--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The all-sustaining power of knowledge is…" description: "\"“The all-sustaining power of knowledge is captured in the simile of knowledge being food for the soul. Various versions of it are met with in the Graec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/franz-rosenthal-10507_food-and-drink_the-all-sustaining-power-of-knowledge-is_2305350.jpg" --- # The all-sustaining power of knowledge is captured in the… ![“The all-sustaining power of knowledge is captured in the simile of knowledge being food for the soul. Various versions of it are met with in the Graeco-Arabic tradition, “Like as the body grows through food and becomes -fi rm through exercise, thus the soul grows through studying and becomes…” quote by Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/franz-rosenthal-10507_food-and-drink_the-all-sustaining-power-of-knowledge-is_2305350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/franz-rosenthal-10507_food-and-drink_the-all-sustaining-power-of-knowledge-is_2305350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/franz-rosenthal-10507_food-and-drink_the-all-sustaining-power-of-knowledge-is_2305350.jpg) > ““The all-sustaining power of knowledge is captured in the simile of knowledge being food for the soul. Various versions of it are met with in the Graeco-Arabic tradition, “Like as the body grows through food and becomes -fi rm through exercise, thus the soul grows through studying and becomes strong through patiently enduring (the hardships of ) studying.” Diogenes, it seems, was supposed to have made this statement. Someone else, apparently Theognis, is said to have already played a variation on the theme: “Knowledge is not on the level of food which suffi ces to feed two or three but cannot feed many persons. Rather, it is like light which enables many eyes to see all at the same time.” Diogenes, or, according to another version, the Church Father, Basilius, admonishes us to take the appropriate measures against harmful knowledge in the same way in which we are used to protect ourselves against harmful foods, because knowledge is the food of the soul. According to Plato, the pleasure which the soul shares with the body is that of food and drink, whereas its incorporeal pleasure is that of knowledge and wisdom. For Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana (Balînûs), proof of the incorporeality of the soul lies in the fact that it does not partake of material nourishment. “According to the Stoics,” he reports, “Socrates said that the soul eats; however, its food is something that is not corporeal, since the food of the soul is knowledge.” Knowledge is also described by Ibn Butlân as the thing that nourishes the intellect. It is for the intellect what food is for the body, since the two supplement each other and must exist together in human beings. Ibn Taymîyah states that “the arrival of knowledge in the heart is like the arrival of food in the body. The body is aware of food and drink. In the same manner, the hearts are aware of the sciences (- ulûm) that establish themselves in them and which are their food and drink.” In the popular conception, knowledge and books have always been identifi ed as spiritual food, down to the present day.”” [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge nourishes the soul like food nourishes the body; it is essential for intellectual and spiritual growth. **In simple terms:** Knowledge feeds the soul like food feeds the body. Key Takeaway Pursue learning to strengthen mind and spirit. Themes knowledge spiritual growth education philosophy Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - studying - reading - teaching - personal reflection Key Concepts nutritional metaphor intellectual development ancient wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How does knowledge differ from physical nourishment? - In what ways can knowledge be harmful? A Different Perspective Viewing knowledge as food may oversimplify its complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food and drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-and-drink/) [Food for the soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-for-the-soul/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge and wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-wisdom/) [Power of knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-knowledge/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Spiritual food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-food/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [My philosophy from day one is that I can sleep better at night if I can improve an individual's knowledge about food and wine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/my-philosophy-from-day-one-is-that-i-can-sleep-better-at-night-if-i/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [I come from U.P., so I can say that I have some knowledge about food and flavors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/i-come-from-u-p-so-i-can-say-that-i-have-some-knowledge-about-food/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [Knowledge is the food of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-is-the-food-of-the-soul/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We ought to be ten times as hungry for knowledge as for food for the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/we-ought-to-be-ten-times-as-hungry-for-knowledge-as-for-food-for-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [One must know combinations, one must have a true knowledge of food to be in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/one-must-know-combinations-one-must-have-a-true-knowledge-of-food-to/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-what-socrates-is-the-food-of-the-soul-surely-i-said-knowledge-is/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What happens to an evil soul once you offer her knowledge about compassion, love, life, people, moral and ethics? That is an easy question,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/what-happens-to-an-evil-soul-once-you-offer-her-knowledge-about/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Holding as we do that, while knowledge of any kind is a thing to be honoured and prized, one kind of it may, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/holding-as-we-do-that-while-knowledge-of-any-kind-is-a-thing-to-be/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [One should stick by one's soul, and by nothing else. In one's soul, one knows the truth from the untruth, and life from death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/one-should-stick-by-one-s-soul-and-by-nothing-else-in-one-s-soul-one/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Look at the evils of the world around you and protect yourself from them. Our teachers give all the wrong messages to our youth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-at-the-evils-of-the-world-around-you-and-protect-yourself-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who binds His soul to knowledge, steals the key of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-parker-willis/he-who-binds-his-soul-to-knowledge-steals-the-key-of-heaven/) [Nathaniel Parker Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-parker-willis/) > [Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore not by book nor from tongue. If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/soul-receives-from-soul-that-knowledge-therefore-not-by-book-nor-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Through what has one seen this (AKRAM) Science (stepless path to liberation)? Through pragna shakti (energy and power of the Pure Soul). Knowledge, seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-what-has-one-seen-this-akram-science-stepless-path-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The world is starved for spiritual food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-world-is-starved-for-spiritual-food/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Our bodily food is changed into us, but our spiritual food changes us into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/our-bodily-food-is-changed-into-us-but-our-spiritual-food-changes-us/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## More by Franz Rosenthal > [“Ash-Shâfi i paid no attention to a slave girl given to him by friends who wants to sleep with him. Abû Hanîfah, asked about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/ash-sh-fi-i-paid-no-attention-to-a-slave-girl-given-to-him-by-friends/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“A book of the Indians (that is, Kalîlah wa-Dimnah) teaches that a scholar’s knowledge accompanies him and provides for him wherever he goes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-book-of-the-indians-that-is-kal-lah-wa-dimnah-teaches-that-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Its insistence upon “knowledge” has no doubt made medieval Muslim civi lization one of great scholarly and scientifi c productivity, and through it, Muslim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/its-insistence-upon-knowledge-has-no-doubt-made-medieval-muslim-civi/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Their concept of knowledge was eloquently expressed, for instance, by Muâdh b. Jabal (d. 18/639, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/their-concept-of-knowledge-was-eloquently-expressed-for-instance-by/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“1. “Knowledge is an attribute (sifah) through which ignorance, doubt, or conjecturing is removed from him who is alive.”129”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/1-knowledge-is-an-attribute-sifah-through-which-ignorance-doubt-or/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Knowledge,” which for al-Qônawî is never very far from Sufi gnosis, is “an abstract universal reality,” or “a single universal reality.” In contrast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-which-for-al-q-naw-is-never-very-far-from-sufi-gnosis-is-an/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Al-Askarî gives examples of the high esteem shown to scholars and the important position in society they occupy, often in spite of their lowly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/al-askar-gives-examples-of-the-high-esteem-shown-to-scholars-and-the/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“The seekers after knowledge should, of course, not seek worldly knowledge and worldly gain but devote themselves to the denunciation of the world, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-seekers-after-knowledge-should-of-course-not-seek-worldly/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“A man remains knowing as long as he searches for knowledge and continues to study. When he thinks he knows, he has become ignorant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-man-remains-knowing-as-long-as-he-searches-for-knowledge-and/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“The intellect itself was unable to state who God was, until God anointed its eyes with the light of divine uniqueness, for, as al-Kalâbâdhî…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-intellect-itself-was-unable-to-state-who-god-was-until-god/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“In Arabic linguistic usage, we are told, the interpretation of “water” as knowledge is confirmed by the common fi gure of speech that calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-arabic-linguistic-usage-we-are-told-the-interpretation-of-water-as/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Knowledge without action is like a bow without a string.” A relationship as close as blood relationship must be established between knowledge and action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-without-action-is-like-a-bow-without-a-string-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Kings exercise control over people, and scholars exercise control over kings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/kings-exercise-control-over-people-and-scholars-exercise-control-over/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Your knowledge belongs to your spirit. Your wealth belongs to your body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/your-knowledge-belongs-to-your-spirit-your-wealth-belongs-to-your-body/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“When Jesus was hailed with the words, “Blessed be the womb that bore you,” he retorted, “Blessed be the one whom God taught His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/when-jesus-was-hailed-with-the-words-blessed-be-the-womb-that-bore/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) [Explore all 65 Franz Rosenthal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## More Food and drink quotes > [“People came to our house from far and wide. 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A chalkboard menu declares that the special of the day is stargazy pie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-madeleine/obediently-i-squash-into-a-corner-with-a-glass-of-cider-a-chalkboard/) [Laura Madeleine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-madeleine/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [ The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah (repentance) and protection \[from transgression\]. It becomes rusty as a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/the-heart-becomes-sick-as-the-body-becomes-sick-and-its-remedy-is-al/) [Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/) > [For most of us, our protective lies or omissions are so insignificant that being found out would be only mildly embarrassing. But for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/for-most-of-us-our-protective-lies-or-omissions-are-so-insignificant/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [“Go on, eat one," he urged. 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I am not alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-greatest-delight-the-fields-and-woods-minister-is-the-suggestion/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“In her most recent project, she tested 356 children, ages five to ten, who were brought to Monell to determine their “bliss point” for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/in-her-most-recent-project-she-tested-356-children-ages-five-to-ten/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) > [“The scholar who knowingly speaks, writes, or teaches falsehood, who knowingly supports lies and deceptions, not only violates organic principles. He also, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-scholar-who-knowingly-speaks-writes-or-teaches-falsehood-who/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [If I could live for millions and millions of years, and if the air was my food and drink, and if I lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/if-i-could-live-for-millions-and-millions-of-years-and-if-the-air-was/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [If you want to learn about the history of a people, eat their food and drink their beverages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemantine-wamariya/if-you-want-to-learn-about-the-history-of-a-people-eat-their-food-and/) [Clemantine Wamariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemantine-wamariya/) > [One finds many companions for food and drink, but in a serious business a man's companions are very few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/one-finds-many-companions-for-food-and-drink-but-in-a-serious/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [Be a Gardener. Dig a ditch. Toil and sweat. And turn the earth upside down. And seek the deepness. And water plants in time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/be-a-gardener-dig-a-ditch-toil-and-sweat-and-turn-the-earth-upside/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) [Browse all 145 Food and drink quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-and-drink/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The all-sustaining power of knowledge is captured in the simile of knowledge being food for the soul. Various versions of it are met with in the Graeco-Arabic tradition, “Like as the body grows through food and becomes -fi rm through exercise, thus the soul grows through studying and becomes strong through patiently enduring (the hardships of ) studying.” Diogenes, it seems, was supposed to have made this statement. Someone else, apparently Theognis, is said to have already played a variation on the theme: “Knowledge is not on the level of food which suffi ces to feed two or three but cannot feed many persons. Rather, it is like light which enables many eyes to see all at the same time.” Diogenes, or, according to another version, the Church Father, Basilius, admonishes us to take the appropriate measures against harmful knowledge in the same way in which we are used to protect ourselves against harmful foods, because knowledge is the food of the soul. According to Plato, the pleasure which the soul shares with the body is that of food and drink, whereas its incorporeal pleasure is that of knowledge and wisdom. For Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana (Balînûs), proof of the incorporeality of the soul lies in the fact that it does not partake of material nourishment. “According to the Stoics,” he reports, “Socrates said that the soul eats; however, its food is something that is not corporeal, since the food of the soul is knowledge.” Knowledge is also described by Ibn Butlân as the thing that nourishes the intellect. It is for the intellect what food is for the body, since the two supplement each other and must exist together in human beings. Ibn Taymîyah states that “the arrival of knowledge in the heart is like the arrival of food in the body. The body is aware of food and drink. 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