--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is by his freedom that a man knows…" description: "\"It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his sovereignty over his own life that a man measures himself.\" — Elie Wiesel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png" --- # It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his… ![“It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his sovereignty over his own life that a man measures himself.” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png) > “It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his sovereignty over his own life that a man measures himself.” [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge comes from personal freedom and the ability to govern one’s own life. **In simple terms:** Freedom reveals who we truly are. Key Takeaway Cultivate autonomy. Themes self‑discovery freedom personal responsibility Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - leadership - self‑reflection - mental health - life planning Key Concepts existentialism autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How does personal freedom shape your identity? - What steps can you take to increase sovereignty over your life? A Different Perspective Freedom can be limited by external constraints and internal fears. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty/) ## Related quotes > [War educates the senses, calls into action the will, perfects the physical constitution, brings men into such swift and close collision in critical moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/war-educates-the-senses-calls-into-action-the-will-perfects-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The man who measures life will never know his own measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-man-who-measures-life-will-never-know-his-own-measure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every man measures his own greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/every-man-measures-his-own-greed/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [To complain that man measures God by his own experience is a waste of time; man measures everything by his own experience; he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/to-complain-that-man-measures-god-by-his-own-experience-is-a-waste-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [ \[Tibet\] never sought any territory. All it wanted is the conquest of the soul, that people should attain a kind of inner sovereignty, inner… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/tibet-never-sought-any-territory-all-it-wanted-is-the-conquest-of-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The whole freedom of man consists either in spiritual or civil liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-whole-freedom-of-man-consists-either-in-spiritual-or-civil-liberty/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Everyone asks for freedom for himself, The man free love, the businessman free trade, The writer and talker free speech and free press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/everyone-asks-for-freedom-for-himself-the-man-free-love-the/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [The only freedom that man ever has is when he becomes a slave to Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-only-freedom-that-man-ever-has-is-when-he-becomes-a-slave-to/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [What is the freedom a man can enjoy? Man is governed by certain restraints. He has to adhere to truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/what-is-the-freedom-a-man-can-enjoy-man-is-governed-by-certain/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [Every man is free to do that which he wills, provided he infringes not the equal freedom of any other man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-is-free-to-do-that-which-he-wills-provided-he-infringes-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The state of sleep is a state of freedom in which man is not occupied with the manipulation of the outside world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-state-of-sleep-is-a-state-of-freedom-in-which-man-is-not-occupied/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Necessity may not be the opposite of freedom, and perhaps a man is most free when, instead of producing motives, he could only say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/necessity-may-not-be-the-opposite-of-freedom-and-perhaps-a-man-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once there is no freedom, there is no man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-there-is-no-freedom-there-is-no-man/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The freedom of man is, in political liberalism, freedom from persons, from personal dominion, from the master; the securing of each individual person against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/the-freedom-of-man-is-in-political-liberalism-freedom-from-persons/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [As precious as life itself is our heritage of individual freedom, for man's free agency is a God-given gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/as-precious-as-life-itself-is-our-heritage-of-individual-freedom-for/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## More by Elie Wiesel > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-more-stab-to-the-heart-one-more-reason-to-hate-one-less-reason-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-all-these-victims-need-above-all-is-to-know-that-they-are-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-feel-that-books-just-like-people-have-a-destiny-some-invite-sorrow/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Did I write it so as not to go mad or, on the contrary, to go mad in order to understand the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-i-write-it-so-as-not-to-go-mad-or-on-the-contrary-to-go-mad-in/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to his creatures; peace is our gift to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/mankind-must-remember-that-peace-is-not-god-s-gift-to-his-creatures/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The world? The world is not interested in us. Today, everything is possible, even the crematoria...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/the-world-the-world-is-not-interested-in-us-today-everything-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-question-possessed-a-power-that-was-lost-in-the-answer/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [His cold eyes stared at me. At last, he said wearily: "I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He alone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/his-cold-eyes-stared-at-me-at-last-he-said-wearily-i-have-more-faith/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [As you know, I describe Shirat ha-Yam as part of an epic story that has qualities of history and which also has qualities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/as-you-know-i-describe-shirat-ha-yam-as-part-of-an-epic-story-that/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate -healthy virile hate- for what the German personifies and for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-jew-somewhere-in-his-being-should-set-apart-a-zone-of-hate/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Did hope help us to survive, or not? Too many families clung to it all through the war, thus falling into the enemy's trap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-hope-help-us-to-survive-or-not-too-many-families-clung-to-it-all/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Explore all 662 Elie Wiesel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his sovereignty over his own life that a man measures himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elie Wiesel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-himself-by-his-sovereignty-over/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-himself-by-his-sovereignty-over/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/elie-wiesel-341_freedom_it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-hi_2699742.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is by his freedom that a man knows himself, by his sovereignty over his own life that a man measures…” — Elie Wiesel", "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": "Elie Wiesel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is by his freedom that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-himself-by-his-sovereignty-over/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/it-is-by-his-freedom-that-a-man-knows-himself-by-his-sovereignty-over/#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 } } ] } ```