--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our powers, whether of mind or tongue…" description: "\"“Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that measure of understanding”\" — Dante Alighieri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg" --- # Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that… ![“Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that measure of understanding” quote by Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg) > ““Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that measure of understanding”” [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human intellect and speech are limited; they cannot fully grasp divine understanding. **In simple terms:** Our minds cannot fully understand the divine. Key Takeaway Accept the limits of human knowledge. Themes humility knowledge divine limitation Mood contemplative reverent Type literary spiritual When to use this quote - theology study - philosophical debate - spiritual practice Key Concepts epistemic humility theological mystery Questions to Reflect On - What can we learn from acknowledging our limits? - How does humility shape faith? A Different Perspective Overreliance on reason may ignore mystery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Measure Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-understanding-5257643/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-tongue-3779897/) [Powers Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powers-mind-789966/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [It is the storytellers task to elicit sympathy and a measure of understanding for those who lie outside the boundaries of State approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/it-is-the-storytellers-task-to-elicit-sympathy-and-a-measure-of/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“It is the storyteller's task to elicit sympathy and a measure of understanding for those who lie outside the boundaries of State approval.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/it-is-the-storyteller-s-task-to-elicit-sympathy-and-a-measure-of/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [You mind your tongue!” “Oh, I do,” I said. “I sharpen it every evening on your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-mind-your-tongue-oh-i-do-i-said-i-sharpen-it-every-evening-on/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Always when you are about to say anything, first weigh it in your mind; for with many the tongue outruns the thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isocrates/always-when-you-are-about-to-say-anything-first-weigh-it-in-your-mind/) [Isocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isocrates/) > [Let the poor man mind his tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/let-the-poor-man-mind-his-tongue/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-inspiration-the-best-powers-of-the-mind-remain-dormant-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have lost faith in the formal powers of the mind, not, as some suppose, because our universe is too difficult to grasp, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/we-have-lost-faith-in-the-formal-powers-of-the-mind-not-as-some/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [“It is grief that develops the powers of the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/it-is-grief-that-develops-the-powers-of-the-mind/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“You must believe so strong and without a doubt that you can and will fulfill your dreams and gain your desires. You must in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-o-brien/you-must-believe-so-strong-and-without-a-doubt-that-you-can-and-will/) [Alan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-o-brien/) > [The sign that the kundalini is releasing is not the development of miraculous powers, but that your mind is becoming quieter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sign-that-the-kundalini-is-releasing-is-not-the-development-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [For the powers of our mind, life, and body are bound to their own limitations, and however high they may rise or however widely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/for-the-powers-of-our-mind-life-and-body-are-bound-to-their-own/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [The powers of the mind are like the rays of the sun when they are concentrated they illumine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-powers-of-the-mind-are-like-the-rays-of-the-sun-when-they-are/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [How has all the knowledge in the world been gained but by the concentration of the powers of the mind? The world is ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/how-has-all-the-knowledge-in-the-world-been-gained-but-by-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Think of mental energy as broadcasting on a certain wavelength,” he tried to explain. “People with powers of the mind can tap into that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-a-george/think-of-mental-energy-as-broadcasting-on-a-certain-wavelength-he/) [M.A. George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-a-george/) > [Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam. Instruction enlarges the natural powers of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/doctrina-sed-vim-promovet-insitam-instruction-enlarges-the-natural/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Dante Alighieri > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Be as a tower, that, firmly set, Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/be-as-a-tower-that-firmly-set-shakes-not-its-top-for-any-blast-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Pure essence, and pure matter, and the two joined into one were shot forth without flaw, like three bright arrows from a three-string bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/pure-essence-and-pure-matter-and-the-two-joined-into-one-were-shot/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Into the eternal darkness, into fire and into ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/into-the-eternal-darkness-into-fire-and-into-ice/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [O power of fantasy that steals our minds from things outside, to leave us unaware, although a thousand trumpets may blow loud--what stirs you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/o-power-of-fantasy-that-steals-our-minds-from-things-outside-to-leave/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The purpose of the whole (work) is to remove those who are living in this life from a state of wretchedness and lead them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-purpose-of-the-whole-work-is-to-remove-those-who-are-living-in/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Noi leggeveamo un giorno per diletto Di Lancialotto, come amor lo strinse; Soli eravamo e senza alcun sospetto Per più fiate gli occhi ci…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/noi-leggeveamo-un-giorno-per-diletto-di-lancialotto-come-amor-lo/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Love can move the Sun and the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/love-can-move-the-sun-and-the-stars/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Oh foolish desires of mortals! How weak are the reasons that lead us to not take off our flight from the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/oh-foolish-desires-of-mortals-how-weak-are-the-reasons-that-lead-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“On march the banners of the King of Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/on-march-the-banners-of-the-king-of-hell/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Seldom indeed does human virtue rise From trunk to branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/seldom-indeed-does-human-virtue-rise-from-trunk-to-branch/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [All hope abandon, ye who enter here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/all-hope-abandon-ye-who-enter-here/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [We have no hope and yet we live in longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/we-have-no-hope-and-yet-we-live-in-longing/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Not one drop of blood is left inside my veins that does not throb: I recognize signs of the ancient flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/not-one-drop-of-blood-is-left-inside-my-veins-that-does-not-throb-i/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [It is necessity and not pleasure that compels us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/it-is-necessity-and-not-pleasure-that-compels-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) [Explore all 414 Dante Alighieri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## More Mind quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. I think every Christian needs to make up his own mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-m-not-here-trying-to-convince-anybody-to-vote-for-donald-trump-i/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [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/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 43,542 Mind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that measure of understanding”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dante Alighieri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-cannot-embrace-that-measure-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mind" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-cannot-embrace-that-measure-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/dante-alighieri-590_mind_our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-can_659513.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our powers, whether of mind or tongue, cannot embrace that measure of understanding” — Dante Alighieri", "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": "Dante Alighieri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Our powers, whether of mind or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-cannot-embrace-that-measure-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/our-powers-whether-of-mind-or-tongue-cannot-embrace-that-measure-of/#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 } } ] } ```