Thomas Jefferson Quotes and its meanings

In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more.

When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

He who knows best knows how little he knows.

It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

One man with courage is a majority.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor.

When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Question with boldness even the existence of a God because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

Friendship is but another name for an alliance with the follies and the misfortunes of others. Our own share of miseries is sufficient: why enter then as volunteers into those of another?

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

Question with boldness even the existence of a God because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just that his justice cannot sleep forever.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circlue of our felicities.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

The Creator has not thought proper to mark those in the forehead who are of stuff to make good generals. We are first, therefore, to seek them blindfold, and then let them learn the trade at the expense of great losses.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.

In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.

The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory.

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.

Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.

A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circlue of our felicities.

It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

Never spend your money before you have earned it.

Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations entangling alliances with none.

Peace and abstinence from European interferences are our objects, and so will continue while the present order of things in America remain uninterrupted.

Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.

I have no ambition to govern men it is a painful and thankless office.

Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.

Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor - over each other.

I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.

Truth is certainly a branch of morality and a very important one to society.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.

It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.

One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more.

When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

There is not a truth existing which I fear... or would wish unknown to the whole world.

In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.

The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.

It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.

I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.

Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.

So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.