Quotes about humility

I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.

— Muhammad Ali

When you are as great as I am it is hard to be humble.

— Muhammad Ali

Humility is the only true wisdom by which we prepare our minds for all the possible changes of life.

— George Arliss

Only those who feel little in the eyes of God, can hope to be mighty in the eyes of men.

— Ernest Moritz Arndt

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

— St. Augustine

What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.

— Monica Baldwin

Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.

— Ludwig Van Beethoven

It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment.

— St. Bernard

Before honor is humility.

— Bible

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. [Philippians 2:3]

— Bible

The more humble a man is before God the more he will be exalted; the more humble he is before man, the more he will get rode roughshod.

— Josh Billings

Many people believe that humility is the opposite of pride, when, in fact, it is a point of equilibrium. The opposite of pride is actually a lack of self esteem. A humble person is totally different from a person who cannot recognize and appreciate himself as part of this worlds marvels

— Rabino Nilton Bonder

Without humility there can be no humanity.

— John Buchan

Humility is indeed beatness, a compulsory virtue that no one exhibits unless he has to.

— William S. Burroughs

They are proud in humility, proud that they are not proud.

— Robert Burton

Painful for a person is rebellious independence, only in loving companionship with his associates does a person feel safe: Only in reverently bowing down before the higher does a person feel exalted.

— Thomas Carlyle

The cross is the invincible sanctuary of the humble.

— Eli Cass

Study the best and highest things that are; but of yourself humble thoughts retain.

— Joe Davis

Nothing is more humiliating than to see idiots succeed in enterprises we have failed in.

— Gustave Flaubert

The graveyards are full of indispensable men.

— Charles De Gaulle

One that does not think to highly of himself is more than he thinks.

— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

With all humility, I think, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing, you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor: you must be living in your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing.

— Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

I confess that altruistic and cynically selfish talk seem to me about equally unreal. With all humility, I think whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor; you must be living with your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing.

— Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

A modest man is usually admired, if people ever hear of him.

— Edgar Watson Howe

Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.

— Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Humility is no substitute for a good personality.

— Fran Lebowitz

Mental toughness is many things. It is humility because it behooves all of us to remember that simplicity is the sign of greatness and meekness is the sign of true strength. Mental toughness is spartanism with qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, dedication. It is fearlessness, and it is love.

— Vince Lombardi

Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.

— John (Jay) Mccloy

Don't be humble, you're not that great.

— Golda Meir

Humility is like underwear; essential, but indecent if it shows.

— Helen Nielsen

He that humbleth himself wishes to be exalted.

— Friedrich Nietzsche

The humble and meek are thirsting for blood.

— Joe Orton

If you would have people speak well of you, then do not speak well of yourself.

— Blaise Pascal

The humble are in danger when those in power disagree.

— Phaedrus

No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday.

— Alexander Pope

Too much humility is pride.

— German Proverb

Too humble is half proud.

— Yiddish Proverb

If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble, for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, is beloved of none but itself. Humility enforces where neither virtue, nor strength, nor reason can prevail.

— Francis Quarles

A man who is at the top is a man who has the habit of getting to the bottom.

— Joseph E. Rogers

A vulgar mind is proud in prosperity and humble in adversity. A noble mind is humble in prosperity and proud in adversity.

— Ruckett

The first test of a truly great man is his humility. By humility I don't mean doubt of his powers or hesitation in speaking his opinion, but merely an understanding of the relationship of what he can say and what he can do.

— John Ruskin

The proud man counts his newspaper clippings, the humble man his blessings.

— Fulton John Sheen

Those who are believed to be most abject and humble are usually most ambitious and envious.

— Baruch (Benedict de) Spinoza

We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.

— Rabindranath Tagore

Humility like the darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.

— Henry David Thoreau

When we become aware of our humility, we've lost it.

— Source Unknown

If you are right, take the humble side -- you will help the other fellow. If you are wrong, take the humble side -- and you will help yourself.

— Source Unknown

Humility is the ladder to divine understanding.

— Source Unknown

Be it ever so humble, there's no opinion like one's own.

— Source Unknown

Humility has no home in celebrity. Be humble in your direct dealings with people, but unafraid to trumpet your greatness to the public.

— Nkrumah Farrar

Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.

— Confucius

Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.

— General Iroh

Humility without equality, leads to abuse of authority.

— A. Brandon Trean