--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if I were certain that the world…" description: "\"Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree this very day\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png" --- # Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow… ![“Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree this very day” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png) > “Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree this very day” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even facing imminent apocalypse, act responsibly by planting trees. **In simple terms:** Plant trees even if world ends tomorrow. Key Takeaway Act responsibly despite uncertainty. Themes environment responsibility hope Mood reflective hopeful Type environmental philosophical When to use this quote - urban planting - climate activism - personal responsibility - future planning Key Concepts sustainability legacy building Questions to Reflect On - What actions matter in dire predictions? - How does hope influence sustainable choices? A Different Perspective May seem futile if apocalypse is certain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [End Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-tomorrow-1228449/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Plant a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant-a-tree/) [Plant Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant-tree-477705/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tomorrow Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-plant-3550500/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-end/) ## Related quotes > [If I thought I was going to die tomorrow, I should nevertheless plant a tree today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-girard/if-i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-tomorrow-i-should-nevertheless-plant/) [Stephen Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-girard/) > [When asked what he would do if he knew the world would end tomorrow, Martin Luther said, "I would plant a tree."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/when-asked-what-he-would-do-if-he-knew-the-world-would-end-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If I knew that the world ends tomorrow, I, even today, plant a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-i-knew-that-the-world-ends-tomorrow-i-even-today-plant-a-tree/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliud-kipchoge/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-was-25-years-ago-the-second-best-time/) [Eliud Kipchoge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliud-kipchoge/) > [That's the way I do things when I want to celebrate, I always plant a tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/that-s-the-way-i-do-things-when-i-want-to-celebrate-i-always-plant-a/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [The est time to plant a tree was 20 years ago…the second best time is now..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-est-time-to-plant-a-tree-was-20-years-ago-the-second-best-time-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Place" On the last day of the world I would want to plant a tree what for not the fruit the tree that bears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin-2/place-on-the-last-day-of-the-world-i-would-want-to-plant-a-tree-what/) [W.S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin-2/) > [On the last day of the world I would want to plant a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/on-the-last-day-of-the-world-i-would-want-to-plant-a-tree/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [“wonderful bit of Chinese wisdom that asks, “When is the best time to plant a tree?”  The answer is “20 years ago, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-s-boynton/wonderful-bit-of-chinese-wisdom-that-asks-when-is-the-best-time-to/) [Paul S. Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-s-boynton/) > [And remember, even when you can't sing, you can always plant a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-archuleta/and-remember-even-when-you-can-t-sing-you-can-always-plant-a-tree/) [David Archuleta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-archuleta/) > [“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-m-r-covey/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-is-twenty-years-ago-the-second-best/) [Stephen M.R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-m-r-covey/) > [Girls, do not scrub and cook and scour until you have no time left to plant a tree, or vine or flower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-swisshelm/girls-do-not-scrub-and-cook-and-scour-until-you-have-no-time-left-to/) [Jane Swisshelm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-swisshelm/) > [Everybody should plant a tree on any happy occasion or birthday and celebrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayaji-shinde/everybody-should-plant-a-tree-on-any-happy-occasion-or-birthday-and/) [Sayaji Shinde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayaji-shinde/) > [What do we plant when we plant a tree? A thousand things that we daily see, We plant the spire that out-towers the crag,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-abbey/what-do-we-plant-when-we-plant-a-tree-a-thousand-things-that-we-daily/) [Henry Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-abbey/) > [“… the best time to plant a tree is always twenty years ago. If, for some reason, you did not plant it then, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-acosta/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-is-always-twenty-years-ago-if-for-some/) [Carlos Acosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-acosta/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [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/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree this very day", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-would-end-tomorrow-i-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-would-end-tomorrow-i-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_certain_even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-wo_2815536.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even if I were certain that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree this very day” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even if I were certain that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-would-end-tomorrow-i-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/even-if-i-were-certain-that-the-world-would-end-tomorrow-i-would/#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 } } ] } ```