--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil…" description: "\"Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.\" — John Cheever" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg" --- # Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength… ![“Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.” quote by John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg) > “Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.” [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding morality is about recognizing both sides, not just choosing between them. **In simple terms:** Know both good and evil. Key Takeaway Cultivate moral awareness. Themes ethics decision-making duality Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal dilemmas - leadership choices - legal judgments - parenting decisions Key Concepts moral philosophy cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What does recognizing both sides enable you? - When should you act without full certainty? A Different Perspective Choosing can be paralyzing; sometimes action is needed despite uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-strength-2361876/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [Weakness actually is a provocative to evil. You don't beat evil with weakness. You don't beat evil with concessions. You don't beat radical Islam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jindal/weakness-actually-is-a-provocative-to-evil-you-don-t-beat-evil-with/) [Bobby Jindal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jindal/) > [“There is no creature so perfect in wisdom and knowledge but may learn something for time present, and to come, by times past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robinson/there-is-no-creature-so-perfect-in-wisdom-and-knowledge-but-may-learn/) [John Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-robinson/) > [Wisdom is not knowledge, but lies in the use we make of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilakanta-sri-ram/wisdom-is-not-knowledge-but-lies-in-the-use-we-make-of-knowledge/) [Nilakanta Sri Ram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilakanta-sri-ram/) > [“There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom: knowledge is information; wisdom is knowing how to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-eugene-davis/there-is-a-difference-between-knowledge-and-wisdom-knowledge-is/) [Roy Eugene Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-eugene-davis/) > ["Intellect is the knowledge obtained by experience of names and forms; wisdom is the knowledge which manifests only from the inner being; to acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/intellect-is-the-knowledge-obtained-by-experience-of-names-and-forms/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-everything-but-the-knowledge-of-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Contrary to popular wisdom, knowledge is not power-it's potential power. Knowledge is not mastery. Execution is mastery. Execution will trump knowledge every day of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/contrary-to-popular-wisdom-knowledge-is-not-power-it-s-potential/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Busy thyself with the secrets of wisdom and knowledge, thus thou shalt overcome the fear of the morrow in thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/busy-thyself-with-the-secrets-of-wisdom-and-knowledge-thus-thou-shalt/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [One whose ignorance is driven out by wisdom, Wisdom of knowledge will light up his life with divine bright sunlight...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/one-whose-ignorance-is-driven-out-by-wisdom-wisdom-of-knowledge-will/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [“Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jaques-rousseau-2/real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-everything-but-the-knowledge-of/) [Jean Jaques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jaques-rousseau-2/) > [The gateways to wisdom and knowledge are always open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/the-gateways-to-wisdom-and-knowledge-are-always-open/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [These days people seek knowledge, not wisdom. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-cooper/these-days-people-seek-knowledge-not-wisdom-knowledge-is-of-the-past/) [Vernon Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-cooper/) > [Wisdom is Knowledge that is guided by Understanding; we have to have the wisdom and the knowledge to understand why certain things happen in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/wisdom-is-knowledge-that-is-guided-by-understanding-we-have-to-have/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Most of my wisdom & knowledge comes from learning from others mistakes and not repeating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-my-wisdom-knowledge-comes-from-learning-from-others-mistakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No matter how much you know, your destiny depends on the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding you display.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-uwandu/no-matter-how-much-you-know-your-destiny-depends-on-the-wisdom/) [James C. Uwandu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-uwandu/) ## More by John Cheever > [Only the opium eater truly understands the pain of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/only-the-opium-eater-truly-understands-the-pain-of-death/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [The poet or storyteller who feels that he is competing with a superb double play in the World Series is a lost man. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/the-poet-or-storyteller-who-feels-that-he-is-competing-with-a-superb/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“She perceived vaguely the pitiful corruption of the adult world; how cruel and frail it was, like a worn piece of burlap, patched with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/she-perceived-vaguely-the-pitiful-corruption-of-the-adult-world-how/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [For lovers, touch is metamorphosis. All the parts of their bodies seem to change, and they seem to become something different and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/for-lovers-touch-is-metamorphosis-all-the-parts-of-their-bodies-seem/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“I dream that someone in space says to me: So let us rush, then, to see the world. It is shaped like an egg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-dream-that-someone-in-space-says-to-me-so-let-us-rush-then-to-see/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I don't like to see all my energies, all of my youth, wasted in fur coats and radios and slipcovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-don-t-like-to-see-all-my-energies-all-of-my-youth-wasted-in-fur/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Literature has been the salvation of the damned, literature has inspired and guided lovers, routed despair and can perhaps in this case save the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/literature-has-been-the-salvation-of-the-damned-literature-has/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [At my back I hear the word-"homosexual"-and it seems to split my world in two… It is ignorance, our ignorance of one another, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/at-my-back-i-hear-the-word-homosexual-and-it-seems-to-split-my-world/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [One would never have guessed that the world had such a capacity for genuine grief. The most we can do is exploit our memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/one-would-never-have-guessed-that-the-world-had-such-a-capacity-for/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“His stepmother -wearing a nightgown for comfort and a flowered hat for looks- had spent her days sitting in their parlor window in Baltimore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/his-stepmother-wearing-a-nightgown-for-comfort-and-a-flowered-hat-for/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Fear tastes like a rusty knife and do not let her into your house. Courage tastes of blood. Stand up straight. Admire the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/fear-tastes-like-a-rusty-knife-and-do-not-let-her-into-your-house/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I dream that my face appears on a postage stamp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-dream-that-my-face-appears-on-a-postage-stamp/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“There was some faint coughing, a moan, and then a man spoke. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked. "Yes," a woman said wearily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/there-was-some-faint-coughing-a-moan-and-then-a-man-spoke-are-you-all/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“It was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying, "I drank too much last night." You might have heard it whispered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/it-was-one-of-those-midsummer-sundays-when-everyone-sits-around/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“To write well, to write passionately, to be less inhibited, to be warmer, to be more self-critical, to recognize the power of as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/to-write-well-to-write-passionately-to-be-less-inhibited-to-be-warmer/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) [Explore all 132 John Cheever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [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/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cheever" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-not-the-strength-to-choose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-not-the-strength-to-choose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31c/john-cheever-3301_evil_wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil_275023.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.” — John Cheever", "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": "John Cheever", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wisdom is the knowledge of good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-not-the-strength-to-choose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-not-the-strength-to-choose/#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 } } ] } ```