Offence Quotes

• No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offence.

  Thomas Carlyle

  Life, Men, Giving

  Thomas Carlyle, Henry Duff Traill (2010). “The Works of Thomas Carlyle”, p.30, Cambridge University Press

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• At every trifle take offense, that always shows great pride or little sense.

  Alexander Pope

  Pride, Littles, Trifles

  Alexander Pope (2015). “An Essay on Criticism”, p.13, Sheba Blake Publishing

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• Love the offender, yet detest the offense.

  Alexander Pope

  Sin, Offense, Offenders

  Alexander Pope (1848). “The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope: To which is Prefixed a Life of the Author”, p.136

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• I find that to be a fool as to worldly wisdom, and to commit my cause to God, not fearing to offend men, who take offence at the simplicity of truth, is the only way to remain unmoved at the sentiments of others.

  John Woolman

  Truth, Men, Simplicity

  Benjamin Franklin, John Woolman (2010). “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the Journal of John Woolman, Fruits of Solitude by William Penn”, p.207, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Almost every desire a poor man has is a punishable offence.

  Louis-Ferdinand Celine

  Men, Desire, Poor

  "Journey to the End of the Night" by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, 1932.

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• An honest man speaks the truth, though it may give offence; a vain man, in order that it may.

  William Hazlitt

  Truth, Men, Order

  William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.139

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• I fear a permanent Confederation will never be settled; tho the most material articles are I think got thro', so as to give great offence to some, but to my Satisfaction.

  William Whipple

  Giving Up, Thinking, Satisfaction

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• O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven

  William Shakespeare

  Smell, Heaven, Dignity

  'Hamlet' (1601) act 3, sc. 3, l. 36

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• I have the conviction that excessive literary production is a social offence.

  George Eliot

  Writing, Conviction, Social

  George Eliot (1860). “Life and Letters”, p.565

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• I'm a great dog fanatic. My own dog died a little while ago and I take it very personally when things die-it's a major offence.

  Clive Barker

  Dog, Loss, Animal

  24 Copy quote

• How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense, and love the offender, yet detest the offence?

  Alexander Pope

  Love, Sin, Offenders

  Alexander Pope, Samuel Johnson (1836). “The poetical works of Alexander Pope, esq., to which is prefixed the life of the author”, p.136

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• When I was in my 20s it did occur to me that there was something perverted about an attitude that thought that killing somebody was a minor offence compared to kissing somebody.

  John McGahern

  Attitude, Kissing, Killing

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• The theologian considers sin mainly as an offence against God; the moral philosopher as contrary to reasonableness.

  Thomas Aquinas

  Powerful, Philosopher, Moral

  Saint Thomas Aquinas (1951). “Philosophical Texts”, London : Oxford University Press

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• Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy.

  A. J. P. Taylor

  Perfect, Soldier, Gentleman

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• What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.

  Alexander Pope

  Spring, Causes, Trivial Things

  'The Rape of the Lock' (1714) canto 1, l. 1

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• When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.

  Epictetus

  Forgiveness, Spiritual, Wisdom

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• Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offence returning, to regain Love once possess'd.

  John Milton

  Love, Power, Strange

  'Samson Agonistes' (1671) l. 1003

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• Pardon one offence, and you encourage the commission of many.

  Publilius Syrus

  Pardon, Leniency, Total War

  "Sentences". Collection by Publilius Syrus. Maxim 750,

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• When I am at Rome I fast as the Romans do; when I am at Milan I do not fast. So likewise you, whatever church you come to, observe the custom of the place, if you would neither give offence to others, nor take offence from them.

  Ambrose

  Rome, Giving, Church

  "Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations" by Jehiel Keeler Hoyt, p. 677, 1922.

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• Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offence. Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That wants it down.

  Robert Frost

  Wall, Knowledge, Science

  "MendingWall" l. 32 (1914)

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• Watch the too indignantly righteous. Before long you will find them committing or condoning the very offence which they have so fiercely censured.

  Sri Aurobindo

  Long, Watches, Righteous

  Aurobindo Ghose, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ashram (1994). “Essays divine and human with thoughts and aphorisms”, Lotus Press (WI)

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• If you know yourself, then you'll not be harmed by what is said about you.

  Sufyan al-Thawri

  Self Esteem, Islamic, Knowing

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• It is not insult from another that causes you pain. It is the part of your mind that agrees with the insult. Agree only with the truth about you, and you are free.

  Alan Cohen

  Truth, Pain, Entrepreneur

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• Don't take anything personally. Even when a situation seems so personal, even if others insult you directly, it has nothing to do with you. Their point of view and opinion come from all the programming they received growing up. When you take things personally, you feel offended and your reaction is to defend your beliefs and create conflict. You make something big out of something so little because you have the need to be right and make everybody else wrong.

  Miguel Angel Ruiz

  Life, Growing Up, Insults You

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• In the bonds of Death He lay Who for our offence was slain; But the Lord is risen to-day, Christ hath brought us life again, Wherefore let us all rejoice, Singing loud, with cheerful voice, Hallelujah!

  Martin Luther

  Easter, Voice, Singing

  Martin Luther, “In The Bonds Of Death He Lay”

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