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Wise Man Quotes

Timeless lines on quiet, hard-won wisdom.

One line reframes rivalry entirely, arguing the only worthwhile competition for a wise person is against their own past self.

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.

Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.

Quotes by Michel de Montaigne

The wise man reads both books and life itself.

Quotes by Lin Yutang

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

Quotes by Lao Tzu

Who is the wise man? He who sees what's going to be born.

Quotes by King Solomon

A wise man thinks what is easy is difficult.

Quotes by John Churton Collins

A smart man only believes half of what he hears, a wise man knows which half.

Quotes by Jeff Cooper

Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go.

Quotes by Jean de La Fontaine

Who then is free? The wise man who can command himself.

Quotes by Horace

A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.

Quotes by Hippocrates

The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.

Quotes by Herodotus

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.

Quotes by Heinrich Heine

A wise man, when he writes a book, sets forth his arguments fully and clearly; an enlightened ruler, when he makes his laws, sees to it that every contingency is provided for in detail.

Quotes by Han Fei

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.

Quotes by Grantland Rice

The wise man knows how to run his life so that contemplation is Possible.

Quotes by Gabriel Marcel

The greatest misfortune of the wise man and the greatest unhappiness of the fool are based upon convention.

Quotes by Franz Schubert

It is a wise man that does know the contented man is never poor, whilst the discontented man is never rich.

Quotes by Frank Herbert

It is a wise man who said that there is no greater inequality than the equal treatment of unequals.

Quotes by Felix Frankfurter

It takes a clever man to turn cynic and a wise man to be clever enough not to.

Quotes by Fannie Hurst

He was a wise man who originated the idea of God.

Quotes by Euripides

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Wise Man quotes collection focus on?
These quotes describe wisdom as an internal, reflective quality rather than something proven through rivalry with others.
Is there a quote about competing only with yourself?
Yes, one states that the only competition worth a wise person's time is against their own past self.
Do any quotes describe wisdom in terms of freedom and law?
One argues that a wise person finds freedom not in the absence of law, but in embracing it as a guiding structure.
Is there a quote about recognizing wisdom in others?
Yes, one notes that only a wise person can actually recognize wisdom in someone else.
Where can I find more reflective or philosophical lines?
Browse our art quotes for more thoughtful, introspective content in a similar spirit.

Explore capability further in our able quotes, or browse art quotes for more reflective, philosophical lines.