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)
People who used magic without knowing what they were doing usually came to a sticky end.
All over the entire room, sometimes.
Never thrust your sickle into another’s corn.
Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings]
