--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To forgive oneself? No, that doesn't…" description: "\"To forgive oneself? No, that doesn't work: we have to be forgiven. But we can only believe this is possible if we ourselves can forgive.\" — Dag Hammars..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_believe_to-forgive-oneself-no-that-doesn-t-work_1578146.png" --- # To forgive oneself? No, that doesn't work: we have to be… ![“To forgive oneself? No, that doesn't work: we have to be forgiven. But we can only believe this is possible if we ourselves can forgive.” quote by Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_believe_to-forgive-oneself-no-that-doesn-t-work_1578146.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_believe_to-forgive-oneself-no-that-doesn-t-work_1578146.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_believe_to-forgive-oneself-no-that-doesn-t-work_1578146.png) > “To forgive oneself? No, that doesn't work: we have to be forgiven. But we can only believe this is possible if we ourselves can forgive.” [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑forgiveness is insufficient; true healing requires being forgiven by others, which depends on our capacity to forgive ourselves. **In simple terms:** We need others to forgive us, and that starts with self‑forgiveness. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑compassion to enable mutual forgiveness. Themes forgiveness self‑acceptance spirituality Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts interpersonal healing inner peace Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive without external validation? - What limits forgiveness? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be impossible without accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [If you show me a man deliberately living an unholy and licentious life, and yet boasting that his sins are forgiven, I answer, 'He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/if-you-show-me-a-man-deliberately-living-an-unholy-and-licentious/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Good advice is one of those injuries which a good man ought, if possible, to forgive, but at all events to forget at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-smith/good-advice-is-one-of-those-injuries-which-a-good-man-ought-if/) [Horace Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-smith/) > [It 's possible to forgive someone a great deal if he makes you laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-llewellyn/it-s-possible-to-forgive-someone-a-great-deal-if-he-makes-you-laugh/) [Caroline Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-llewellyn/) > [“You will find it possible to forgive when you realize that forgiveness is a remedy to self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/you-will-find-it-possible-to-forgive-when-you-realize-that/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Forgiveness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind and behavior, a relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-does-not-create-a-relationship-unless-people-speak-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Most people behave badly when wounded. If you can remember the wounds, it is far more possible to forgive the behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/most-people-behave-badly-when-wounded-if-you-can-remember-the-wounds/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for, that all the humiliating absurdity of human contradictions will vanish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/i-believe-like-a-child-that-suffering-will-be-healed-and-made-up-for/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“It is a difficult thing―if not impossible―to forgive oneself for foolish errors, not for trampling a life or goring another with sharp horns, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-is-a-difficult-thing-if-not-impossible-to-forgive-oneself-for/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“In order to truly forgive oneself, one must either explicitly or implicitly acknowledge that one’s behavior was wrong and accept responsibility or blame for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/in-order-to-truly-forgive-oneself-one-must-either-explicitly-or/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [To understand is to forgive, even oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/to-understand-is-to-forgive-even-oneself/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [“A major issue with estrangement is that it really is a two-fold forgiveness journey. 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We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-miller/it-seems-we-need-someone-to-know-us-as-we-are-with-all-we-have-done-2/) [Sue Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-miller/) > [In the range of my character at any given moment, I have acted in the only way it seemed to me I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-truitt/in-the-range-of-my-character-at-any-given-moment-i-have-acted-in-the/) [Anne Truitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-truitt/) > [To forgive and to be forgiven are the two points of holy magnificence and holy modesty; round these two centres the whole doctrine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/to-forgive-and-to-be-forgiven-are-the-two-points-of-holy-magnificence/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) ## More by Dag Hammarskjold > [“Didst thou give me this inescapable loneliness so that it would be easier for me to give thee all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/didst-thou-give-me-this-inescapable-loneliness-so-that-it-would-be/) [Dag Hammarskjöld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Beneath the hush a whisper from long ago, promising peace of mind and a burden shared. No peace which is not peace for all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/beneath-the-hush-a-whisper-from-long-ago-promising-peace-of-mind-and/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [For the sacrificed, in the hour of sacrifice, only one thing counts: faith-alone among enemies and skeptics. 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It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/your-position-never-gives-you-the-right-to-command-it-only-imposes-on/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [I have only my own burden to bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/i-have-only-my-own-burden-to-bear/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Life yields only to the conqueror. Never accept whatcan be gained by giving in. You will be living off stolen goods, and your muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/life-yields-only-to-the-conqueror-never-accept-whatcan-be-gained-by/) [Dag Hammarskjöld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [I never discuss discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/i-never-discuss-discussions/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [We all have within us a center of stillness surrounded by silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/we-all-have-within-us-a-center-of-stillness-surrounded-by-silence/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [There is a point at which everything becomes simple and there is no longer any question of choice, because all you have staked will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/there-is-a-point-at-which-everything-becomes-simple-and-there-is-no/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [God does not die on the day when we cease to believe in a personal deity, but we die on the day when our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/god-does-not-die-on-the-day-when-we-cease-to-believe-in-a-personal/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [The concept of loyalty is distorted when it is understood to mean blind acceptance. 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