Ali ibn Abi Talib Quotes

If a man knew anything, he would sit in a corner and be modest; but he is such an ignorant peacock, that he goes bustling up and down, and hits on extraordinary discoveries.

He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.

A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that arrogance is one of my flaws.

Arrogance diminishes wisdom.

The wisest man is he who does not fancy that he is so at all.

If anyone would like to acquire humility, the first step is to realize one is proud. Nothing can be done before it.

If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means that you are very conceited indeed.

Attitude is an accurate monitor of where we fall on the spectrum of pride and humility.

Without humility, we keep all our defects; and they are only crusted over by pride, which conceals them from others, and often from ourselves.

When a person feels disposed to over estimate his own importance, let him remember that mankind got along very well before his birth, and that in all probability they will they will get along very well after his death.

The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.

At least I have the modesty to admit that lack of modesty is one of my failings.

Anybody who is stupid enough to want to be remembered deserves to be forgotten right now.

Vanity is a mark of humility rather than of pride.

The truly humble feel the ground beneath their feet every day and do not only become aware of it when held aloft or pushed down to their knees.

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself a fool.

Losing faith in your own singularity is the start of wisdom, I suppose; also the first announcement of death.

Any fool can say he is wise but only someone wise can admit he is a fool.

You need ego but mine is not blinding.

Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so.

Perhaps I am not as wise as I like to think I am.

Tooting my own horn is of no interest to me... it takes you away from real life. It's a waste, and I don't find a need to sing my own praises.

I try not to be proud. I try to actively attack pride.

The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.