--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not astonished that men who lean, as…" description: "\"I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they make for discovering the truth ; that, being..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg" --- # I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an… ![“I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they make for discovering the truth ; that, being so short-sighted, they do not reach beyond the heavens and the stars, to contemplate God Himself.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg) > “I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they make for discovering the truth ; that, being so short-sighted, they do not reach beyond the heavens and the stars, to contemplate God Himself.” [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human narrow focus limits understanding of larger truths, preventing deeper insight into existence. **In simple terms:** Limited perspective blocks deeper truth. Key Takeaway Broaden perspective to grasp larger truths. Themes knowledge humility spirituality Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy cosmology ego Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions limit your view? - How can you expand your horizon? A Different Perspective Overcoming ego and bias is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discovering the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovering-the-truth/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Short sighted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-sighted/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I am not surprised that men who put their trust in an atom should fail in their slightest attempts to plumb truth, that with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-surprised-that-men-who-put-their-trust-in-an-atom-should/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [“Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deserving no prize, humbling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/disciplines-are-small-and-by-themselves-inconsequential-like-the/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Truth is short; lies are long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-funk/truth-is-short-lies-are-long/) Jeff Funk > [“Sometimes even the smallest of efforts can change someone’s fate entirely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-rowland/sometimes-even-the-smallest-of-efforts-can-change-someone-s-fate/) [Mitch Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-rowland/) > [Nowhere has truth such a short life as in Sicily; a fact has scarcely happened five minutes before its genuine kernel has vanished, been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-tomasi-di-lampedusa/nowhere-has-truth-such-a-short-life-as-in-sicily-a-fact-has-scarcely/) [Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-tomasi-di-lampedusa/) > [“For by a kind of mutual bond the Lord has joined together the certainty of his Word and of his Spirit so that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-by-a-kind-of-mutual-bond-the-lord-has-joined-together-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Do not contemplate on death; it is just an incident in life; contemplate on God, who is the master of all life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/do-not-contemplate-on-death-it-is-just-an-incident-in-life/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [“The act of contemplation and what contemplates—to return to our own terminology—are essentially one with the pure Act, pure Being. On the contrary, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-schaya/the-act-of-contemplation-and-what-contemplates-to-return-to-our-own/) Leo Schaya > [The more I contemplate God, the more God looks on me. The more I pray to him, the more he thinks of me too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/the-more-i-contemplate-god-the-more-god-looks-on-me-the-more-i-pray/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Who never walks save where he sees men's tracks makes no discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/who-never-walks-save-where-he-sees-men-s-tracks-makes-no-discoveries/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/give-him-a-mask-and-he-will-tell-you-the-truth/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Advances are Made by Answering Questions. Discoveries are Made by Questioning Answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-haisch/advances-are-made-by-answering-questions-discoveries-are-made-by-2/) [Bernard Haisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-haisch/) > [“According to James 1:22-25, we can experience God’s truth so powerfully that what the Lord wants us to do becomes as plain to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/according-to-james-1-22-25-we-can-experience-god-s-truth-so/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [The greatest obstacle to discovering the truth is being convinced that you already know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/the-greatest-obstacle-to-discovering-the-truth-is-being-convinced/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [When an opinionated person starts to challenge something, his mind shuts out all that could clear up the matter. The argument irritates him, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/when-an-opinionated-person-starts-to-challenge-something-his-mind/) [Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More Contemplating quotes > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What's given, in fact, always depends on the person or thing it's given to. A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I have actually seen people contemplate their navels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilpern/i-have-actually-seen-people-contemplate-their-navels/) [John Heilpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilpern/) > [It is very pleasant to scratch an itching ring-worm, but the sensation one gets afterwards is very painful and intolerable. In the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/it-is-very-pleasant-to-scratch-an-itching-ring-worm-but-the-sensation/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [He that contemplates hath a day without night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-contemplates-hath-a-day-without-night/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [If we are to define science, ... it does not consist so much in knowing, nor even in "organized knowledge," as it does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sanders-peirce/if-we-are-to-define-science-it-does-not-consist-so-much-in-knowing/) [Charles Sanders Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sanders-peirce/) > [As we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/as-we-contemplate-with-reverence-and-awe-how-our-savior-embraces-us/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [Contemplating the bowl, it is possible to see the interdependent elements which give rise to the bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/contemplating-the-bowl-it-is-possible-to-see-the-interdependent/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The two hardest things to contemplate in life ... are failure and age; those are one and the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-two-hardest-things-to-contemplate-in-life-are-failure-and-age/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It always grieves me to contemplate the initiation of children into the ways of life when they are scarcely more than infants. It checks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-always-grieves-me-to-contemplate-the-initiation-of-children-into/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty.We need to execute people like John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/when-contemplating-college-liberals-you-really-regret-once-again-that/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“That which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/that-which-sings-and-contemplates-in-you-is-still-dwelling-within-the/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [contemplating the misfortunes of others does not lighten one's own trouble but instead adds to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-g-eberhart/contemplating-the-misfortunes-of-others-does-not-lighten-one-s-own/) [Mignon G. Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-g-eberhart/) > [Linda McCartney sausages were my favorite. Theyre much better than eating real sausages and you dont have to contemplate half way through exactly whats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/linda-mccartney-sausages-were-my-favorite-theyre-much-better-than/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) Browse all 762 Contemplating quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they make for discovering the truth ; that, being so short-sighted, they do not reach beyond the heavens and the stars, to contemplate God Himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as-it-were-on-an-atom-should/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contemplating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as-it-were-on-an-atom-should/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_contemplating_i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as_2975270.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they…” — Jean de la Bruyere", "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": "Jean de la Bruyere", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am not astonished that men...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as-it-were-on-an-atom-should/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as-it-were-on-an-atom-should/#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 } } ] } ```