William Hill > William's Quotes

“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world”
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

“In battle, if you you make your opponent flinch, you have already won.”
― Miyamoto Musashi

“The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them”
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

“Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye.”
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

“Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.”
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

“Do not sleep under a roof. Carry no money or food. Go alone to places frightening to the common brand of men. Become a criminal of purpose. Be put in jail, and extricate yourself by your own wisdom.”
― Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings: Miyamoto Musashi

“It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.”
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

“Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the ways of different arts one by one.”
― Miyamoto Musashi

“Become acquainted with every art.”
― Miyamoto Musashi

“If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything.”
― Miyamoto Musashi

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”
― Sun Tzu

“Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
1 He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
2 He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
3 He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
4 He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
5 He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

“know yourself and you will win all battles”
― Sun Tzu

“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.”
― William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

“To generalize is to be an idiot.”
― William Blake

“Every Night and every Morn
Some to Misery are born.
Every Morn and every Night
Some are born to Sweet Delight,
Some are born to Endless Night.”
― William Blake

“Both read the Bible day and night,
But thou read'st black where I read white.”
― William Blake

“The eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn of the crow”
― William Blake

“Thy friendship oft has made my heart to ache: do be my enemy for friendship's sake.”
― William Blake

“He who mocks the infant's faith
Shall be mock'd in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.

He who respects the infant's faith
Triumphs over hell and death.
The child's toys and the old man's reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.

- "Auguries of Innocence”
― William Blake, The Complete Poems

“Our sweetest songs are those of saddest thought.”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Complete Poems

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ode to the West Wind

“Joy, once lost, is pain”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley

“In fact, the truth cannot be communicated until it is perceived.”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley, Necessity of Atheism and Other Essays

“Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Ring of Endless Light

“Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number-
Shake your chains to earth like
dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you
Ye are many-they are few.”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Masque of Anarchy: Written on Occasion of the Massacre at Manchester

“Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)”
― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass