Praise quotes
580 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
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Browse quotes that often appear alongside praise — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
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"Only those beneath me can envy or hate me. I have never been envied nor hated; I am above no one. Only those above me can praise or belittle me. I have never been praised nor belittled; I am below no one."
"...whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. And peace will be with you."
"If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God."
"And if there is not any such thing as a long time, nor the rest of your lives, nor from now on, but there is only now, why then now is the thing to praise and I am very happy with it."
"Sweet praise is like perfume. It is fine if you don't swallow it."
"Even great men are only truly recognized and honored once they are dead. Why? Because those who praise them need to feel themselves somehow superior to the person praised, they need to feel they are making some concession."
"The most common disguise of Envy is in praise of what is subordinate."
"Your praises will become your wages."
"Which can say more than this rich praise, that you alone are you?"
"The present eye praises the present object."
"Thou movest us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee."
"Your work should be in praise of what you love."
"We thirst for approbation, yet cannot forgive the approver."
"He that applauds him who does not deserve praise, is endeavoring to deceive the public; he that hisses in malice or sport, is an oppressor and a robber."
"Applause abates diligence."
"..to write and to live are very different. Many who praise virtue, do no more than praise it."
"Praise is deeper than the lips"
"Reviews for someone like me come in three packages. One is justifiable praise, the second is justifiable criticism, and the third is, "This is only published because he's a celebrity.""
"What the sayer of praise is really praising is himself, by saying implicitly, My eyes are clear." Likewise, someone who criticizes is criticizing himself, saying implicitly, "I can't see very well with my eyes so inflamed."
"For me to praise is interrupting praise."
