“The wise man knows that it is better to sit on the banks of a remote mountain stream than to be emperor of the whole world.”

“It’s better for the whole world to know you, even as a sex star, than never to be known at all.”

Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) American actress, model, and singer

“The friendship of one wise man is better than the friendship of a host of fools.”

Democritus Ancient Greek philosopher, pupil of Leucippus, founder of the atomic theory

“While the dull talk idly streams,
He sits upon the bank and dreams,
Till some careless word that's said
Finds a fellow in his head…”

Arnold Wall (1869–1966) university professor, philologist, poet, mountaineer, botanist, writer, radio broadcaster

“An idle man has a constant tendency to torpidity. He has adopted the Indian maxim — that it is better to walk than to run, and better to stand than to walk, and better to sit than to stand, and better to lie than to sit. He hugs himself into the notion, that God calls him to be quiet.”

Richard Cecil (clergyman) (1748–1810) British Evangelical Anglican priest and social reformer

“A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.”

- Chinese proverb”

Alvin Toffler (1928–2016) American writer

“The sleep of a wise man is far better than the worship of an ignorant one during the night.”

Musa al-Kadhim (745–799) Seventh of the Twelve Imams and regarded by Sunnis as a renowned scholar

“in the whole world, that day, there was not a more entirely unimportant-looking pair of people than this Miner and his Wife. And yet what were all Emperors, Popes and Potentates, in comparison? There was born here, once more, a Mighty Man; whose light was to flame as the beacon over long centuries and epochs of the world; the whole world and its history was waiting for this man. It is strange, it is great.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

“To the wise man every land is eligible as a place of residence; for the whole world is the country of the worthy soul.”

Stobaeus Ancient Greek anthologist

“The Gunman is useless. I know it. He knows it. The whole bank knows it.”

Markus Zusak (1975) Australian author