“Think before thou speakest.”

— Miguel de Cervantes

Source: Don Quixote de la Mancha (1605–1615), Part I, Book IV, Ch. 3.

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Miguel de Cervantes 178

Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright 1547–1616

Thomas Randolph (poet) (1605–1635) English poet and dramatist

"Necessary Observations", Precept 18
Poems (pub. 1638)

“Think thou and act; to-morrow thou shalt die”

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882) English poet, illustrator, painter and translator

The Choice
Context: Think thou and act; to-morrow thou shalt die
Outstretch'd in the sun's warmth upon the shore,
Thou say'st: "Man's measur'd path is all gone o'er:
Up all his years, steeply, with strain and sigh,
Man clomb until he touch'd the truth; and I,
Even I, am he whom it was destin'd for."
How should this be? Art thou then so much more
Than they who sow'd, that thou shouldst reap thereby?

“Wait, wait, till thou hast heard this tale of mine,
Then shalt thou think them devilish or divine.”

William Morris (1834–1896) author, designer, and craftsman

The Earthly Paradise (1868-70), The Lady of the Land
Context: A queen I was, what Gods I knew I loved,
And nothing evil was there in my thought,
And yet by love my wretched heart was moved
Until to utter ruin I was brought!
Alas! thou sayest our gods were vain and nought,
Wait, wait, till thou hast heard this tale of mine,
Then shalt thou think them devilish or divine.

“Keep death and exile daily before thine eyes, with all else that men deem terrible, but more especially Death. Then wilt thou never think a mean thought, nor covet anything beyond measure.”

Epictetus (50–138) philosopher from Ancient Greece

161
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“Think of God more often than thou breathest.”

Epictetus (50–138) philosopher from Ancient Greece

Fragment xix.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“Think thou, without loss of time, of some celestial, and thou shall certainly obtain from him a child like unto him.”

Kunti character from Indian epic Mahabharata

Kunti to Madri
The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section CXXIV

“Man, if thou art aught, strive to walk alone and hold converse with yourself, instead of skulking in the chorus! at length think; look around thee; bestir thyself, that thou mayest know who thou art!”

Epictetus (50–138) philosopher from Ancient Greece

Golden Sayings of Epictetus
Context: Even as bad actors cannot sing alone, but only in chorus: so some cannot walk alone. Man, if thou art aught, strive to walk alone and hold converse with yourself, instead of skulking in the chorus! at length think; look around thee; bestir thyself, that thou mayest know who thou art! (103).