--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The noble man is chiefly concerned with…" description: "\"“The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and friendship; of these, the former is a mortal good, the latter and immortal one.”\" — Epicurus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg" --- # The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and… ![“The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and friendship; of these, the former is a mortal good, the latter and immortal one.” quote by Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg) > ““The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and friendship; of these, the former is a mortal good, the latter and immortal one.”” [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The wise person values knowledge and lasting friendships, seeing knowledge as temporary and friendship as eternal. **In simple terms:** Wisdom is fleeting; friendship lasts forever. Key Takeaway Cultivate lasting relationships. Themes wisdom friendship eternity Mood reflective philosophical Type maxilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - social bonding - community building Key Concepts epicurean ethics human flourishing Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance learning with nurturing friendships? - What friendships have shaped your values? A Different Perspective Friendship alone cannot replace the need for practical knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epicurus/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Noble man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble-man/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The noble soul occupies itself with wisdom and friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-noble-soul-occupies-itself-with-wisdom-and-friendship/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The best of men choose one thing in preference to all else, immortal glory in preference to mortal good; whereas the masses simply glut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-best-of-men-choose-one-thing-in-preference-to-all-else-immortal/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“Two of Epicurus’s early influences, Democritus and Pyrrho, had actually journeyed all the way to what is now India, where they had encountered Buddhism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/two-of-epicurus-s-early-influences-democritus-and-pyrrho-had-actually/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” –G. K.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-true-soldier-fights-not-because-he-hates-what-is-in-front-of-him/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“And in declaring true every theory that does not contravene the evidence of the senses, Epicurus does not blink the fact that the philosopher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/and-in-declaring-true-every-theory-that-does-not-contravene-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“Epicurus: “If you live according to nature, you will never be poor; if you live according to opinion, you will never be rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/epicurus-if-you-live-according-to-nature-you-will-never-be-poor-if/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [After upwards of two thousand years Epicurus has been exonerated from the reproach that the doctrines of his philosophy recommended the pleasures of sensuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-benton-clulow/after-upwards-of-two-thousand-years-epicurus-has-been-exonerated-from/) [William Benton Clulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-benton-clulow/) > [When we contemplate the world of Epicurus, and conceive the universe to be a fortuitous jumble of atoms, there is nothing grand in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-reid/when-we-contemplate-the-world-of-epicurus-and-conceive-the-universe/) [Thomas Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-reid/) > [“Epicurus was a philosopher who asserted a deistic worldview, i.e. one in which the gods are wholly separate from the universe and human affairs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaakov-malkin/epicurus-was-a-philosopher-who-asserted-a-deistic-worldview-i-e-one/) Yaakov Malkin > [“When Epicurus defined happiness as the supreme good, he warned his disciples that it is hard work to be happy. Material achievements alone will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/when-epicurus-defined-happiness-as-the-supreme-good-he-warned-his/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Companionship was at the top of Epicurus's list of life's pleasures. He wrote, 'Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-klein/companionship-was-at-the-top-of-epicurus-s-list-of-life-s-pleasures/) [Daniel Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-klein/) > [“Epicurus said you should live for pleasure - adding that nothing brings more pleasure than a little sun and a glass of water. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beno-t-duteurtre/epicurus-said-you-should-live-for-pleasure-adding-that-nothing-brings/) Benoît Duteurtre > [Epicurus thought that friendship and conviviality, which require present attention rather than being in an alcoholic stupor, as well as trying to understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/epicurus-thought-that-friendship-and-conviviality-which-require/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [“Contemplating Clodia I find scarcely a drop in my heart of that compassion which Epicurus enjoins us to extend toward the erring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/contemplating-clodia-i-find-scarcely-a-drop-in-my-heart-of-that/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I was still more concerned (a preference which you may be far from resenting) to strike a blow for Epicurus, that great man whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/i-was-still-more-concerned-a-preference-which-you-may-be-far-from/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) ## More by Epicurus > [Most beautiful is the sight of those near and dear to us when our original kinship makes us of one mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/most-beautiful-is-the-sight-of-those-near-and-dear-to-us-when-our/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Any man who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/any-man-who-does-not-think-that-what-he-has-is-more-than-ample-is-an/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The opinions held by most people about the gods are not true conceptions of them but fallacious notions, according to which awful penalties are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-opinions-held-by-most-people-about-the-gods-are-not-true/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death is nothing to us: for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-is-nothing-to-us-for-that-which-is-dissolved-is-without/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Neither one should hesitate about dedicating oneself to philosophy when young, nor should get tired of doing it when one's old, because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/neither-one-should-hesitate-about-dedicating-oneself-to-philosophy/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-thou-wilt-make-a-man-happy-add-not-unto-his-riches-but-take-away/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Being happy is knowing how to be content with little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/being-happy-is-knowing-how-to-be-content-with-little/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/injustice-is-not-evil-in-itself-but-only-in-the-fear-and-apprehension/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/riches-do-not-exhilarate-us-so-much-with-their-possession-as-they/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/be-moderate-in-order-to-taste-the-joys-of-life-in-abundance/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If the gods have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not all-powerful. If they are neither able nor willing, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-the-gods-have-the-will-to-remove-evil-and-cannot-then-they-are-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Of all things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/of-all-things-which-wisdom-provides-to-make-life-entirely-happy-much/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-does-not-concern-us-because-as-long-as-we-exist-death-is-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Explore all 209 Epicurus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## More Epicurus quotes > [I was still more concerned (a preference which you may be far from resenting) to strike a blow for Epicurus, that great man whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/i-was-still-more-concerned-a-preference-which-you-may-be-far-from/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [“Contemplating Clodia I find scarcely a drop in my heart of that compassion which Epicurus enjoins us to extend toward the erring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/contemplating-clodia-i-find-scarcely-a-drop-in-my-heart-of-that/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Epicurus thought that friendship and conviviality, which require present attention rather than being in an alcoholic stupor, as well as trying to understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/epicurus-thought-that-friendship-and-conviviality-which-require/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [“Epicurus said you should live for pleasure - adding that nothing brings more pleasure than a little sun and a glass of water. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beno-t-duteurtre/epicurus-said-you-should-live-for-pleasure-adding-that-nothing-brings/) Benoît Duteurtre > [“Companionship was at the top of Epicurus's list of life's pleasures. He wrote, 'Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-klein/companionship-was-at-the-top-of-epicurus-s-list-of-life-s-pleasures/) [Daniel Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-klein/) > [“When Epicurus defined happiness as the supreme good, he warned his disciples that it is hard work to be happy. Material achievements alone will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/when-epicurus-defined-happiness-as-the-supreme-good-he-warned-his/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Epicurus was a philosopher who asserted a deistic worldview, i.e. one in which the gods are wholly separate from the universe and human affairs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaakov-malkin/epicurus-was-a-philosopher-who-asserted-a-deistic-worldview-i-e-one/) Yaakov Malkin > [When we contemplate the world of Epicurus, and conceive the universe to be a fortuitous jumble of atoms, there is nothing grand in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-reid/when-we-contemplate-the-world-of-epicurus-and-conceive-the-universe/) [Thomas Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-reid/) > [After upwards of two thousand years Epicurus has been exonerated from the reproach that the doctrines of his philosophy recommended the pleasures of sensuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-benton-clulow/after-upwards-of-two-thousand-years-epicurus-has-been-exonerated-from/) [William Benton Clulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-benton-clulow/) > [“Epicurus: “If you live according to nature, you will never be poor; if you live according to opinion, you will never be rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/epicurus-if-you-live-according-to-nature-you-will-never-be-poor-if/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“And in declaring true every theory that does not contravene the evidence of the senses, Epicurus does not blink the fact that the philosopher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/and-in-declaring-true-every-theory-that-does-not-contravene-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” –G. K.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-true-soldier-fights-not-because-he-hates-what-is-in-front-of-him/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Epicurus had rage and envy of Plato's superior style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/epicurus-had-rage-and-envy-of-plato-s-superior-style/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Epicurus thought of justice as an agreement to prevent people harming and being harmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/epicurus-thought-of-justice-as-an-agreement-to-prevent-people-harming/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Epicurus was not at all interested in what we would call the problems of mass society, and he thought civic politics was just trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/epicurus-was-not-at-all-interested-in-what-we-would-call-the-problems/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) [Browse all 43 Epicurus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epicurus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and friendship; of these, the former is a mortal good, the latter and immortal one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Epicurus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with-wisdom-and-friendship-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Epicurus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with-wisdom-and-friendship-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/epicurus-1642_epicurus_the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with_726727.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The noble man is chiefly concerned with wisdom and friendship; of these, the former is a mortal good, the…” — Epicurus", "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": "Epicurus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The noble man is chiefly concerned...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with-wisdom-and-friendship-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-noble-man-is-chiefly-concerned-with-wisdom-and-friendship-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 } } ] } ```