Refrain quotes
27 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
"Love, and do what you will. If you keep silence, do it out of love. If you cry out, do it out of love. If you refrain from punishing, do it out of love."
"To refrain from imitation is the best revenge."
"One is not a great one because one defeats or harms other living beings. One is so called because one refrains from defeating or harming other living beings."
"Let us ask what is best - not what is customary. Let us love temperance - let us be just - let us refrain from bloodshed."
"Thou shalt abstain, Renounce, refrain."
Explore further
Browse quotes that often appear alongside refrain — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
Quote collection
Follow a thought to its author, or read the full quote page.
"What is most important is to cease legislating for all lives what is liveable only for some, and similarly, to refrain from proscribing for all lives what is unlivable for some."
"Well, thanks for not shooting anyone, I guess", said Marcus. "My contribution was to somehow refrain from peeing myself. You can thank me later."
"If a young writer can refrain from writing, he shouldn’t hesitate to do so."
"That, Senators, is what a favour from gangs amounts to. They refrain from murdering someone; then they boast that they have spared him!"
"Is not moderation an old refrain Ringing in our ears? from which we all refrain."
