--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who knows others is wise. He who knows…" description: "\"He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.\" — Lao Tzu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/lao-tzu-624_enlightened_he-who-knows-others-is-wise-he-who-knows_2671167.jpg" --- # He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is… ![“He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.” quote by Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/lao-tzu-624_enlightened_he-who-knows-others-is-wise-he-who-knows_2671167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/lao-tzu-624_enlightened_he-who-knows-others-is-wise-he-who-knows_2671167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/lao-tzu-624_enlightened_he-who-knows-others-is-wise-he-who-knows_2671167.jpg) > “He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.” [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding others shows intelligence; understanding oneself shows true enlightenment. **In simple terms:** Know others, know self. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness. Themes wisdom self‑knowledge enlightenment Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you deepen self‑understanding? - What does true enlightenment mean to you? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can be harder to achieve than observing others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Knows Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-enlightened-1403873/) [Knows Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-wise-656256/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-knows-2156742/) ## Related quotes > [He who knows himself is enlightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-knows-himself-is-enlightened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who knows others is learned; he who knows himself is wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-knows-others-is-learned-he-who-knows-himself-is-wise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not everyone who is enlightened by an angel knows that he is enlightened by him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/not-everyone-who-is-enlightened-by-an-angel-knows-that-he-is/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [My body is very wise; it knows how to heal itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/my-body-is-very-wise-it-knows-how-to-heal-itself/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge - who knows who has written and where it is to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-is-wise-who-knows-the-sources-of-knowledge-who-knows-who-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The man who is truly wise knows that he knows very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-man-who-is-truly-wise-knows-that-he-knows-very-little/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“One who wins always is not the wise one, rather wise is the one who knows where to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/one-who-wins-always-is-not-the-wise-one-rather-wise-is-the-one-who/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge - where it is written and where it is to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-is-wise-who-knows-the-sources-of-knowledge-where-it-is-written-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; shun him. He who knows not, and knows that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arabian/he-who-knows-not-and-knows-not-that-he-knows-not-is-a-fool-shun-him/) [Arabian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arabian/) > [“He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool. Shun him. He who knows not and knows that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-knows-not-and-knows-not-that-he-knows-not-is-a-fool-shun-him-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He who knows not, knows not, he knows not, he is a fool shun him. He who knows not and he knows not, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/he-who-knows-not-knows-not-he-knows-not-he-is-a-fool-shun-him-he-who/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [He who knows not, and knows not he knows not, he is a fool, shun him. 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The man who knows, and knows that he knows; he is wise, so consult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ibn-gabirol/there-are-four-types-of-men-in-this-world-1-the-man-who-knows-and/) [Solomon Ibn Gabirol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ibn-gabirol/) > [He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him; He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-knows-and-knows-that-he-knows-is-a-wise-man-follow-him-he-who/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Only one who knows himself to be neither wise nor good can begin to be either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-askounis/only-one-who-knows-himself-to-be-neither-wise-nor-good-can-begin-to/) [Christina Askounis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-askounis/) ## More by Lao Tzu > [“This is how they are able to continue and endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-how-they-are-able-to-continue-and-endure/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Gravity is the root of lightness;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/gravity-is-the-root-of-lightness/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Therefore the Tao is great;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-the-tao-is-great/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/not-seeking-not-expecting-she-is-present-and-can-welcome-all-things/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“What all men fear is indeed to be feared;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/what-all-men-fear-is-indeed-to-be-feared/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Just remain in the center; watching. And then forget that you are there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/just-remain-in-the-center-watching-and-then-forget-that-you-are-there/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“This is what is called 'The mysterious Quality' (of the Tao).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-what-is-called-the-mysterious-quality-of-the-tao/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“If you show yourself, you will not be seen. If you affirm yourself, you will not shine. 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He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/he-who-knows-other-men-is-discerning-he-who-knows-himself-is/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“If you are depressed, you are living in the past; if you are anxious, you are living in the present; if you are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/if-you-are-depressed-you-are-living-in-the-past-if-you-are-anxious/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Simplicity without a name Is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/simplicity-without-a-name-is-free-from-all-external-aim-with-no/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/when-gold-and-jade-fill-the-hall-their-possessor-cannot-keep-them-safe/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“We listen to it, and we do not hear it, and we name it 'the Inaudible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/we-listen-to-it-and-we-do-not-hear-it-and-we-name-it-the-inaudible/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) [Explore all 434 Lao Tzu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) ## More Enlightened quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. 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Something touches your heart, your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-enlightenment-is-something-that-you-decide-to-do-after-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The more that the human mind is enlightened, the more desirous it becomes of farther acquisitions in knowledge. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stewart/the-more-that-the-human-mind-is-enlightened-the-more-desirous-it/) [Alexander Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stewart/) > [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [In dealing with those who share his bed, the enlightened ruler may enjoy their beauty but should not listen to their special pleas...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-fei/in-dealing-with-those-who-share-his-bed-the-enlightened-ruler-may/) [Han Fei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-fei/) > [“Even when you have been somewhat enlightened by what you have read, you are called upon to continue the serach for significance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/even-when-you-have-been-somewhat-enlightened-by-what-you-have-read/) [Mortimer J. 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