--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always knew that deep down in every…" description: "\"“I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.”\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg" --- # I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there… ![“I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg) > ““I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.”” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deep within every human heart lies compassion and generosity. **In simple terms:** Everyone has innate mercy. Key Takeaway Cultivate and express inner generosity. Themes humanity compassion generosity Mood inspirational hopeful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - community service - conflict resolution - leadership - education Key Concepts psychology human nature Questions to Reflect On - What blocks our innate generosity? - How can societies nurture it? A Different Perspective Not all act on this inner goodness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) ## Related quotes > [We simply cannot delegate the exercise of mercy and generosity to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/we-simply-cannot-delegate-the-exercise-of-mercy-and-generosity-to/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Know that My Heart is mercy itself. From this sea of mercy graces flow out upon the world…I desire that your heart be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-faustina-kowalska/know-that-my-heart-is-mercy-itself-from-this-sea-of-mercy-graces-flow/) [Mary Faustina Kowalska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-faustina-kowalska/) > [I knew deep down that I was going to have my little girl, even if I had to raise her on my own, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lynn-spears/i-knew-deep-down-that-i-was-going-to-have-my-little-girl-even-if-i/) [Jamie Lynn Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lynn-spears/) > [I always knew that I could go deep. How deep? I don't know. But it always seems that with each character I take on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-always-knew-that-i-could-go-deep-how-deep-i-don-t-know-but-it/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“Then Beckett knew. He knew deep inside that his friend was dead. No. Fucking no.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/then-beckett-knew-he-knew-deep-inside-that-his-friend-was-dead-no/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“I knew I was in deep shit. I didn’t know how deep—just that I still hadn’t touched bottom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/i-knew-i-was-in-deep-shit-i-didn-t-know-how-deep-just-that-i-still/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“I tried to blame everyone around me, but I knew, deep down, that it was my own fault”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wade/i-tried-to-blame-everyone-around-me-but-i-knew-deep-down-that-it-was/) [Tobias Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wade/) > [Growing up in California, I obviously knew about our deep connections with the Japanese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roos/growing-up-in-california-i-obviously-knew-about-our-deep-connections/) [John Roos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roos/) > [“Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/women-and-children-knew-deep-in-themselves-that-no-misfortune-was-too/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [You never knew about people, like you never knew how deep a pond was because all you saw was the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-never-knew-about-people-like-you-never-knew-how-deep-a-pond-was/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Those were the reasons we both knew how deep love was, the shared pain that would outlast any pain we caused each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/those-were-the-reasons-we-both-knew-how-deep-love-was-the-shared-pain/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [When my career slowed, I knew deep down it wasn't over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/when-my-career-slowed-i-knew-deep-down-it-wasn-t-over/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knew - knew it in the pit of my stomach, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/even-more-i-had-never-meant-to-love-him-one-thing-i-truly-knew-knew/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [A sob caught in my chest. I didn't even know what a gray was, other than a drab color. All I knew was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rowen/a-sob-caught-in-my-chest-i-didn-t-even-know-what-a-gray-was-other/) [Michelle Rowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rowen/) > [It means that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still that she did not know. Her knowledge goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-means-that-though-the-witch-knew-the-deep-magic-there-is-a-magic/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) Talib al Habib > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-human-heart-there-was-mercy-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-human-heart-there-was-mercy-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f3/nelson-mandela-248_compassion_i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-hu_2808289.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I always knew that deep down...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-human-heart-there-was-mercy-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-always-knew-that-deep-down-in-every-human-heart-there-was-mercy-and/#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 } } ] } ```