The 105 most famous phrases in the history of humanity

Throughout history, there are many well-known characters who have spoken or written phrases that have become famous.. Phrases that, due to their exceptional content, have passed from mouth to mouth, since they generally offer valuable knowledge in a few words.

These phrases are usually wise phrases and in other cases motivational phrases. They have their genesis in historical moments or in reflections worthy of the best thinkers.

The most famous phrases in history

In the following lines we have prepared a compilation of the most famous phrases in the history of humanity, pronounced by political actors, thinkers and characters from culture and art. They are the following.

1. There is no need to go back or to give yourself momentum (Lao Tzu)

A motivating phrase that advises to always follow our path despite the adversities.

2. There are no paths to peace; peace is the way (Mahatma Gandhi)

Gandhi left us for history this beautiful phrase about peace.

• More Gandhi quotes in this link.

3. Make love not war (John Lennon)

Singer John Lennon always had a peacemaker mindset.

• A selection of phrases from The Beatles guitarist, in this link.

4. To work, it is enough to be convinced of one thing: that working is less boring than having fun (Charles Baudelaire)

Work, even though you always feel like doing it, is good for our mental health.

5. The worst thing the bad guys do is force us to doubt the good guys (Jacinto Benavente)

It is always better to be honest even though sometimes we may believe otherwise.

• More phrases by Jacinto Benavente, in this article.

6. Wars will continue as long as the color of the skin continues to be more important than the color of the eyes (Bob Marley)

Racism and prejudice have been the cause of many wars.

• We have prepared a selection of Bob Marley phrases, in this post.

7. Learn to live and you will know how to die well (Confucius)

Life must be enjoyed at all times and not be dead in life.

• 68 phrases of Confucius, in this article.

8. Every day we know more and understand less (Albert Einstein)

It does not matter that there is more and more knowledge if we do not know how to apply it.

9. The world is not in danger from bad people but from those who allow evil (Albert Einstein)

There will always be bad people, but we can't let them succeed.

• More Einstein quotes here.

10. The measure of love is to love without measure (St. Augustine)

A romantic phrase that means that we must love with everything.

11. There is nothing that a man is not capable of doing when a woman looks at him (Casanova)

The love of a man for a woman is capable of moving the world.

12. Setting an example is not the main way to influence others; it's the only way. (Albert Einstein)

When it comes to educating, it is necessary that we ourselves be consistent with what we intend to teach.

13. Money can't buy life (Bob Marley)

As much as we believe it, money neither gives happiness nor makes us immortal.

14. If it is good to live, it is still better to dream, and best of all, to wake up (Antonio Machado)

A poetic phrase about living what makes us happy.

15. The greatest declaration of love is the one that is not made; The man who feels much speaks little (Plato)

A reflection of Plato on love.

• More Plato quotes in this link.

16. If you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to fish, you will nurture his whole life (Lao Tzu)

Without a doubt, a great lesson for life.

17. It is better to act exposing yourself to regret it, than to regret not having done anything (Giovanni Boccaccio)

The only thing we can regret is not having done something we wanted to do.

18. No man is good enough to rule others without their consent. (Abraham Lincoln)

In reference to the importance of democracy.

19. Everything that is eaten needlessly is stolen from the stomach of the poor (Mahatma Gandhi)

This famous character always had in mind to improve the world.

20. Living alone is like being at a party where no one pays attention to you (Marilyn Monroe)

A famous Marilyn Monroe phrase with a certain touch of irony.

21. The human body is the carriage; the self, the man who drives it; Thought is the reins, and feelings are the horses (Plato)

A simile from Plato about man and a horse-drawn carriage.

22. Being prepared is important, knowing how to wait for it is even more important, but taking advantage of the right moment is the key to life (Arthur Schnitzler)

Patience is one of the best virtues of human beings.

23. I am not so enamored of my own opinions that I ignore what others may think about them (Copernicus)

Great quote from Copernicus about how we care about the opinions of others.

24. I don't think the strictest justice is always the best policy (Abraham Lincoln)

In the middle term is where the best virtue is found.

25. The wise man never says everything he thinks, but he always thinks everything he says (Aristotle)

Over the years, one learns how to behave with others.

26. There are two things that are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; I'm not really sure about the first one (Albert Einstein)

An ironic phrase from the great thinker, Albert Einstein.

27. Birth and death are not two different states, but two aspects of the same state (Mahatma Gandhi)

A great reflection of this great character.

28. What really matters in life is not the goals we set for ourselves, but the paths we follow to achieve them (Peter Bamm)

It is useless to set objectives if we then throw in the towel halfway.

29. The world is beautiful, but it has a defect called man (Friedrich Nietzsche)

Man can be man's worst enemy.

30. Laziness travels so slowly that poverty does not take long to catch up with it (Benjamin Franklin)

Being lazy is a great human flaw.

31. An evening in which everyone present is in absolute agreement is an evening lost (Albert Einstein)

Wealth is in the debate, not in everyone having the same opinion.

32. I think, therefore I am (René Descartes)

Without a doubt, Descartes' most famous phrase.

• We offer you a selection of René Descartes quotes.

33. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger (Friedrich Nietzsche)

You learn from mistakes and, therefore, we can improve with them. A great phrase by Nietzsche.

34. Do not open your lips if you are not sure that what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence (Arabic Proverb)

There are words that can hurt other people. In such cases, it is better not to speak.

35. Of all the animals in creation, man is the only one who drinks without thirst, eats without hunger, and talks without having to say (John Steinbeck)

Great truth in these words of the author.

36. Hope is a vital stimulant far superior to luck (Friedrich Nietzsche)

A phrase similar to the also famous quote: "Hope is the last thing to be lost".

37. A brother may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a brother. (Benjamin Franklin)

Friendship is one of the most beautiful things we can experience, because friends do not come as standard, but are chosen.

38. Only one who knows how to be happy with everything can always be happy (Confucius)

Irrational expectations and not valuing what one has makes people tremendously unhappy.

39. No person deserves your tears, and whoever deserves them will not make you cry (Gabriel García Márquez)

When someone makes us cry continuously, then we are in a toxic love.

40. It is human to err and for fools to remain in error (Marco Tulio Cicero)

Mistakes are part of life, you have to learn from them.

41. Some people are so false that they no longer distinguish that what they think is the exact opposite of what they say (Marcel Aymé)

A word that refers to compulsive liars.

42. True wisdom is in recognizing one's own ignorance (Socrates)

Knowing our limits makes us wise and intelligent.

43. The worst experience is the best teacher (Kovo)

It is in the worst situations when we grow the most.

44. Education is the passport to the future, tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today (Malcolm X)

Education is extremely important in our development.

• More quotes from Malcolm X, in this link.

45. Friends often become thieves of our time (Plato)

Plato was also ironic, as can be seen in this sentence.

46. Do not allow any human being to bring you so low as to hate him (Martin Luther King)

One of the best known teachings of this enormous character.

• More quotes from Luther King, in this link.

47. The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails (William George Ward)

Pessimism immobilizes us and does not let us move forward.

48. A friend of all is a friend of no one (Aristotle)

Good friends can be counted on the palms of your hands.

• More quotes from Aristotle, in this post.

49. It takes a lifetime to learn to live (Seneca)

People are constantly growing all the time. You never know enough.

50. No pain no gain (Benjamin Franklin)

A quote that is used in the fitness circuit and that refers to “no pain, no results.

51. These are my principles and if you don't like them, I have others (Groucho Marx)

A phrase very much in the style of this comedian.

52. Politics is the art of looking for problems, finding them, making a false diagnosis and then applying the wrong remedies (Groucho Marx)

A humorous reflection on a subject as serious as politics.

53. True leaders must be willing to sacrifice everything for the freedom of their people (Nelson Mandela)

Mandela will always be remembered as one of the most honest leaders and loved by his people.

• Here are more quotes from Nelson Mandela.

54. It is better to remain silent and appear foolish than to speak and dispel doubts for good (Groucho Marx)

Sometimes it is better not to say anything, because the remedy may be worse than the disease.

55. He who possesses the most, is most afraid of losing it (Leonardo Da Vinci)

The great artist also made great reflections.

56. Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working (Picasso)

This painter knew perfectly well that inspiration comes when you look for it, since creativity has a lot to do with obsession.

57. Even people who say we can't do anything to change our destiny, look before you cross the street (Stephen Hawking)

You can appreciate the irony of this phrase, which is addressed to those skeptics about the consequences of the attitude to change things.

• More Stephen Hawking quotes here.

58. An eye for an eye and the world will end blind (Mahatma Gandhi)

Violence all it does is generate violence.

59. He lives as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if the world would last forever (Mahatma Gandhi)

The key to being happy in this life is to live fully in the present.

60. I only know that I know nothing (Socrates)

The humble Socrates, making it clear that we cannot take anything for granted.

• More quotes from Socrates, in this link.

61. Never break the silence if it is not to improve it (Beethoven)

When we are going to talk, it is better to think things through. There's no need to waste your voice.

62. You can fool everyone for some time. You can fool some all the time. But you can't fool everyone all the time (Abraham Lincoln)

A liar is caught sooner than a lame person.

63. The best way to get rid of temptation is to give in to it (Oscar Wilde)

A witty quote from a witty character, Oscar Wilde.

• More quotes from Oscar Wilde, in this link.

64. Doubt is the mother of invention (Galileo Galilei)

In moments of doubt and uncertainty is when we can bring out the best in us.

65. They may cut all the flowers, but they will not be able to stop the spring (Pablo Neruda)

The poet Pablo Neruda gave us this motivating phrase.

66. Love is so short and oblivion is so long (Pablo Neruda)

Again Neruda, but this time the theme of his words are in reference to love.

67. One becomes great by what he reads and not by what he writes (Borges)

The beauty of someone's writing comes from reading.

68. One is the owner of what he is silent and a slave of what he speaks (Sigmund Freud)

The father of Psychoanalysis mentions what we say and its consequences.

• discover the Biography and others famous phrases by Sigmund Freud.

69. The only man who is not wrong is the one who never does anything (Goethe)

Another way of saying this phrase is: “if you don't risk, you don't win”.

70. It is better to do and regret it than not to do it and regret it (Machiavelli)

Some words that have the same meaning as the previous sentence.

71. If you want to change the world, change yourself (Mahatma Gandhi)

The Indian thinker reminds us that in order to change the environment, it is first necessary to look at oneself.

72. A faithful friend is a soul in two bodies (Aristotle)

Friendship can be so deep that the person who is our friend can be like our family.

73. Life is nothing but a continuous succession of opportunities to survive (Gabriel García Márquez)

Although we may not like to admit it, life is complicated and can be a hostile place. Of course, we must move forward with optimism.

74. It takes little to get things right, but even less to get them wrong. (Paul Bocuse)

It takes a lot for things to go the way you want, but it's easy to lose it if we lose focus.

75. At twenty years old everyone has the face that God has given them; with forty the face that life has given them and with sixty the one they deserve (Albert Schweitzer)

Age, regarding the physical, does not forgive.

76. Love has no cure, but it is the only medicine for all ills (Konrad Adenauer)

Heartbreak can be a painful experience, but there is nothing more amazing than love.

76. There is no path to the truth, the truth is the path (Mahatma Gandhi)

A quote that is similar to the one pronounced by Nelson Mandela (who talks about peace), but in this case it deals with the issue of truth.

77. Success has many parents, but failure is an orphan (John Fitzgerald Kennedy)

When we are at the top, friends come to us alone. But when things go wrong for us, the vast majority disappear.

78. Whoever has not suffered what I have not given me advice (Sophocles)

Experience is one of the best ways to learn.

79. Life is ten percent how we make it and ninety percent how we take it (Irving Berlin)

A quote that comes to say that attitude is very important to achieve success.

80. The man who has lived the longest is not the one who has lived the longest, but the one who has experienced life the most (Jean Jacques Rousseau)

Experience is one of the best ways to learn. This is known as experiential learning.

81. In moments of crisis, only imagination is more important than knowledge (Albert Einstein)

The German scientist was a total thinker.

82. Our children will not have time to discuss climate change. They can only live with its effects (Barack Obama)

The former president of the United States uttered this phrase to warn of the consequences of global pollution.

83. I will bring back the American dream: bigger, better and stronger than ever. We will make America a powerful nation again (Donald Trump)

A sentence that elevated Trump to the presidency of the United States.

84. If you want to change the world, take your pen and write. (Martin Luther)

The ideas embodied survive and grow stronger.

85. There are truths that are not for all men, nor for all times (Voltaire)

One of the most remembered famous quotes of this French thinker.

86. Be the change you want to see in the world (Mahatma Gandhi)

The Indian activist and politician Mahatma Gandhi left many phrases for history. In his speeches he spoke of peace, freedom and fraternity.

87. The root of suffering is attachment (Buddha)

One of the elementary principles of the Buddhist religion, pronounced by its founder.

88. All we say is "Give peace a chance" (John Lennon)

The former member of the Beatles created authentic hymns for peace and love.

89. Religion is the opium of the people (Karl Marx)

One of the most famous phrases of the famous German historian and economist Karl Marx.

90. There are two kinds of men: those who make history and those who suffer from it (Camilo José Cela)

The Spanish writer Camilo José Cela left several very famous phrases for the history of universal literature.

91. If Hitler invaded hell, I would make a speech in the House of Commons with favorable references to the devil (Winston Churchill)

One of the many historic phrases uttered in life by the famous English statesman Winston Churchill.

92. All you need is love (John Lennon)

One of the phrases from the famous Beatles song “All you need is love”.

93. The truth is always revolutionary (Lenin)

The revolutionary Russian leader Vladimir Lenin was one of the most important intellectuals in his country.

94. The worst fight is the one that is not done (Karl Marx)

The intellectual contributions of the thinker Karl Marx are among the most relevant in the history of philosophy.

95. Overcome anger with serenity. Overcome evil with kindness. Overcome selfishness with generosity. Overcome dishonesty with truth (Buddha)

Another of the most important phrases of the founder of the Buddhist religion.

96. History will absolve me (Fidel Castro)

One of the best known phrases of the famous Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

97. There are two ways to live your life: one is as if nothing is a miracle, the other is as if everything is a miracle (Albert Einstein)

The German physicist Albert Einstein left us important phrases about life and the human being.

98. Come, Vidi, Vici (Julius Caesar)

One of the most famous sentences pronounced by the famous Roman politician and soldier in one of his most important military campaigns.

99. I don't know with what weapons the third world war will be fought, but the fourth will be with sticks and stones (Albert Einstein)

A deep and terrible phrase that makes us reflect on the horrors of nuclear war.

100. Human beings make their own history, albeit under circumstances influenced by the past (Karl Marx)

Karl Marx studied throughout his career the nature of societies and the mechanisms of social processes.

101. If you want to be happy, be happy (Leo Tolstoy)

Leo Tolstoy was another of the most important intellectuals in Russia at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.

102. He learns to let go. That is the key to happiness (Buddha)

The central figure of Buddhism left us a series of key precepts in his religion.

103. History repeats itself, that is one of the mistakes of history (Charles Darwin)

A surprising and profound phrase pronounced by the English naturalist Charles Darwin.

104. Happiness is achieved when what one thinks, what one says and what one does are in harmony (Mahatma Gandhi)

Gandhi fought for several decades for the freedom of his people and theorized about the goodness and harmony of people.

105. Sins write history, good is silent (Goethe)

One of the most famous phrases of the German playwright, novelist and poet Goethe.