--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To say that God has given a man many and…" description: "\"To say that God has given a man many and great talents frequently means that he has brought his heavens down within reach of his hands.\" — Henry David ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_given_to-say-that-god-has-given-a-man-many-and_1967681.jpg" --- # To say that God has given a man many and great talents… ![“To say that God has given a man many and great talents frequently means that he has brought his heavens down within reach of his hands.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_given_to-say-that-god-has-given-a-man-many-and_1967681.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_given_to-say-that-god-has-given-a-man-many-and_1967681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_given_to-say-that-god-has-given-a-man-many-and_1967681.jpg) > “To say that God has given a man many and great talents frequently means that he has brought his heavens down within reach of his hands.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human potential is framed as a divine gift that makes the heavens accessible through personal ability. **In simple terms:** Talents connect us to the divine. Key Takeaway Recognize and use your gifts. Themes potential spirituality humanism Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - leadership - education Key Concepts divine gift self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How do you translate talent into purpose? - What responsibilities come with great ability? A Different Perspective Talents alone don’t guarantee fulfillment without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-given/) [Great talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-talent/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavens/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Within reach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/within-reach/) ## Related quotes > [The Heavens are as deep as our aspirations are high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-heavens-are-as-deep-as-our-aspirations-are-high/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When the heavens are obscured to us, and nothing noble or heroic appears, but we are oppressed by imperfection and shortcoming on all hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-the-heavens-are-obscured-to-us-and-nothing-noble-or-heroic/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [He is perhaps the sanest man and has the fewest crotchets of any I chance to know; the same yesterday and to-morrow. Of yore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/he-is-perhaps-the-sanest-man-and-has-the-fewest-crotchets-of-any-i/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I didn't want to get into any Amazon Prime Video show just like that. I was waiting for a big series to come where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-kabi/i-didn-t-want-to-get-into-any-amazon-prime-video-show-just-like-that/) [Neeraj Kabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-kabi/) > [I always wish to find great virtues where there are great talents, and to love what I admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-montagu/i-always-wish-to-find-great-virtues-where-there-are-great-talents-and/) [Elizabeth Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-montagu/) > [I do not think I'm a great talent. I think I'm a medium talent, but I think I understand the business and enjoy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-do-not-think-i-m-a-great-talent-i-think-i-m-a-medium-talent-but-i/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [The Old Vic has always been first and foremost an actors' theatre, a home for great talent and memorable performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/the-old-vic-has-always-been-first-and-foremost-an-actors-theatre-a/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I feel that I have been very fortunate and had the opportunity to play some wonderful roles and movies and worked with some great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-feel-that-i-have-been-very-fortunate-and-had-the-opportunity-to/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I believe that there are many talented Filipinos and their talent is great and globally competitive, just waiting to be tapped. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apl-de-ap/i-believe-that-there-are-many-talented-filipinos-and-their-talent-is/) [apl.de.ap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apl-de-ap/) > [I'm a planner, and most networks don't plan. Bravo doesn't plan. Bravo is lucky in a lot of ways - they've got a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-stanger/i-m-a-planner-and-most-networks-don-t-plan-bravo-doesn-t-plan-bravo/) [Patti Stanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-stanger/) > [Great talent has always a little madness mixed up with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/great-talent-has-always-a-little-madness-mixed-up-with-it/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [Great talents, by the rust of long disuse, Grow lethargic and shrink from what they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/great-talents-by-the-rust-of-long-disuse-grow-lethargic-and-shrink/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [You can be talented, but having great talent isn't enough. You have to work every day or someone will pass you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/you-can-be-talented-but-having-great-talent-isn-t-enough-you-have-to/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [To recognize great talent, we must encourage dreamers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-west/to-recognize-great-talent-we-must-encourage-dreamers/) Benjamin West > [At the level at which I work with people, their great talent is paired with great insecurity. Self-doubt is literally the twin of self-confidence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ivey-long/at-the-level-at-which-i-work-with-people-their-great-talent-is-paired/) William Ivey Long ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Given quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. 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