George Herbert Quotes

George Herbert was a Welsh-born poet, orator and Anglican priest. Herbert's poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devotional lyricists." Born into an artistic and wealthy family, Herbert was largely raised in England and received there a good education that led to his admission in 1609 as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge. He went there at first with the intention of becoming a priest, but when eventually he became the University's Public Orator he attracted the attention of King James I. In 1624 and briefly in 1625 he served in the Parliament of England. After the death of King James, Herbert's interest in ordination renewed. In his mid-thirties he gave up his secular ambitions and took holy orders in the Church of England, spending the rest of his life as the rector of the little parish of St Andrews Church, Lower Bemerton, Salisbury. He was noted for unfailing care for his parishioners, bringing the sacraments to them when they were ill, and providing food and clothing for those in need. Henry Vaughan called him "a most glorious saint and seer". Never a healthy man, he died of consumption at the early age of 39.

✵ 3. April 1593 – 1. March 1633

George Herbert photo

George Herbert: 216 quotes7 likes

Famous George Herbert Quotes

“Read as you taste fruit or savor wine, or enjoy friendship, love or life. ”

“874. None knows the weight of another's burthen.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“837. Words are women, deedes are men.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“383. The horse thinkes one thing, and he that sadles him another.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“520. Living well is the best revenge.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“292. The best mirrour is an old friend.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)
Variant: 292. The best mirrour is an old friend.

George Herbert Quotes about God

“533. Help thyselfe, and God will helpe thee.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Man is God's image; but a poor man is
Christ's stamp to boot: both images regard.”

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see
And what I do in any thing,
To do it as for thee..”

Source: The Temple (1633), The Elixir, Lines 1-4

“The worst speak something good; if all want sense,
God takes a text, and preacheth Pa-ti-ence.”

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“No sooner is a temple built to God, but the Devil builds a chapel hard by.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“1. Man proposeth, God disposeth.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

George Herbert: Trending quotes

“[ Cruelty is more cruell if we defer the pain. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“477. A poore beauty finds more lovers than husbands.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“421. He that hath a head of waxe must not walke in the sunne.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

George Herbert Quotes

“279. Many kisse the hand they wish cut off.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“A verse may finde him, who a sermon flies
And turns delight into a sacrifice”

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“[ Woe be to him that reads but one book. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Storms make oaks take deeper root.”

“911. Life is halfe spent before we know what it is.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“The shortest answer is doing.”

“He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.”

“Like summer friends,
Flies of estate and sunneshine.”

The Answer, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“[ The wolfe eats oft of the sheep that have been warn'd. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“848. He that endures is not overcome.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“710. Three can hold their peace if two be away.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“511. Pension never inriched young man.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“406. He that blames would buy.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“334. When you are an anvill, hold you still; when you are a hammer, strike your fill.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“104. Leave jesting while it pleaseth, lest it turne to earnest.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“816. Women laugh when they can and weepe when they will.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“It is a poor sport that is not worth the candle.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“460. The resolved minde hath no cares.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“916. The little cannot bee great, unlesse he devoure many.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“319. Little sticks kindle the fire, great ones put it out.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ Your thoughts close and your countenance loose. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it?”

The Size, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“67. Never had ill workman good tooles.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“294. A man's discontent is his worst evill.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“966. With customes wee live well, but lawes undoe us.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“897. There are more physitians in health then drunkards.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“557. The offender never pardons.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“222. One graine fills not a sacke, but helpes his fellowes.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“508. He that tells a secret is another's servant.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“763. Better speake truth rudely then lye covertly.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“376. Little pitchers have wide eares.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords
If when the soul unto the lines accords.”

The Temple (1633), A True Hymn

“497. Little wealth, little care.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“155. Good words are worth much, and cost little.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“215. Into a mouth shut flies flie not.”

Variant of the Sumerian proverb: Flies enter an open mouth. http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/proverbs/t.6.1.03.html <br class="br">Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“200. The hole calls the thiefe.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“138. Well may hee smell fire whose gowne burnes.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“248. Marry a widdow before she leave mourning.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“621. Speake fitly, or be silent wisely.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ A scab'd horse cannot abide the comb. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Be useful where thou livest.”

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“743. God's mill grinds slow but sure.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“307. Hee wrongs not an old man that steales his supper from him.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.”

Source: The Temple (1633), The Elixir, Lines 17-20

“[ Whatever is made by the hand of man, by the hand of man may be overturned. ]”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“720. Be what thou wouldst seem to be.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“339. Hee that lies with the dogs riseth with fleas.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“676. A little wind kindles, much puts out the fire.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“719. One sword keepes another in the sheath.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“193. If the old dog barke he gives counsell.”

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

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