--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If were not foolish young, were foolish…" description: "\"If were not foolish young, were foolish old.\" — Geoffrey Chaucer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg" --- # If were not foolish young, were foolish old. ![“If were not foolish young, were foolish old.” quote by Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg) > “If were not foolish young, were foolish old.” [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youthful folly leads to old age folly; wisdom is not bound by age. **In simple terms:** Both young and old can be foolish. Key Takeaway Seek wisdom regardless of age. Themes wisdom folly age learning Mood thoughtful philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - Teaching children - mentoring elders - self-reflection - avoiding repeated mistakes Key Concepts Human nature philosophy life cycles Questions to Reflect On - What does wisdom look like at different ages? - How can we prevent repeating youthful mistakes? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex life experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [I was young and foolish then; now I am old and foolisher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-was-young-and-foolish-then-now-i-am-old-and-foolisher/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [People, you see... are ruthless and foolish. When they're young, in order to have money and power, they give up everything like health and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-hee/people-you-see-are-ruthless-and-foolish-when-they-re-young-in-order/) [Jae Hee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-hee/) > [Even a foolish old woman like me knows that lazy people don't think for themselves; they only think about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/even-a-foolish-old-woman-like-me-knows-that-lazy-people-don-t-think/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, Regardless of others, ever regardful of others, Maternal as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-am-of-old-and-young-of-the-foolish-as-much-as-the-wise-regardless/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Society always consists, in greatest part, of young and foolish persons. The old, who have seen through the hypocrisy of the courts and statesmen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-always-consists-in-greatest-part-of-young-and-foolish-persons/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If you don't do something foolish while you r young, you won't have anything to smile about when you are older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-do-something-foolish-while-you-r-young-you-won-t-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The first thought was this: that he was a foolish old man, because all his life he'd been looking for something and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sedgwick/the-first-thought-was-this-that-he-was-a-foolish-old-man-because-all/) [Marcus Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sedgwick/) > [“His faith was no game he played.  It was not a mantle to put on or be taken off as the need arose.  The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ki-longfellow/his-faith-was-no-game-he-played-it-was-not-a-mantle-to-put-on-or-be/) [Ki Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ki-longfellow/) > [“Song of myself I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, Regardless of others, ever regardful of others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/song-of-myself-i-am-of-old-and-young-of-the-foolish-as-much-as-the/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Society always consists in the greatest part, of young and foolish persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-always-consists-in-the-greatest-part-of-young-and-foolish/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree; But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-bid-me-take-love-easy-as-the-leaves-grow-on-the-tree-but-i-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [... please Lady... Do not speak of it. I was young and foolish." "You most certainly were." "You are cruel, Evanna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/please-lady-do-not-speak-of-it-i-was-young-and-foolish-you-most/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [We were young, we were foolish, we were arrogant, but we were right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/we-were-young-we-were-foolish-we-were-arrogant-but-we-were-right/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [“There were worse things than being young and foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathie-pelletier/there-were-worse-things-than-being-young-and-foolish/) [Cathie Pelletier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathie-pelletier/) > [You see, when you're young and foolish it doesn't matter where you may be, you always think that you'll be happier somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-salten/you-see-when-you-re-young-and-foolish-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-may/) [Felix Salten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-salten/) ## More by Geoffrey Chaucer > [Drunkenness is the very sepulcher Of man's wit and his discretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/drunkenness-is-the-very-sepulcher-of-man-s-wit-and-his-discretion/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Whoso will pray, he must fast and be clean, And fat his soul, and make his body lean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/whoso-will-pray-he-must-fast-and-be-clean-and-fat-his-soul-and-make/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“The man who has no wife is no cuckold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/the-man-who-has-no-wife-is-no-cuckold/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [One eare it heard, at the other out it went.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/one-eare-it-heard-at-the-other-out-it-went/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [The handsome gifts that fate and nature lend us Most often are the very ones that end us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/the-handsome-gifts-that-fate-and-nature-lend-us-most-often-are-the/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Patience is a conquering virtue. The learned say that, if it not desert you, It vanquishes what force can never reach; Why answer back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/patience-is-a-conquering-virtue-the-learned-say-that-if-it-not-desert/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“This Nicholas anon leet fle a fart As greet as it had been a thonder-dent, That with the strook he was almoost yblent; And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/this-nicholas-anon-leet-fle-a-fart-as-greet-as-it-had-been-a-thonder/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [A whetstone is no carving instrument, And yet it maketh sharp the carving tool; And if you see my efforts wrongly spent, Eschew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/a-whetstone-is-no-carving-instrument-and-yet-it-maketh-sharp-the/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“In general, my liege lady,’ he began, ‘Women desire to have dominion Over their husbands, and their lovers too; They want to have mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/in-general-my-liege-lady-he-began-women-desire-to-have-dominion-over/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“Till we be roten, kan we not be rypen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/till-we-be-roten-kan-we-not-be-rypen/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Venus me yaf my lust, my like rousnesse, And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardinesse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/venus-me-yaf-my-lust-my-like-rousnesse-and-mars-yaf-me-my-sturdy/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“For sondry scoles maken sotile clerkis; Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/for-sondry-scoles-maken-sotile-clerkis-womman-of-manye-scoles-half-a/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [For God's love, take things patiently, have sense, Think! We are prisoners and shall always be. Fortune has given us this adversity, Some wicked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/for-god-s-love-take-things-patiently-have-sense-think-we-are/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/whan-that-aprill-with-his-shoures-soote-the-droghte-of-march-hath/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Forbid us something, and that thing we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/forbid-us-something-and-that-thing-we-desire/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) [Explore all 217 Geoffrey Chaucer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) ## More Folly quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [Tis easy to break an idol, very easy: to regard the self as easy to subdue is folly, folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/tis-easy-to-break-an-idol-very-easy-to-regard-the-self-as-easy-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What curious little corners of folly are to be found in even the sanest brain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/what-curious-little-corners-of-folly-are-to-be-found-in-even-the/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Unnecessary hustle is one of the American follies. We hustle at both work and play, and consequently enjoy neither to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/unnecessary-hustle-is-one-of-the-american-follies-we-hustle-at-both/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Democracy is the worst form of government. It is the most inefficient, the most clumsy, the most unpractical… It reduces wisdom to impotence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-briffault/democracy-is-the-worst-form-of-government-it-is-the-most-inefficient/) [Robert Briffault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-briffault/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [One's conscience reproaches one much more stingingly for one's follies than one's crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-jewsbury/one-s-conscience-reproaches-one-much-more-stingingly-for-one-s/) [Geraldine Jewsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-jewsbury/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/we-are-more-heavily-taxed-by-our-idleness-pride-and-folly-than-we-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 1,246 Folly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If were not foolish young, were foolish old.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Geoffrey Chaucer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-old/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Folly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-old/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/geoffrey-chaucer-1677_folly_if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-o_642890.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If were not foolish young, were foolish old.” — Geoffrey Chaucer", "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": "Geoffrey Chaucer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If were not foolish young, were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-old/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/if-were-not-foolish-young-were-foolish-old/#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 } } ] } ```