--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very few men are wise by their own…" description: "\"Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself, had a fool for a master.\" — Ben J..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/ben-jonson-1371_council_very-few-men-are-wise-by-their-own-counc_2194839.png" --- # Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by… ![“Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself, had a fool for a master.” quote by Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/ben-jonson-1371_council_very-few-men-are-wise-by-their-own-counc_2194839.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/ben-jonson-1371_council_very-few-men-are-wise-by-their-own-counc_2194839.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/ben-jonson-1371_council_very-few-men-are-wise-by-their-own-counc_2194839.png) > “Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself, had a fool for a 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 self‑instruction leads to folly; wisdom requires external counsel and diverse learning. **In simple terms:** Self‑teaching alone makes one foolish; seek guidance. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and varied perspectives for wisdom. Themes wisdom learning humility advice Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - academic study - career mentorship - personal decisions Key Concepts education philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - Who can you learn from beyond yourself? - What risks arise from ignoring external advice? A Different Perspective Self‑learning can be valuable when balanced with external input. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/he-who-is-taught-only-by-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-master/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/he-that-is-taught-only-by-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-master/) [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/) > [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/) > [No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/no-man-is-so-foolish-but-may-give-another-good-counsel-sometimes-and/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Learn of the skillful; he that teaches himself, has a fool for his master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/learn-of-the-skillful-he-that-teaches-himself-has-a-fool-for-his/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Since Don Quixote de la Mancha is a crazy fool and a madman, and since Sancho Panza, his squire, knows it, yet, for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/since-don-quixote-de-la-mancha-is-a-crazy-fool-and-a-madman-and-since/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“For the wise man regards wealth as a slave, the fool as a master.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/for-the-wise-man-regards-wealth-as-a-slave-the-fool-as-a-master/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“Wise is the fool who becomes a master at laughter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/wise-is-the-fool-who-becomes-a-master-at-laughter/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [Wise men are not wise at all hours, and will speak five times from their taste or their humor, to once from their reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/wise-men-are-not-wise-at-all-hours-and-will-speak-five-times-from/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Fools learn nothing from wise men, but wise men learn much from fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/fools-learn-nothing-from-wise-men-but-wise-men-learn-much-from-fools/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/histories-make-men-wise-poets-witty-the-mathematics-subtle-natural/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Life without sex might be safer but it would be unbearably dull. It is the sex instinct which makes women seem beautiful, which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/life-without-sex-might-be-safer-but-it-would-be-unbearably-dull-it-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Men are never very wise and select in the exercise of a new power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/men-are-never-very-wise-and-select-in-the-exercise-of-a-new-power/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wise-men-profit-more-from-fools-than-fools-from-wise-men-for-the-wise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Council quotes > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [Currently, the United States provides 22 percent of the U.N. annual budgets, over $900 million in fiscal year 2007, and some of that funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/currently-the-united-states-provides-22-percent-of-the-u-n-annual/) [Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Didn't think her vision was consistent with the ORC, especially the way the Council wishes to work with the ORC. For example, with regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/didn-t-think-her-vision-was-consistent-with-the-orc-especially-the/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Well, the U.N. Security Council resolution 1973 is very clear. It says all necessary measures to be taken to protect civilians and civilian areas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-jackson/well-the-u-n-security-council-resolution-1973-is-very-clear-it-says/) [Mike Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-jackson/) > [A nation has the right to defend itself, but when it comes to the broader issue of peace and security, the legitimacy rests only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/a-nation-has-the-right-to-defend-itself-but-when-it-comes-to-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [When I was council president I had a rule that people could sleep on the job. I modified the rule. You could actually sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-street/when-i-was-council-president-i-had-a-rule-that-people-could-sleep-on/) John F. Street > [Spiritual leaders are not made by man, nor any combination of men. Neither conferences, nor synods, nor councils can make them, but only God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-logan-brengle/spiritual-leaders-are-not-made-by-man-nor-any-combination-of-men/) [Samuel Logan Brengle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-logan-brengle/) > [The sanctions may be imposed only by the decision of the UN Security Council. A unilateral imposition of sanctions is a violation of international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-sanctions-may-be-imposed-only-by-the-decision-of-the-un-security/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church's missionary consciousness in recent decades, has been the growing desire of many lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/one-of-the-promising-indications-of-a-renewal-in-the-church-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The council in Blackpool have given the homeless bus passes, but how would they know where to get off?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/the-council-in-blackpool-have-given-the-homeless-bus-passes-but-how/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [We want to approach this in a multilateral way, talking with our friends, consulting with our security council colleagues in the United Nations, hoping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-want-to-approach-this-in-a-multilateral-way-talking-with-our/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) Browse all 569 Council quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. 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