---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A proverb is one man's wit and all men's…"
description: "\"A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.\" — Bertrand Russell"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg"
---

#  A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.

![“A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg)

> “A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.”

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Proverbs capture collective wisdom, though often expressed through individual wit.

**In simple terms:** Proverbs blend personal wit with shared wisdom.

Key Takeaway

Share and reflect on proverbs.

Themes

wisdom wit culture

Mood

thoughtful contemplative

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- teaching
- public speaking
- writing

Key Concepts

philosophy language tradition

Questions to Reflect On

- What proverb resonates with you?
- How do proverbs shape cultural values?

A Different Perspective

Proverbs can oversimplify complex ideas.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proverb/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/)

## Related quotes

> [“Casement quoted an African proverb: "A man doesn't go among thorns unless a snake's after him—or he's after a snake." He added, "I'm after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/casement-quoted-an-african-proverb-a-man-doesn-t-go-among-thorns/)

[Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/)

> [We can be knowledgable with other men's knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-can-be-knowledgable-with-other-men-s-knowledge-but-we-cannot-be/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Men of wisdom are not giving to worthless communication, but the foolish man talks himself into trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-of-wisdom-are-not-giving-to-worthless-communication-but-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [How can we judge fairly of the characters and merits of men, of the wisdom or folly of actions, unless we have . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/how-can-we-judge-fairly-of-the-characters-and-merits-of-men-of-the/)

[William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/)

> [We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-can-be-knowledgeable-with-other-men-s-knowledge-but-we-cannot-be/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Animals, in their generation, are wiser than the sons of men; but their wisdom is confined to a few particulars, and lies in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/animals-in-their-generation-are-wiser-than-the-sons-of-men-but-their/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Fortune, thou hadst no deity, if men Had wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/fortune-thou-hadst-no-deity-if-men-had-wisdom/)

[Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/)

> [If men of wisdom and knowledge, of moderation and temperance, of patience, fortitude and perseverance, of sobriety and true republican simplicity of manners, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/if-men-of-wisdom-and-knowledge-of-moderation-and-temperance-of/)

[Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/)

> [Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have oft-times no connection. Knowledge dwells In heads replete with thoughts of other men; Wisdom in minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/knowledge-and-wisdom-far-from-being-one-have-oft-times-no-connection/)

[William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/)

> [There's strong men of wisdom in many different fields. They say 5% of the people are wise and righteous and 10% are wise but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/there-s-strong-men-of-wisdom-in-many-different-fields-they-say-5-of/)

[RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/)

> [“Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have ofttimes no connection. Knowledge dwells In heads replete with thoughts of other men: Wisdom, in minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders-2/knowledge-and-wisdom-far-from-being-one-have-ofttimes-no-connection/)

[J Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders-2/)

> [Science robs men of wisdom and usually converts them into phantom beings loaded up with facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/science-robs-men-of-wisdom-and-usually-converts-them-into-phantom/)

[Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/)

> [Love is the foolishness of men, and the wisdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-the-foolishness-of-men-and-the-wisdom-of-god/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [“Knowledge dwells in heads replete with thoughts of other men; wisdom in minds attentive to their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/knowledge-dwells-in-heads-replete-with-thoughts-of-other-men-wisdom/)

[William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/)

> [And last are the few whose delight is in meditation and understanding; who yearn not for goods, nor for victory, but for knowledge; who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/and-last-are-the-few-whose-delight-is-in-meditation-and-understanding/)

[Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/)

## More by Bertrand Russell

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

[Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

## More Inspirational quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/)

[H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/)

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/)

[Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/)

> [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/)

[Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

> [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/)

[Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

[Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bertrand Russell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s-wisdom/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Inspirational"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s-wisdom/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/bertrand-russell-69_inspirational_a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s_2288701.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.” — Bertrand Russell",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bertrand Russell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A proverb is one man's wit...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s-wisdom/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-proverb-is-one-man-s-wit-and-all-men-s-wisdom/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
