--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know well enough what it is, provided…" description: "\"“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain, I am baffled.”\" — St. Augustine of Hippo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg" --- # I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks… ![“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain, I am baffled.” quote by St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg) > ““I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain, I am baffled.”” [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When asked to define something, the attempt to explain can lead to confusion, highlighting limits of language and understanding. **In simple terms:** Explaining complex ideas can be confusing and reveal our limits. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty, seek deeper study. Themes knowledge language humility philosophy Mood reflective introspective Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - spiritual contemplation - dialogue - writing Key Concepts epistemology theology self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What concepts do you find hardest to articulate? - How do you handle confusion when explaining? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis may paralyze insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Quid est ergo tempus? Si nemo ex me quaerat, scio; si quaerenti explicare velim, nescio. What, then, is time? I know well enough what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/quid-est-ergo-tempus-si-nemo-ex-me-quaerat-scio-si-quaerenti/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Don't try to explain it, just sell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-tom-parker/don-t-try-to-explain-it-just-sell-it/) [Colonel Tom Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-tom-parker/) > [I guess I want people to see me and to try to explain myself, and you don't always get the chance. Sometimes you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-guess-i-want-people-to-see-me-and-to-try-to-explain-myself-and-you/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [The more I try to explain myself, the less I understand myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/the-more-i-try-to-explain-myself-the-less-i-understand-myself/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [“We should try to explain ourselves only to those who value us in their life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/we-should-try-to-explain-ourselves-only-to-those-who-value-us-in/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Truth Is Simple... But, The Moment You Try To Explain... It Becomes Difficult...!!.:-)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/truth-is-simple-but-the-moment-you-try-to-explain-it-becomes-difficult/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [If you really want to understand something, the best way is to try and explain it to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/if-you-really-want-to-understand-something-the-best-way-is-to-try-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I hate it when people try to explain music. The best thing about music is that it's invisible. If you make a song and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-lean/i-hate-it-when-people-try-to-explain-music-the-best-thing-about-music/) [Yung Lean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-lean/) > [I've never had a 12-year-old try to explain to me about groove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/i-ve-never-had-a-12-year-old-try-to-explain-to-me-about-groove/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) > [To try to explain something as "I love it" and "It's fun" would be like describing the sunset over the middle of the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-dakides/to-try-to-explain-something-as-i-love-it-and-it-s-fun-would-be-like/) Tara Dakides > [Everyone wants to understand art. Why not try to understand the song of a bird? ...people who try to explain pictures are usually barking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/everyone-wants-to-understand-art-why-not-try-to-understand-the-song/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [ “Some things in life are too complicated to explain in any language. \[ \] Not just to explain to others but to explain to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-things-in-life-are-too-complicated-to-explain-in-any-language/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Did you ever have a conversation with someone who misunderstood everything you had to say? It's exhausting, and the ironic part is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/did-you-ever-have-a-conversation-with-someone-who-misunderstood/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [The sciences do not try to explain, they hardly even try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/the-sciences-do-not-try-to-explain-they-hardly-even-try-to-interpret/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [When so many people misunderstand you, you learn not to try and explain yourself and wait for the people who actually try to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-hanthorn/when-so-many-people-misunderstand-you-you-learn-not-to-try-and/) Morgan Hanthorn ## More by St. Augustine of Hippo > [“The mind commands the body and is instantly obeyed. The mind commands itself and meets resistance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/the-mind-commands-the-body-and-is-instantly-obeyed-the-mind-commands/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“You are not the mind itself. For You are the Lord God of the mind. All these things are liable to change, but You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/you-are-not-the-mind-itself-for-you-are-the-lord-god-of-the-mind-all/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“I inquired what wickedness is, and I didn't find a substance, but a perversity of will twisted away from the highest substance – You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-inquired-what-wickedness-is-and-i-didn-t-find-a-substance-but-a/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Further, all men are to be loved equally. But since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special regard to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/further-all-men-are-to-be-loved-equally-but-since-you-cannot-do-good/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Belatedly I loved thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new, belatedly I loved thee. For see, thou wast within and I was without,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/belatedly-i-loved-thee-o-beauty-so-ancient-and-so-new-belatedly-i/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“I probably felt more resentment for what I personally was to suffer than for the wrong they were doing to anyone and everyone. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-probably-felt-more-resentment-for-what-i-personally-was-to-suffer/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Theft is punished by Your law, O Lord, and by the law written in men's hearts, which iniquity itself cannot blot out. For what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/theft-is-punished-by-your-law-o-lord-and-by-the-law-written-in-men-s/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/understanding-is-the-reward-of-faith-therefore-seek-not-to-understand/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Desiderium sinus cordis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/desiderium-sinus-cordis/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Inter faeces et urinam nascimur. (We are born between shit and piss.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/inter-faeces-et-urinam-nascimur-we-are-born-between-shit-and-piss/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“When it happens that I am more moved by the song than the thing which is sung, I confess that I sin in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/when-it-happens-that-i-am-more-moved-by-the-song-than-the-thing-which/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/late-have-i-loved-you-beauty-so-old-and-so-new-late-have-i-loved-you/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Why, then, do I set before You an ordered account of so many things? it's certainly not through me that You know them. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/why-then-do-i-set-before-you-an-ordered-account-of-so-many-things-it/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/and-men-go-abroad-to-admire-the-heights-of-mountains-the-mighty-waves/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [“There is no sin unless through a man's own will, and hence the reward when we do right things also of our own will."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/there-is-no-sin-unless-through-a-man-s-own-will-and-hence-the-reward/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) [Explore all 22 St. Augustine of Hippo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [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/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [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/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain, I am baffled.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "St. Augustine of Hippo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/st-augustine-of-hippo-25936_answers_i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-t_439150.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to…” — St. Augustine of Hippo", "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": "St. Augustine of Hippo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I know well enough what it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/#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 } } ] } ```