--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The dignity of man into your hands is…" description: "\"The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.\" — Friedrich Schiller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png" --- # The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it… ![“The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.” quote by Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png) > “The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.” [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human dignity is a fragile gift that we must nurture, lest it be lost or elevated by our actions. **In simple terms:** Treat dignity with care. Key Takeaway Guard and honor personal dignity. Themes responsibility human nature ethics Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - personal relationships - mental health - conflict resolution Key Concepts existentialism self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your own dignity? - What actions lift others' dignity? A Different Perspective Neglect can erode dignity despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Thought makes the whole dignity of man; therefore endeavor to think well, that is the only morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/thought-makes-the-whole-dignity-of-man-therefore-endeavor-to-think/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The dead carry with them to the grave in their clutched hands only that which they have given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dewitt-wallace/the-dead-carry-with-them-to-the-grave-in-their-clutched-hands-only/) DeWitt Wallace > [“The future is in your hands, she resumed. She held her own hands out to us, the ancient gesture that was both an offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-future-is-in-your-hands-she-resumed-she-held-her-own-hands-out-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-they-have-given-away/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Never have I fallen But I am quickly on my way You hold a heart in your hands That has never before been given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-have-i-fallen-but-i-am-quickly-on-my-way-you-hold-a-heart-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a man dies he clutches in his hands only that which he has given away during his lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-dies-he-clutches-in-his-hands-only-that-which-he-has-given/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“we were all born to the same world but with much greater circumstance but with these two hands and what I have been given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-r-albers/we-were-all-born-to-the-same-world-but-with-much-greater-circumstance/) [K.R. Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-r-albers/) > [Subjection of any kind and in any place is beneath the dignity of man ... the highest joy is to fight by the side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-smedley/subjection-of-any-kind-and-in-any-place-is-beneath-the-dignity-of-man/) [Agnes Smedley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-smedley/) > [By a lie a man throws away and, as it were, annihilates his dignity as a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/by-a-lie-a-man-throws-away-and-as-it-were-annihilates-his-dignity-as/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [By a lie a man throws away and, as it were, annihilates his dignity as a man. A man who himself does not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/by-a-lie-a-man-throws-away-and-as-it-were-annihilates-his-dignity-as-2/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [We must build a new world, a far better world - one in which the eternal dignity of man is respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/we-must-build-a-new-world-a-far-better-world-one-in-which-the-eternal/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [The dignity of man was everywhere tissue-paper thin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-francis/the-dignity-of-man-was-everywhere-tissue-paper-thin/) [Dick Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-francis/) > [The philosophers talk to you about the dignity of man, and they tempt you to pride, or they talk to you about the misery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-philosophers-talk-to-you-about-the-dignity-of-man-and-they-tempt/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## More by Friedrich Schiller > [An axe at home saves hiring a carpenter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/an-axe-at-home-saves-hiring-a-carpenter/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [I have enjoyed the happiness of the world; I have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/i-have-enjoyed-the-happiness-of-the-world-i-have-loved/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is easy to give advice from a port of safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-easy-to-give-advice-from-a-port-of-safety/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is through beauty that we arrive at freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-through-beauty-that-we-arrive-at-freedom/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The first great law is to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-first-great-law-is-to-obey/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [To gain a crown by fighting is great, to reject it divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/to-gain-a-crown-by-fighting-is-great-to-reject-it-divine/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Even the weak become strong when they are united.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/even-the-weak-become-strong-when-they-are-united/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/man-only-plays-when-in-the-full-meaning-of-the-word-he-is-a-man-and/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Ah, to that far distant strand Bridge there was not to convey, Not a bark was near at hand, Yet true love soon found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/ah-to-that-far-distant-strand-bridge-there-was-not-to-convey-not-a/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [A gloomy guest fits not a wedding feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/a-gloomy-guest-fits-not-a-wedding-feast/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [If you have never seen beauty in a moment of suffering, you have never seen beauty at all. If you have never seen joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/if-you-have-never-seen-beauty-in-a-moment-of-suffering-you-have-never/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Fear of death is worse than dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/fear-of-death-is-worse-than-dying/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The dream is short, repentance long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dream-is-short-repentance-long/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) [Explore all 350 Friedrich Schiller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## More Dignity quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [One of the things I love about Africa is the amount of dignity and respect and humility you see all the time. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/one-of-the-things-i-love-about-africa-is-the-amount-of-dignity-and/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [There is something to be said for anyone who sits alone with dignity and silently begs for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/there-is-something-to-be-said-for-anyone-who-sits-alone-with-dignity/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [The dignity of a woman's life is infinite, her status immeasurable, her capacity unbounded, her role divine...In the fast changing world of today her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-dignity-of-a-woman-s-life-is-infinite-her-status-immeasurable-her/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) [Browse all 3,116 Dignity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Schiller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-given-oh-keep-it-well-with-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dignity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-given-oh-keep-it-well-with-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/friedrich-schiller-832_dignity_the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-gi_323466.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.” — Friedrich Schiller", "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": "Friedrich Schiller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The dignity of man into your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-given-oh-keep-it-well-with-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-given-oh-keep-it-well-with-you/#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 } } ] } ```