George Herbert Quotes

300 Sourced Quotes

He that is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor rich at forty, nor wise at fifty, will never be handsome, strong, rich, or wise.

George Herbert
God keepe me from foure houses, an Vsurers, a Taverne, a Spittle, and a Prison.

George Herbert
If the wise erred not, it would goe hard with fooles.
[If the wise erred not, it would go hard with fools.]

George Herbert
Every one is weary, the poore in seeking, the rich in keeping, the good in learning.

George Herbert
You must strike in measure, when there are many to strike on one Anvile.

George Herbert
The wise hand doth not all that the foolish mouth speakes.
[The wise hand doth not all that the foolish mouth speaks.]

George Herbert
There is no jollitie but hath a smack of folly.
[There is no jollity but hath a smack of folly.]

George Herbert
Old men, when they scorne young, make much of death.
[Old men, when they scorn young, make much of death.]

George Herbert
Of him that speakes ill, consider the life more then the word.
[Of him that speaks ill, consider the life more than the word.]

George Herbert
Though God take the sunne out of the Heaven, yet we must have patience.

George Herbert
He that hath but one eye, must bee afraid to lose it.
[He that hath but one eye must be afraid to lose it.]

George Herbert
Man is all symmetrie,
Full of proportions, one limbe to another,
And all to all the world besides:
Each part may call the farthest, brother:
For head with foot hath privite amitie,
And both with moons and tides.

George Herbert
He that will not have peace, God gives him warre.
[He that will not have peace, God gives him war.]

George Herbert
Wealth is the Conjurer's Devil, Whom, when he thinks he hath, the Devil hath him.

George Herbert
The higher the Ape goes, the more he shewes his taile.
[The higher the ape goes, the more he shows his tail.]

George Herbert
I know the ways of Pleasure, the sweet strains, The lullings and the relishes of it.

George Herbert
The more women looke in their glasse, the lesse they looke to their house.
[The more women look in their glass, the less they look to their house.]

George Herbert
Surely if each one saw another's heart, There would be no commerce, No sale or bargain pass: all would disperse And live apart.

George Herbert
Whatever is made by the hand of man, by the hand of man may be overturned.

George Herbert
If great men would have care of little ones, both would last long.

George Herbert
Hee that hath one hogge makes him fat, and hee that hath one son makes him a foole.

George Herbert
If the mother had not beene in the oven, shee had never sought her daughter there.

George Herbert
From a chollerick man withdraw a little; from him that saies nothing, for ever.
[From a choleric man withdraw a little; from him that says nothing, for ever.]

George Herbert
There is no man, though never so little, but sometimes he can hurt.

George Herbert
Hee that falles into the durt, the longer he stayes there, the fowler he is.

George Herbert
I envy no man's nightingale or spring;
Nor let them punish me with loss of rhyme,
Who plainly say, My God, My King.

George Herbert
Whatsoever was the father of a disease, an ill diet was the mother.

George Herbert
Sweet rose, whose hue, angry and brave, Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye, Thy root is even in the grave, And thou must die.

George Herbert
Hee that hath a Fox for his mate, hath neede of a net at his girdle.

George Herbert
True beauty dwells on high: ours is a flame
But borrowed thence to light us thither.
Beauty and beauteous words should go together.

George Herbert