quotations about forgiveness
Forgiveness is healing ... especially forgiving yourself.
ALYSON NOËL
Evermore
Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge.
SCOTT ADAMS
attributed, Dictionary of Quotations
I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.
KHALED HOSSEINI
The Kite Runner
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.
JOHN F. KENNEDY
attributed, Mayor
Surely it is much more generous to forgive and remember, than to forgive and forget.
MARIA EDGEWORTH
"An Essay on the Noble Science of Self-Justification", Tales and Novels
He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
1957
It is right for him who asks forgiveness for his offenses to grant it to others.
HORACE
Satires
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
JESUS
Luke 23:34
Forgiveness is the only way to reverse the irreversible flow of history.
HANNAH ARENDT
attributed, Aspects of Love: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 13
The offender never pardons.
GEORGE HERBERT
Jacula Prudentum
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
JESUS
Luke 11:4
Never forgive an injury or an insult so long as the offending parties have it in their power to make reparation; since, if they are able to do so, and will not, whatever they may pretend to others, they, up to that time, are only laughing at you, and triumphing in secret. If, however, they have not the power to neutralize an impertinence by explanation, or a fraud by restitution, forgive and forget either--as soon as you can.
CHARLES WILLIAM DAY
The Maxims
When our anger turns to bitterness it becomes like a weed in the garden of our heart. If we pull the weeds, our garden can stay healthy and alive. But if we allow bitter weeds to grow, eventually our garden becomes ugly and weeds choke the life out of the vegetables in our garden. Forgiveness is like pulling out the weeds.
MICHAEL E. MCCULLOUGH
To Forgive Is Human: How to Put Your Past in the Past
I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore.
DON HENLEY
"The Heart of the Matter"
Good, to forgive;
Best to forget.
ROBERT BROWNING
prologue, La Saisiaz
Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time. Trust requires a track record.
RICK WARREN
The Purpose Driven Life
Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge, and dares to forgive an injury.
EDWIN HUBBELL CHAPIN
attributed, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers
He who forgives readily only invites offense.
PIERRE CORNEILLE
Cinna
I know forgiveness is a man's duty, but, to my thinking, that can only mean as you're to give up all thoughts o' taking revenge: it can never mean as you're t' have your old feelings back again, for that's not possible.
GEORGE ELIOT
Adam Bede
Forgotten is forgiven.
F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
The Crack-Up