--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True courage is knowing not when to take…" description: "\"“True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.”\" — J.R.R. Tolkien" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg" --- # True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to… ![“True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.” quote by J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg) > ““True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.”” [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True bravery lies in preserving life rather than ending it, emphasizing compassion over violence. **In simple terms:** Courage is saving lives, not taking them. Key Takeaway Prioritize protecting others over destructive actions. Themes courage compassion ethics Mood ethical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - medical ethics - parenting Key Concepts moral choice non‑violence Questions to Reflect On - When is it harder to save a life than to end it? - What moral frameworks guide such decisions? A Different Perspective Situations may demand difficult sacrifices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [True courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-courage/) ## Related quotes > [True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-courage-is-about-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-when-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have... I have never used a sword in my life. And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-3/i-have-i-have-never-used-a-sword-in-my-life-and-i-hope-you-never-have/) [J.R.R Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-3/) > [True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. - Gandalf The Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-of-the-rings/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-when-to-spare-one/) [Lord Of The Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-of-the-rings/) > [“Courage is a kind of salvation. Courage is knowing what not to fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-a-kind-of-salvation-courage-is-knowing-what-not-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“I don't always knew where this life is going. I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-j-davis/i-don-t-always-knew-where-this-life-is-going-i-can-t-see-the-end-of/) [Katie J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-j-davis/) > [Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-j-davis/i-can-t-see-the-end-of-the-road-but-here-is-the-great-part-courage-is/) [Katie J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-j-davis/) > [“There’s one more part,” she said, finding the courage, knowing she needed to tell him the rest of it. “Of the all I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/there-s-one-more-part-she-said-finding-the-courage-knowing-she-needed/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [Courage is knowing what to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-knowing-what-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any idiot can be brave, but courage is about knowing what's at stake, and moving forward anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-ryan/any-idiot-can-be-brave-but-courage-is-about-knowing-what-s-at-stake/) [Meg Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-ryan/) > [Living isn't courage, knowing that you're living, that's courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/living-isn-t-courage-knowing-that-you-re-living-that-s-courage/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“There is no magic herb that makes a brave man. Courage is knowing that what you do is necessary. Don't doubt yourself, Shadow. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-alder/there-is-no-magic-herb-that-makes-a-brave-man-courage-is-knowing-that/) Elizabeth Alder > [Courage is knowing what not to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-knowing-what-not-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I don't always know where this life is going. i can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-davis/i-don-t-always-know-where-this-life-is-going-i-can-t-see-the-end-of/) [Katie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-davis/) > [Real courage is knowing what faces you and knowing how to face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/real-courage-is-knowing-what-faces-you-and-knowing-how-to-face-it/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) ## More by J.R.R. Tolkien > [“I will vouch for him before the seat of Denethor,' said Gandalf. 'And as for valour, that cannot be computed by stature. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-will-vouch-for-him-before-the-seat-of-denethor-said-gandalf-and-as/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“I have chosen Mr Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-have-chosen-mr-baggins-and-that-ought-to-be-enough-for-all-of-you/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“he can see through a brick wall in time (as they say in Bree). But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-can-see-through-a-brick-wall-in-time-as-they-say-in-bree-but/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“No todos los que vagan están perdidos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/no-todos-los-que-vagan-est-n-perdidos/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending; or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/the-consolation-of-fairy-stories-the-joy-of-the-happy-ending-or-more/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Sméagol won't grub for roots and carrotses and - taters. What's taters, precious, eh, what's taters?' 'Po-ta-toes,' said Sam. 'The Gaffer's delight, and rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sm-agol-won-t-grub-for-roots-and-carrotses-and-taters-what-s-taters/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“But the Queen Arwen said: 'A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-the-queen-arwen-said-a-gift-i-will-give-you-for-i-am-the-daughter/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“If you lived near the edge of Mirkwood, you would take the word of no one that you did not know as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/if-you-lived-near-the-edge-of-mirkwood-you-would-take-the-word-of-no/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“He was dark-haired as his mother, and promised to be like her in mood also; for he was not merry, and spoke little, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-was-dark-haired-as-his-mother-and-promised-to-be-like-her-in-mood/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/may-your-beer-be-laid-under-an-enchantment-of-surpassing-excellence/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/though-sword-shall-be-rusted-and-throne-and-crown-perish-with/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Seguid si es vuestro deber —dijo—, yo me echaré aquí a dormir y a soñar con comida, ya que no puedo tenerla de otro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/seguid-si-es-vuestro-deber-dijo-yo-me-echar-aqu-a-dormir-y-a-so-ar/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Co to mělo v kapšiškách? Nechtělo to říct, ne, milášku. Podvodníšek mrňavá. Nefér otázka. Podvádělo to první. Poruššilo to pravidla. Měli šme to žmáčknout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/co-to-m-lo-v-kap-i-k-ch-necht-lo-to-ct-ne-mil-ku-podvodn-ek-mr-av-nef/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“it is horrible being all alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/it-is-horrible-being-all-alone/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) [Explore all 857 J.R.R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) Kristen Armstrong > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.R.R. Tolkien" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-to-save-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-to-save-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/j-r-r-tolkien-204_courage_true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take_1172077.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.” — J.R.R. Tolkien", "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": "J.R.R. Tolkien", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“True courage is knowing not when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-to-save-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-to-save-one/#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 } } ] } ```