Wisdom Quotes

The best minds across centuries have wrestled with what it means to be wise. These quotes capture their hard-won insights.

64329 quotes

"Anything which is overwhelming can be dealt with by breaking it into smaller pieces."
Francesco Petrarca
"Wisdom consists of knowing what truly matters."
Francesco Petrarca
N
"A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"It is often better to trust the enemies than the allies."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"Discernment is the faculty by which we measure our deeds."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"To understand the character of a ruler, observe the company he keeps."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"The trouble with the world is that the intelligent are full of doubt while the stupid are full of confidence."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"The wise adapt themselves to circumstances."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"A person who is foolish in public is dangerous."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"It is a common fault of men not to account for the storms in fair weather."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"The wise man does at once what the fool does finally."
Niccolò Machiavelli
N
"In the conflict between will and circumstance, surrender to circumstance."
Niccolò Machiavelli
L
"Wisdom is knowing when to speak and when to be silent."
Ludovico Ariosto
L
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."
Ludovico Ariosto
U
"Grief teaches us the value of what we possessed before sorrow came."
Ugo Foscolo
U
"The learned man speaks; the wise man listens to silence."
Ugo Foscolo
U
"The path to wisdom is paved with the stones of our own mistakes."
Ugo Foscolo
A
"True wisdom lies in knowing the limits of one's own knowledge."
Alessandro Manzoni
"Human nature is such that we desire what is forbidden and scorn what is freely given."
Giovanni Boccaccio
"Wisdom is the daughter of experience"
Torquato Tasso
"Wisdom teaches us what truly matters in life"
Torquato Tasso
P
"A man of wisdom makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion."
Petrarch
P
"A single moment of perfect understanding can change a lifetime."
Petrarch
P
"A broken heart teaches more than a whole one."
Petrarch
P
"The wise listen more than they speak."
Petrarch
P
"The path to wisdom begins with humility."
Petrarch
R
"A sabedoria vem da experiência."
Ramalho Ortigão
R
"O coração sabe o que a mente ignora."
Ramalho Ortigão
R
"A sabedoria é resultado da reflexão profunda."
Ramalho Ortigão