Thomas Jefferson, a founding father and the third President of the United States, remains a pivotal figure in American history. Born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, and passing away on July 4, 1826, at Monticello, Jefferson was a polymath who made significant contributions to the realms of politics, philosophy, and science. His drafting of the Declaration of Independence, his tenure as president, and his advocacy for democracy and individual rights have cemented his legacy. Jefferson’s life was also marked by his intellectual pursuits and his vast contributions to the American Enlightenment. Through his quotes, we explore the depth of his wisdom and the breadth of his insights into personal growth, societal values, and governance.
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Personal Virtues and Growth
Thomas Jefferson believed deeply in the pursuit of knowledge, personal development, and the cultivation of virtues. His quotes on these topics offer timeless wisdom on how individuals can grow and contribute meaningfully to society.
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Character
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
“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.”
“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.”
“It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Character
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Education
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
“I cannot live without books.”
“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”
“Knowledge is power, knowledge is safety, and knowledge is happiness.”
“Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Knowledge
“He who knows best knows how little he knows.”
“Information is the currency of democracy.”
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Knowledge
“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.”
“Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Intelligence
“The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.”
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”
“It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.”
“The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves.”
“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Wisdom
“We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.”
“Delay is preferable to error.”
“The wise know their weakness too well to assume infallibility; and he who knows most knows best how little he knows.”
“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.”
“Wisdom and knowledge are the stability of times and the durable riches of exaltation.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Virtue
“Without virtue, happiness cannot be.”
“A virtuous people may be cheaply governed.”
“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 God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.”
“When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Ethics
“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”
“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Ethics
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.”
“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
“Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Morality
“Our whole life is morally shaped by what we become accustomed to.”
“The moral sense, or conscience, is as much a part of man as his leg or arm.”
“It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known.”
“He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual.”
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is the best and safest rule of conduct.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Courage
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Ethics
“One man with courage is a majority.”
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”
“There is not a truth existing which I fear… or would wish unknown to the whole world.”
“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.”
“In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Hard Work
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”
“Determine never to be idle… It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
“Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal.”
“The plough is to the farmer what the wand is to the sorcerer. Its effect is real, but it is the effect of art, not of magic.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Excellence
“Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.”
“The pursuit of excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness, but it can be more satisfying.”
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”
“Be a listener only, keep within yourself, and endeavor to establish with yourself the habit of silence, especially in politics.”
In these sections on personal virtues and growth, Thomas Jefferson’s quotes guide us through the significance of character, education, knowledge, and the hard work necessary for personal excellence and moral integrity. His wisdom underscores the foundational values that not only forge strong individuals but also contribute to the betterment of society at large.
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Interpersonal Relations and Inner Life
The complexity of human emotions and the depth of our relations with others are subjects Jefferson eloquently spoke on. His understanding of love, happiness, and the soul’s resonance with empathy, trust, and friendship provides insight into the richness of human connections.
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Love
“Love, and you shall be loved.”
“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.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Love
“I find friendship to be like wine, raw when new, ripened with age, the true old man’s milk and restorative cordial.”
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
“If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Happiness
“The art of life is the art of avoiding pain; and he is the best pilot, who steers clearest of the rocks and shoals with which he is beset.”
“Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind.”
“It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give happiness.”
“I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.”
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Soul
“When the heart is right, the mind and the body will follow.”
“Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than life. Be just. Be true. Murmur not at the ways of Providence.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on soul
“The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy,but cannot disjoin them.”
“I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
“Music is the favorite passion of my soul, and fortune has cast my lot in a country where it is in a state of deplorable barbarism.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Empathy
“My theory has always been, that if we are to dream, the flatteries of hope are as cheap, and pleasanter, than the gloom of despair.”
“The most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice.”
“Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.”
“The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.”
“We are all the leaves of one tree. We are all the waves of one sea; the time has come for all to live as one.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Trust
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
“Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism. Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Trust
“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.”
“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Friendship
“But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life.”
“I find friendship to be like wine, raw when new, ripened with age, the true old man’s milk and restorative cordial.”
“True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.”
“I have never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”
Through these thoughtful insights into love, happiness, the soul, empathy, trust, and friendship, Jefferson highlights the intricate tapestry of human emotions and relationships. He encourages us to cherish these bonds, fostering a society rooted in mutual understanding and respect.
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Societal Values and Governance
Jefferson’s views on governance, law, and democracy emphasize the importance of an informed and engaged citizenry, the protection of individual rights, and the pursuit of justice and equality. His quotes offer guidance for navigating the complexities of societal and political life.
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Society
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.”
“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves.”
“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”
“Every generation needs a new revolution.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Society
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Justice
“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
“The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.”
“Justice is the fundamental law of society.”
“Delay is preferable to error.”
“Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Democracy
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”
“An elective despotism was not the government we fought for.”
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
“I believe… that the government that governs least, governs best.”
“The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Leadership
“The art of governing consists in not letting men grow old in their jobs.”
“Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.”
“He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.”
“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Politics
“When the subject is strong, simplicity is the only way to treat it.”
“Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.”
“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.”
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”
Thomas Jefferson Quotes on politics
5 Best Thomas Jefferson Quotes on Government
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.”
“The most sacred duty of government is to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.”
“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves.”
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.”
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.”
Final Words on Thomas Jefferson Quotes
Thomas Jefferson’s insights into personal virtue, interpersonal relations, and societal governance offer a rich tapestry of wisdom that remains profoundly relevant in today’s world. His reflections encourage us to strive for personal growth, nurture meaningful relationships, and engage actively in the life of our communities and nations. Jefferson’s understanding of democracy, his advocacy for individual rights, and his vision for a society governed by the principles of liberty and justice continue to inspire and challenge us to think deeply about our roles and responsibilities as citizens. As we navigate the complexities of modern life, the enduring wisdom of Thomas Jefferson’s quotes serves as a beacon, guiding our efforts to build a more enlightened, just, and compassionate world.
