---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The least foolish is wise."
description: "\"The least foolish is wise.\" — George Herbert"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg"
---

#  The least foolish is wise.

![“The least foolish is wise.” quote by George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg)

> “The least foolish is wise.”

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Wisdom lies in recognizing one's own limits and avoiding foolishness.

**In simple terms:** Knowing when to be cautious is wise.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and thoughtful restraint.

Themes

wisdom humility self-awareness

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal decisions
- leadership
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

philosophical ethical

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance caution with boldness?
- When is it wise to act despite risk?

A Different Perspective

May lead to overcautiousness or missed opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

> [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/)

> [In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-and-more-wise/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [“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-2/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/to-succeed-in-the-world-we-must-look-foolish-but-be-wise/)

[Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/)

> [“Call me not wise unless you call all men wise. A young fruit am I, still clinging to the branch and it was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/call-me-not-wise-unless-you-call-all-men-wise-a-young-fruit-am-i/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [“You have to be foolish to be wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-campbell/you-have-to-be-foolish-to-be-wise/)

Becky Campbell

> [“It is better to be foolish wise than wise foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-better-to-be-foolish-wise-than-wise-foolish/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/silence-is-foolish-if-we-are-wise-but-wise-if-we-are-foolish/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [How do you know antiquity was foolish? How do you know the present is wise? Who made it foolish? Who made it wise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/how-do-you-know-antiquity-was-foolish-how-do-you-know-the-present-is/)

[Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/)

> [“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/)

> [“Now here is a riddle,” Melisandre said. “A clever fool and a foolish wise man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/now-here-is-a-riddle-melisandre-said-a-clever-fool-and-a-foolish-wise/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [Sum up at night what thou hast done by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sum-up-at-night-what-thou-hast-done-by-day/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [He that's foolish in the fault, let him be wise in the punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-s-foolish-in-the-fault-let-him-be-wise-in-the-punishment/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

## More by George Herbert

> [Sum up at night what thou hast done by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sum-up-at-night-what-thou-hast-done-by-day/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Beare with evill, and expect good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/beare-with-evill-and-expect-good/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [ In the house of a Fidler, all fiddle. \[In the house of the fiddler all fiddle.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-the-house-of-a-fidler-all-fiddle-in-the-house-of-the-fiddler-all/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [By all means use some time to be alone, salute thyself, see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-some-time-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Every one is weary, the poore in seeking, the rich in keeping, the good in learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/every-one-is-weary-the-poore-in-seeking-the-rich-in-keeping-the-good/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [He is a great Necromancer, for he asks counsel counsell of the Dead (i.e. books).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-is-a-great-necromancer-for-he-asks-counsel-counsell-of-the-dead-i/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [If all fooles had babies, wee should want fuell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/if-all-fooles-had-babies-wee-should-want-fuell/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Weight justly and sell dearely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/weight-justly-and-sell-dearely/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Could have recovered greenness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/could-have-recovered-greenness/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [In every country dogges bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-every-country-dogges-bite/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [The back-doore robs the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-back-doore-robs-the-house/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [In cloths cheap handsomeness, doth bear the bell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-cloths-cheap-handsomeness-doth-bear-the-bell/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [ Spectacles are deaths Harquebuze. \[Spectacles are death's arquebuse.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/spectacles-are-deaths-harquebuze-spectacles-are-death-s-arquebuse/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [None saies his Garner is full.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/none-saies-his-garner-is-full/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

[Explore all 1,285 George Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

## More Foolish quotes

> [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/)

[John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/)

> [I was so foolish to ever leave your side, Searching for what was right before my eyes. It was me who didn't realize, 'til…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/i-was-so-foolish-to-ever-leave-your-side-searching-for-what-was-right/)

[Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/)

> [Regrets are just a way for the foolish and the guilty to pass the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gensoumaden-saiyuki/regrets-are-just-a-way-for-the-foolish-and-the-guilty-to-pass-the-time/)

Gensoumaden Saiyuki

> [The goal of the Creator is for each entity to make a conscious choice to again seek Oneness, out of our own free will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilcock/the-goal-of-the-creator-is-for-each-entity-to-make-a-conscious-choice/)

[David Wilcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilcock/)

> [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Right, and you point out something important which is that people who don’t want to pay, people who are pirates, don’t get bothered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/right-and-you-point-out-something-important-which-is-that-people-who/)

[Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/)

> [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [I have my good days and my bad days, but I don't have as much energy as I used to back when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-my-good-days-and-my-bad-days-but-i-don-t-have-as-much-energy/)

[Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/)

> [“I wish he were better at hailing taxis than I am; on the other hand, I realize that expectation is culturally conditioned, utterly foolish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-wish-he-were-better-at-hailing-taxis-than-i-am-on-the-other-hand-i/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [Go then if you must, but remember, no matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/go-then-if-you-must-but-remember-no-matter-how-foolish-your-deeds/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [You know what they say, 'You have to work at wisdom; you have to take pains to be reasonable, but to be foolish, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-colet/you-know-what-they-say-you-have-to-work-at-wisdom-you-have-to-take/)

[Louise Colet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-colet/)

> [Am I foolish and insignificant or am I great? I gave all the individuals in the world cause to kneel down in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/am-i-foolish-and-insignificant-or-am-i-great-i-gave-all-the/)

[Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/)

Browse all 1,867 Foolish quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The least foolish is wise.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Herbert"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-least-foolish-is-wise/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Foolish"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-least-foolish-is-wise/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/george-herbert-107_foolish_the-least-foolish-is-wise-2433812_2433812.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The least foolish is wise.” — George Herbert",
                "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": "George Herbert",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The least foolish is wise.",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-least-foolish-is-wise/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-least-foolish-is-wise/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
