quotations about wisdom
Wisdom teaches us to live content upon a bone gnawed bare.
ABRAHAM MILLER
Unmoral Maxims
A man remains ignorant because he loves ignorance, and chooses ignorant thoughts; a man becomes wise because he loves wisdom and chooses wise thoughts.
JAMES ALLEN
Above Life's Turmoil
True wisdom is not found in yes-or-no answers, but in the open mind of not-knowing.
MELVIN MCLEOD
"Benefit, Not Benefits", Lion's Roar, April 3, 2017
If you desire to be wiser yet, think yourself not yet wise.
WELLINS CALCOTT
Thoughts Moral and Divine
In youth men are apt to write more wisely than they really know or feel; and the remainder of life may be not idly spent in realizing and convincing themselves of the wisdom which they uttered long ago.
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
preface, The Snow-Image
Knowing how to make a banana pudding is knowledge, but wisdom is knowing if others appreciate your efforts.
LARRY EFIRD
"Wisdom, knowledge and banana pudding", Salisbury Post, January 9, 2016
There are few who would need advisers, if they were only accustomed to appeal to themselves in their calmest, holiest moments. If, when embarrassed with doubt as to any course of action, they would turn aside from the immediate tumult of the world, and from the vain speaking of those who "darken counsel by words without knowledge;" and would then commune with their hearts alone, at night, the heavens their silent counsellors, they would act not always in accordance with the wise men of this world, but with that wisdom which bringeth peace.
ARTHUR HELPS
Thoughts in the Cloister and the Crowd
Wisdom is a palace, of which only the vestibule has yet been entered.
ELIZA COOK
Diamond Dust
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.
WILLIAM JAMES
Principles of Psychology
Unless, we value wisdom, we are bound to suffer many things that we were never meant to suffer.
KILTON MOYO
"Teaching our children wisdom", NewsDay, March 30, 2017
Contend not in wisdom with a fool, for thy sense maketh much of his conceit;
And some errors never would have thriven, had it not been for learned refutation.
MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER
Proverbial Philosophy
Wisdom is inconceivable apart from something about which it can be called into operation.
SABINE BARING-GOULD
The Origin and Development of Religious Belief: Christianity
None of us was born knowing or wise; but men become wise by consideration, observation, experience.
BENJAMIN WHICHCOTE
Moral and Religious Aphorisms
Wisdom is also a deeper consciousness of ignorance.
AUSTIN O'MALLEY
Keystones of Thought
As we get older, we should get wiser automatically, as the result of our experiences and learning throughout life. That doesn't always happen. Even when we try hard, we sometimes make errors in judgement. Learning from those errors is part of becoming wiser.
DOROTHY TURCOTTE
"The world in 2016 could use a little more wisdom", Niagara This Week, January 12, 2016
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, wisdom is the "Capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct" and "sound judgement". My goodness, think if wisdom were a modern concept, regularly practiced, how much less shocking news we would have every day! If only celebrities didn't make such silly displays of themselves on late-night television shows; if tourists didn't insist on taking naked selfies on sacred mountains; if Justin Bieber could only behave like a sensible young man; if politicians were once again filled with serious integrity. Then our lives would not be spinning out of control with nonsense. What if Donald Trump had the wisdom to keep his mouth shut? What if scientists realize that just because they can create robot soldiers doesn't mean they should?
DOROTHY TURCOTTE
"The world in 2016 could use a little more wisdom", Niagara This Week, January 12, 2016
Like gold in the hands of a savage are the sayings of wisdom in the mouth of a fool.
EDWARD COUNSEL
Maxims
Never, no, never did Nature say one thing and Wisdom say another.
EDMUND BURKE
Letters on a Regicide Peace
Wisdom is a safe ship; and we may trust ourselves to it in all weathers.
EDWARD COUNSEL
Maxims
Who knows whence he comes, where he is, and whither he tends, he, and he alone, is wise.
JOHANN CASPAR LAVATER
Aphorisms on Man