--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man is so foolish but may give another…" description: "\"No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he will take no others counsel but his ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/ben-jonson-1371_fool_no-man-is-so-foolish-but-may-give-anothe_3157821.png" --- # No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel… ![“No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he will take no others counsel but his own. But very few men are wise by their own counsel; or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool to his…” quote by Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/ben-jonson-1371_fool_no-man-is-so-foolish-but-may-give-anothe_3157821.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/ben-jonson-1371_fool_no-man-is-so-foolish-but-may-give-anothe_3157821.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/ben-jonson-1371_fool_no-man-is-so-foolish-but-may-give-anothe_3157821.png) > “No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he will take no others counsel but his own. But very few men are wise by their own counsel; or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool to his master.” [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying solely on one's own judgment is risky; seeking others' advice leads to wiser decisions. **In simple terms:** Own counsel often flawed; seek others' advice. Key Takeaway Listen to others before deciding. Themes wisdom advice humility Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal relationships - leadership - decision making - conflict resolution Key Concepts self-awareness critical thinking learning Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust your own judgment too much? - Whose counsel could improve your choices? A Different Perspective Overreliance on personal experience can blind you to better options. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [No man is so foolish but he may sometimes give another good counsel, and no man so wise that he may not easily err…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-man-is-so-foolish-but-he-may-sometimes-give-another-good-counsel/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Seek the counsel of men who will tell you the truth about yourself, even if it hurts you to hear it. Mere commendation will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/seek-the-counsel-of-men-who-will-tell-you-the-truth-about-yourself/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/very-few-men-are-wise-by-their-own-council-or-learned-by-their-own/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [No man so wise that he may not easily err if he takes no other counsel than his own. He that is taught only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/no-man-so-wise-that-he-may-not-easily-err-if-he-takes-no-other/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [“...good counsel: generosity, longevity, acceptance, relinquishment, letting the world come to me -- and, with these things to make a life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/good-counsel-generosity-longevity-acceptance-relinquishment-letting/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [People who are artists, they want their music, their art, their acting craft to get out. And once it's appreciated, that seems to be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wright/people-who-are-artists-they-want-their-music-their-art-their-acting/) [Michael Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wright/) > [“The past makes a good bishop but a poor king…it's good to take counsel from the past but not to be ruled by it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-past-makes-a-good-bishop-but-a-poor-king-it-s-good-to-take/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/he-that-gives-good-advice-builds-with-one-hand-he-that-gives-good/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Search well and be wise, nor believe that self-willed pride will ever be better than good counsel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/search-well-and-be-wise-nor-believe-that-self-willed-pride-will-ever/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Get good counsel before you begin; and when you have decided, act promptly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/get-good-counsel-before-you-begin-and-when-you-have-decided-act/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [Good fortune is the greatest of blessings, but good counsel comes next, and the lack of it destroys the other also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/good-fortune-is-the-greatest-of-blessings-but-good-counsel-comes-next/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Good counsel rejected returns to enrich the givers bosom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/good-counsel-rejected-returns-to-enrich-the-givers-bosom/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“It's good to take counsel from the past but not to be ruled by it. Otherwise we end up using today to fight yesterday's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/it-s-good-to-take-counsel-from-the-past-but-not-to-be-ruled-by-it/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [There is as much wisdom in soliciting good counsel as in giving it. The most sensible people are not reluctant to consider the feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/there-is-as-much-wisdom-in-soliciting-good-counsel-as-in-giving-it/) [Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/) > [A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-fool-despises-good-counsel-but-a-wise-man-takes-it-to-heart/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More by Ben Jonson > [Soul of the Age! The applause! delight! the wonder of our stage! My Shakespeare, rise; I will not lodge thee by Chaucer, or Spenser,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/soul-of-the-age-the-applause-delight-the-wonder-of-our-stage-my/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/ambition-like-a-torrent-never-looks-back/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Heaven prepares good men with crosses; but no ill can happen to a good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/heaven-prepares-good-men-with-crosses-but-no-ill-can-happen-to-a-good/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-dignity-of-truth-is-lost-with-much-protesting/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/true-melancholy-breeds-your-perfect-fine-wit/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Leave a kiss but in the cup, and I'll not look for wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/leave-a-kiss-but-in-the-cup-and-i-ll-not-look-for-wine/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [All discourses but my own afflict me; they seem harsh, impertinent, and irksome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/all-discourses-but-my-own-afflict-me-they-seem-harsh-impertinent-and/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [“drink to the cause, and pure vapours”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/drink-to-the-cause-and-pure-vapours/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Spread yourself upon his bosom publicly, whose heart you would eat in private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/spread-yourself-upon-his-bosom-publicly-whose-heart-you-would-eat-in/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [That old bald cheater, Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/that-old-bald-cheater-time/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Rich apparel has strange virtues; it makes him that hath it without means esteemed for an excellent wit; he that enjoys it with means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/rich-apparel-has-strange-virtues-it-makes-him-that-hath-it-without/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Each petty hand Can steer a ship becalm'd; but he that will Govern and carry her to her ends, must know His tides, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/each-petty-hand-can-steer-a-ship-becalm-d-but-he-that-will-govern-and/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [The way to rise is to obey and please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-way-to-rise-is-to-obey-and-please/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [The covetous man never has money. The prodigal will have none shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-covetous-man-never-has-money-the-prodigal-will-have-none-shortly/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Fortune, that favors fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/fortune-that-favors-fools/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) [Explore all 249 Ben Jonson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he will take no others counsel but his own. 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