quotations about humility
Ships that are heaviest laden sail lowest; so a mind laden with sound philosophy is most humble.
T. GALE
attributed, Day's Collacon
Humility means accepting reality with no attempt to outsmart it.
DAVID RICHO
The Five Things We Cannot Change: And the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them
Poverty is a noose that strangles humility and breeds disrespect for God and man.
NATIVE AMERICAN PROVERB
Humility is a virtue all preach, none practice; and yet everybody is content to hear.
JOHN SELDEN
Table Talk
Humility is not thinking meanly of yourself; it is simply not thinking of yourself at all.
WARREN W. WIERSBE
The Bible Exposition Commentary
Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other, on the contrary they are twin sisters.
HENRI-DOMINIQUE LACORDAIRE
Letters to Young Men
Those who are capable of humility, of justice, of love, of aspiration, stand already on a platform that commands the sciences and arts, speech and poetry, action and grace. For whoso dwells in this moral beatitude already anticipates those special powers which men prize so highly.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"The Over-Soul", Essays
If you see any thing in yourself which may make you proud, look a little further, and you will find enough to make you humble.
WELLINS CALCOTT
Thoughts Moral and Divine
Humility is the softening shadow before the stature of Excellence,
And lieth lowly on the ground, beloved and lovely as the violet.
MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER
Proverbial Philosophy
Humility with energy is often mistaken for pride.
JOHANN KASPAR LAVATER
Aphorisms on Man
In the intellectual order, the virtue of humility is nothing more nor less than the power of attention.
SIMONE WEIL
Gravity and Grace
True humility is the certain mark of a bright reason, and elevated soul, as being the natural consequence of them. When we come to have our minds cleared by reason from those thick mists that our disorderly passions cast about them; when we come to discern more perfectly, and consider more nearly, the immense power and goodness, the infinite glory and duration of God; and, to make a comparison between these perfections of his, and our own frailty and weakness, and the shortness and uncertainty of our beings, we should humble ourselves even unto the dust before him.
WELLINS CALCOTT
Thoughts Moral and Divine
Humility is the oil that smoothes and soothes relationships.
RICHARD WARREN
The Purpose Driven Life
Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.
JANE AUSTEN
Pride and Prejudice
How happy in his low degree,
How rich in humble poverty, is he,
Who leads a quiet country life;
Discharged of business, void of strife.
JOHN DRYDEN
Imitation of Horace
Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility which is probably needed, painful though it is.
BILL WILSON
As Bill Sees It
Humility provides everyone, even him who despairs in solitude, with the strongest relationship to his fellow man, and this immediately, though, of course, only in the case of complete and permanent humility.
FRANZ KAFKA
notebook, Feb. 24, 1918
Humility, like darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Walden
The saints in every age have gloried in thee, as a most distinguishing ingredient in their character; and according to their eminency, has been their measure of humility. The high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, and will not give his glory to another, when from his high and holy place he views men and their works, he turns away disdainful from the pompous palaces of mighty kings, the courts of popes and sultans, and throws a favorable glance toward the humble cottage of him in whose heart thou dwellest.
WILLIAM MCEWEN
"On Humility", Select Essays Doctrinal & Practical on a Variety of the Most Important and Interesting Subjects in Divinity
But above all, to recommend thy heavenly charms, the Son of God disdained not the form of a servant, the humble manger, the ignominious cross, the gloomy sepulchre. O let not man be proud, when God was so humble! Begone from my heart, all self-elating thoughts; hence my ambitious desires. But come holy humility, with all thy amiable train, and fix thy residence in my soul; predominate in my affections. Holy Spirit, make all her enemies her footstool; and teach me to despise myself, except on account of my rational and immortal nature, to spurn under my feet all vain glory, and to pursue the honor that cometh from God only.
WILLIAM MCEWEN
"On Humility", Select Essays Doctrinal & Practical on a Variety of the Most Important and Interesting Subjects in Divinity