--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are affronted it is better to pass…" description: "\"If you are affronted it is better to pass it by in silence, or with a jest, though with some dishonor, than to endeavor revenge. If you can keep reason..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/isaac-newton-1226_be-patient_if-you-are-affronted-it-is-better-to-pas_1680292.jpg" --- # If you are affronted it is better to pass it by in… ![“If you are affronted it is better to pass it by in silence, or with a jest, though with some dishonor, than to endeavor revenge. If you can keep reason above passion, that and watchfulness will be your best defenders.” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/isaac-newton-1226_be-patient_if-you-are-affronted-it-is-better-to-pas_1680292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/isaac-newton-1226_be-patient_if-you-are-affronted-it-is-better-to-pas_1680292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/isaac-newton-1226_be-patient_if-you-are-affronted-it-is-better-to-pas_1680292.jpg) > “If you are affronted it is better to pass it by in silence, or with a jest, though with some dishonor, than to endeavor revenge. If you can keep reason above passion, that and watchfulness will be your best defenders.” [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Maintaining calm and humor is wiser than seeking revenge; reason and vigilance protect you. **In simple terms:** Stay calm, be witty, keep reason. Key Takeaway Choose composure over retaliation. Themes self‑control humor justice Mood thoughtful calm Type ethical practical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - workplace disputes - personal insults Key Concepts Stoicism ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen silence over anger? - Can humor defuse a tense situation? A Different Perspective Humor can be misinterpreted, weakening its effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defenders/) [Dishonor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonor/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Watchfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watchfulness/) ## Related quotes > [“No revenge with no reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-iyamuremye/no-revenge-with-no-reason/) patrick Iyamuremye > [“It will be our revenge and our reason. I have made it my catalyst and my propeller. It seems only fair don't you think?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalie-ham/it-will-be-our-revenge-and-our-reason-i-have-made-it-my-catalyst-and/) [Rosalie Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalie-ham/) > [“Hey—what did we say? Cool it on the fuck-talk, okay?” Sebastian’s expression went directly to affronted . “So what was I supposed to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/hey-what-did-we-say-cool-it-on-the-fuck-talk-okay-sebastian-s/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“...I finally went back to my seat in the second row and sat there doing what I've done throughout my professional life: I tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/i-finally-went-back-to-my-seat-in-the-second-row-and-sat-there-doing/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“You weren't quite accurate just now." "I? Not accurate?" Poirot sounded affronted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/you-weren-t-quite-accurate-just-now-i-not-accurate-poirot-sounded/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Whoever accustoms himself to pass over in silence the faults of his neighbors shall meet with much better quarter from the world when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/whoever-accustoms-himself-to-pass-over-in-silence-the-faults-of-his/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“That of which we cannot speak, we must pass over in silence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/that-of-which-we-cannot-speak-we-must-pass-over-in-silence/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [“What we cannot speak about we must pass over in silence. Essentially,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kleinman/what-we-cannot-speak-about-we-must-pass-over-in-silence-essentially/) Paul Kleinman > [Let's try not to be exacting with other people, but rather to pass over in silence those thousand little annoyances that tend to irritate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-philippine-duchesne/let-s-try-not-to-be-exacting-with-other-people-but-rather-to-pass/) [Rose Philippine Duchesne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-philippine-duchesne/) > [What we cannot speak about we must pass over in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/what-we-cannot-speak-about-we-must-pass-over-in-silence/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [You will never be an inwardly religious and devout man unless you pass over in silence the shortcomings of your fellow men, and diligently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/you-will-never-be-an-inwardly-religious-and-devout-man-unless-you/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“If you don't care, don't ask me how I am. Chances are, I don't care how you are, either. And it's not because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-kelly/if-you-don-t-care-don-t-ask-me-how-i-am-chances-are-i-don-t-care-how/) [Tara Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-kelly/) > [Some things we must pass over in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/some-things-we-must-pass-over-in-silence/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“We came here as we truly are, and when the other side shows us that truth—the part of it we pass over in silence—we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-lem/we-came-here-as-we-truly-are-and-when-the-other-side-shows-us-that/) [Stanisław Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-lem/) > [Let every one of us cultivate, in every word that issues from our mouth, absolute truth. I say cultivate, because to very few people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/let-every-one-of-us-cultivate-in-every-word-that-issues-from-our/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) ## More by Isaac Newton > [The same law takes place in a system, consisting of many bodies, as in one single body, with regard to their persevering in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-same-law-takes-place-in-a-system-consisting-of-many-bodies-as-in/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I have been much amused at ye singular phenomena resulting from bringing of a needle into contact with a piece of amber or resin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-been-much-amused-at-ye-singular-phenomena-resulting-from/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/no-great-discovery-was-ever-made-without-a-bold-guess/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-keep-the-subject-of-my-inquiry-constantly-before-me-and-wait-till/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Philosophy is such an impertinently litigious lady that a man had as good be engaged in lawsuits as have to do with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/philosophy-is-such-an-impertinently-litigious-lady-that-a-man-had-as/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Do not Bodies act upon Light at a distance, and by their action bend its Rays; and is not this action (caeteris paribus) \[all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/do-not-bodies-act-upon-light-at-a-distance-and-by-their-action-bend/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/god-in-the-beginning-formed-matter-in-solid-massy-hard-impenetrable/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [ I am ashamed to tell you to how many figures I carried these calculations \[of Pi\], having no other business at the time ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-am-ashamed-to-tell-you-to-how-many-figures-i-carried-these/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Hypotheses non fingo. I frame no hypotheses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/hypotheses-non-fingo-i-frame-no-hypotheses/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [The Ignis Fatuus is a vapor shining without heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-ignis-fatuus-is-a-vapor-shining-without-heat/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Blind metaphysical necessity, which is certainly the same always and every where, could produce no variety of things. All that diversity of natural things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/blind-metaphysical-necessity-which-is-certainly-the-same-always-and/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [You sometimes speak of gravity as essential and inherent to matter. Pray do not ascribe that notion to me, for the cause of gravity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/you-sometimes-speak-of-gravity-as-essential-and-inherent-to-matter/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/there-are-more-sure-marks-of-authenticity-in-the-bible-than-in-any/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Therefore to the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/therefore-to-the-same-natural-effects-we-must-as-far-as-possible/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [In scripture we are told of some trusting in God and others trusting in idols, and that God is our refuge, our strength, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/in-scripture-we-are-told-of-some-trusting-in-god-and-others-trusting/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) [Explore all 266 Isaac Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## More Be patient quotes > [MOST TIMES WHEN WE ARE TOO FASTER THAN GOD,WE END UP PAYING OUR TRANSPORT BACK TO WAIT FOR HIM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-iyonawan/most-times-when-we-are-too-faster-than-god-we-end-up-paying-our/) [JEFFERY IYONAWAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-iyonawan/) > [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. 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For a cup brimful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/if-a-sudden-jar-can-cause-me-to-speak-an-impatient-unloving-word-then/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those times when you feel like quitting can be times of great opportunity, for God uses your troubles to help you grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/those-times-when-you-feel-like-quitting-can-be-times-of-great/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [Wait on God and He will work, but don't wait in spiritual sulks because you cannot see an inch in front of you! Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/wait-on-god-and-he-will-work-but-don-t-wait-in-spiritual-sulks/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [However, to be a coach I think you have to have a lot of patience. You have to understand what they have going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-farina/however-to-be-a-coach-i-think-you-have-to-have-a-lot-of-patience-you/) [Robin Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-farina/) > [(Y) (Y) (Y)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shy-boy/y-y-y/) SHY BOY > [Looking deeper into African way of life, it wasn't religious; it was spiritual. When you go into spiritualism, spiritualism will teach you about virtues,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femi-kuti/looking-deeper-into-african-way-of-life-it-wasn-t-religious-it-was/) [Femi Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/femi-kuti/) > [In previous years I was so fired up at times I made little mistakes. 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Consistency is the key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mir/be-patient-be-diligent-consistency-is-the-key/) [Frank Mir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mir/) > [But you must be patient and careful; nor should you expect to become an accomplished archer without long and severe training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-thompson/but-you-must-be-patient-and-careful-nor-should-you-expect-to-become/) [Maurice Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-thompson/) Browse all 454 Be patient quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are affronted it is better to pass it by in silence, or with a jest, though with some dishonor, than to endeavor revenge. 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