ibn Gabirol
Solomon Ibn Gabirol
— Quoted in Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides

This outlines a path to wisdom through attention, reflection, action, and sharing knowledge with others.

A loving heart is the truest wisdom
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
— Hard Times, Book 1, Chapter 15

Dickens suggests that love, empathy, and compassion are integral components of wisdom.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
— Attributed to speech and interviews

This suggests that true wisdom entails not just acquiring knowledge but also understanding and empathetically listening to others.

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing
Socrates
Socrates
— Attributed in Life of Socrates by Diogenes Laertius

This statement conveys the idea that acknowledging one's own ignorance is the first step to gaining true wisdom.

We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
— Attributed in various letters

Shaw points out that wisdom involves planning and taking responsibility for future actions rather than simply reflecting on past experiences.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
— Letter to Nathaniel Macon, 1776

This emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity as foundational elements of being wise.

The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho
— The Alchemist, Page 15

Coelho suggests that wisdom involves perceiving the extraordinary in the ordinary, an ability reserved for those who are truly wise.

To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others
Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
— Dhammapada, Verse 104

Buddha teaches that self-mastery and understanding are the pinnacle of wisdom, transcending power over others.