If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life.
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American philosopher and writer
Walden; or, Life in the Woods, ch. 1 “Economy” (1854)
(Source)
Quotations about:
meddling
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
Advice can get you into more trouble than a gun can.
Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Column (1933-08-20), “Weekly Article: Don’t Get Excited” [No. 556]
(Source)
On American political and diplomatic intervention in Latin America.
It iz very eazy to manage our nabors bizzness, but our own sumtimes bothers us.
[It is very easy to manage our neighbors’ business, but our own sometimes bothers us.]
Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Trump Kards, ch. 8 “Lager Beer and Spruce Gum” (1874)
(Source)
Human nature is so constituted, that all see and judge better in the affairs of other men than in their own.
Terence (186?-159 BC) African-Roman dramatist [Publius Terentius Afer]
(Attributed)
Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) English writer, fabulist, philologist, academic [John Ronald Reuel Tolkien]
The Lord of the Rings, Vol. 1: The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, ch. 3 “Three Is Company” [Gildor, to Frodo] (1954)
(Source)
Of all actions of a man’s life, his marriage does least concern other people, yet of all actions of our life ‘tis most meddled with by other people.
John Selden (1584-1654) English jurist, legal scholar, antiquarian, polymath
Table Talk, § 84.1 “Marriage” (1689)
(Source)
The World is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet every one has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the Affairs of his neighbour.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1743 ed.)
(Source)
Never thrust your sickle into another’s corn.
Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings]
People who used magic without knowing what they were doing usually came to a sticky end.
All over the entire room, sometimes.
