--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is…" description: "\"If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do.\" — Hermann Hesse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png" --- # If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most… ![“If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do.” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png) > “If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do.” [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When lacking food, fasting becomes a rational, strategic response to scarcity. **In simple terms:** Fasting is a smart choice when hungry. Key Takeaway Consider fasting as a practical solution to hunger. Themes survival resourcefulness mindfulness Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - extreme poverty - survival situations - health fasting practices Key Concepts strategic restraint self‑control Questions to Reflect On - When is fasting ethically or medically appropriate? - How does scarcity reshape decision‑making? A Different Perspective Fasting may harm health if misapplied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fasting/) ## Related quotes > [If man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do. If, for instance, Siddhartha had not learned to fast,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-he/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the smartest thing he can do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-smartest-thing-he-can-do/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fasting is not bodily hunger but bodily elevation and purity. It is not a body that hungers and longs for food, but a body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/fasting-is-not-bodily-hunger-but-bodily-elevation-and-purity-it-is/) [Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/) > [I think the intelligent thing about it is that you have to carefully listen to it all to grasp it, and because I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-darrow/i-think-the-intelligent-thing-about-it-is-that-you-have-to-carefully/) [Paul Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-darrow/) > [The most intelligent thing you can possibly do with your life is to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/the-most-intelligent-thing-you-can-possibly-do-with-your-life-is-to/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [It's the intelligent thing to be frugal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-feeney/it-s-the-intelligent-thing-to-be-frugal/) [Chuck Feeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-feeney/) > [Sometimes the most intelligent thing is not to do anything, certainly nothing loaded with the imbecility of emotionality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/sometimes-the-most-intelligent-thing-is-not-to-do-anything-certainly/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [The most intelligent thing we can do is love, not reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/the-most-intelligent-thing-we-can-do-is-love-not-reason/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [Humans beings always do the most intelligent thing…after they’ve tried every stupid alternative and none of them have worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/humans-beings-always-do-the-most-intelligent-thing-after-they-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Woah' That's about the most intelligent thing I can say right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/woah-that-s-about-the-most-intelligent-thing-i-can-say-right-now/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [I wonder what the most intelligent thing ever said was that started with the word 'dude.' 'Dude, these are isotopes.' 'Dude, we removed your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-wonder-what-the-most-intelligent-thing-ever-said-was-that-started/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I believe life is an intelligent thing: that things aren't random.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-believe-life-is-an-intelligent-thing-that-things-aren-t-random/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [You're quite right there," he said. "I have practiced abstinence myself for years, and had my time of fasting, too, but now I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/you-re-quite-right-there-he-said-i-have-practiced-abstinence-myself/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## More by Hermann Hesse > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More Fasting quotes > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [When the stomach is full, it is easy to talk of fasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/when-the-stomach-is-full-it-is-easy-to-talk-of-fasting/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Fasting is not bodily hunger but bodily elevation and purity. It is not a body that hungers and longs for food, but a body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/fasting-is-not-bodily-hunger-but-bodily-elevation-and-purity-it-is/) [Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/) > [Fasting is truly a secret source of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jentezen-franklin/fasting-is-truly-a-secret-source-of-power/) [Jentezen Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jentezen-franklin/) > [Surfeits kill more than fasting does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-osborne/surfeits-kill-more-than-fasting-does/) [Dorothy Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-osborne/) > [Good Friday. Way of the Cross. Fasting and abstinence. Examine conscience. Have a really blessed day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-friday-way-of-the-cross-fasting-and-abstinence-examine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I go by my own body type when it comes to fasting, which means that I would not follow some general advice or rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/i-go-by-my-own-body-type-when-it-comes-to-fasting-which-means-that-i/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) > [“Fasting clears away the thousand little things which quickly accumulate and clutter the body, mind and heart. It cuts through corrosion and renews our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bragg/fasting-clears-away-the-thousand-little-things-which-quickly/) Paul Bragg > [Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/fasting-confirms-our-utter-dependence-upon-god-by-finding-in-him-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Fasting makes sense if it really chips away at our security and, as a consequence, benefits someone else, if it helps us cultivate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/fasting-makes-sense-if-it-really-chips-away-at-our-security-and-as-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The dogmatic and, therefore, invulnerable core in Islam is understandably simple: acknowledgement of faith, prayer, charity and fasting. Almost everything else is open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/the-dogmatic-and-therefore-invulnerable-core-in-islam-is/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [One of the reasons intermittent fasting can work is that it reconnects you with what hunger feels like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mohr/one-of-the-reasons-intermittent-fasting-can-work-is-that-it/) [Chris Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mohr/) > [“Fasting, prayer, and almsgiving build the third pillar of the eremitic rigor that helps to develop the spiritual life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-wencel/fasting-prayer-and-almsgiving-build-the-third-pillar-of-the-eremitic/) [Cornelius Wencel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-wencel/) [Browse all 367 Fasting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fasting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hermann Hesse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fasting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/hermann-hesse-130_fasting_if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-t_2449430.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do.” — Hermann Hesse", "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": "Hermann Hesse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a man has nothing to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/if-a-man-has-nothing-to-eat-fasting-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-he/#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 } } ] } ```