Wise Quotes

He who would begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin.

The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, and therefore awaken interest and rivet thought.

The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men.

Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.

I'm not really wise. But I can be cranky.

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human.

The care of a wise and good man for his only son is inferior to the regard of the great Parent of the universe for his creatures.

Experience is the only prophecy of wise men.

Our greatest stupidities may be very wise.

The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.

Knowledge is the treasure of a wise man.

Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand.

The fool inherits, but the wise must get.

A wise man is cured of ambition by ambition itself; his aim is so exalted that riches, office, fortune and favour cannot satisfy him.

We never can tell how our lives may work to the account of the general good, and we are not wise enough to know if we have fulfilled our mission or not.

We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.

A fool can throw a stone in a pond that 100 wise men can not get out.

There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.

The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, neither are they ever wholly monstrous. But neither, in my experience, do we ever reach a plane of detachment regarding our parents, however wise and old we may become. To pretend otherwise is to cheat.

Luck can be assisted. It is not all chance with the wise.

I believe that President Clinton considered the legal merits of the arguments for the pardon as he understood them, and he rendered his judgment, wise or unwise, on the merits.

The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.

True conservation provides for wise use by the general public. The American people do not want our resources preserved for the exclusive use of the wealthy. These land and water resources belong to the people, and people of all income levels should have easy access to them.

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.

I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house.

Living Life Tomorrow's fate, though thou be wise, Thou canst not tell nor yet surmise; Pass, therefore, not today in vain, For it will never come again.

If I'm a commodity, it wouldn't be a wise idea to buy stock in me - although, in the long run, maybe I'm a slow growth investment.

A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.