quotations about wisdom
The wise may find in trifles light as atoms in the air, some useful lesson to enrich the mind.
JOHN GODFREY SAXE
"King Solomon and the Bees"
Line upon line, a little here and there,
We scrape together wisdom with slow care.
Wherefore? To blossom in a churchyard rose,
Or to go with the spirit--if it goes?
KARLE WILSON BAKER
"Wisdom", Blue Smoke
Wisdom is the olive that springeth from a heart, bloometh on the tongue, and beareth fruit in the actions.
GRYMESTONE
attributed, Day's Collacon
Wisdom adorneth riches and casteth a shadow over poverty.
SOCRATES
attributed, Day's Collacon
Wisdom is a palace, of which only the vestibule has yet been entered.
ELIZA COOK
Diamond Dust
Wisdom is also a deeper consciousness of ignorance.
AUSTIN O'MALLEY
Keystones of Thought
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
A wise man who cultivates wisdom may sometimes drown in it.
EIJI YOSHIKAWA
Taiko
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
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
Gaining wisdom is a wonderful thing. Giving it back is better.
MIKE BELL
"Canadian jazz great Bob Erlendson set to celebrate his 85th in style with Ironwood show", Calgary Herald, January 16, 2016
It is wisdom to think upon anything before we execute it.
PLAUTUS
attributed, Day's Collacon
Be wisely worldly, but not worldly wise.
FRANCIS QUARLES
Emblems: Divine and Moral
There is no folly like the folly of the wise.
JACQUELINE CAREY
Kushiel's Dart
Crime is the entertainment of the fool; so is wisdom for the man of sense.
BIBLE
Proverbs 10:23
Wisdom consists, not in seeing what is directly before us, but in discerning those things which may come to pass.
TERENCE
attributed, Day's Collacon
Be wise before the storm.
EDWARD COUNSEL
Maxims
Wisdom is using your knowledge to see opportunities, risks, challenges and the things that you need to do.
JOHN BRENNAN
"Why the former CIA director is in Augusta during Masters Week", MyAJC, April 6, 2017
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
Learning discernment is a lifelong project, and wisdom is hard-won.
JEANIE MILEY
"Learning discernment is a lifelong project", San Angelo Standard-Times, January 29, 2016