--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be…" description: "\"Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools.\" — Thiruvalluvar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png" --- # Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools. ![“Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools.” quote by Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png) > “Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools.” [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Be wise among the learned, but act modestly among the ignorant. **In simple terms:** Show wisdom, hide it from fools. Key Takeaway Practice humility in unwise settings. Themes humility wisdom social intelligence leadership ethics Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political discourse - workplace interactions - family gatherings Key Concepts strategic self‑presentation social navigation Questions to Reflect On - When should you reveal your insight? - How does humility affect influence? A Different Perspective Risk of being misunderstood or exploited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“And if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave like they would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-if-you-cannot-be-wise-pretend-to-be-someone-who-is-wise-and-then/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you are to be among the noble you must be noble. If you are to be among the wise, you must be wise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-b-brown/if-you-are-to-be-among-the-noble-you-must-be-noble-if-you-are-to-be/) [Hugh B. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-b-brown/) > [Heaven is in everything: follow the light, hide in the cloudiness and begin in what is. Do this and your understanding will be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-is-in-everything-follow-the-light-hide-in-the-cloudiness-and/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If you are wise, be wise; keep what goods the gods provide you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/if-you-are-wise-be-wise-keep-what-goods-the-gods-provide-you/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem-so-than-to-seem-wise-and-not/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [To-day, to-day, be wise, be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jean/to-day-to-day-be-wise-be-wise/) James Jean > [Every man wishes to be wise, and they who cannot be wise are almost always cunning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-wishes-to-be-wise-and-they-who-cannot-be-wise-are-almost/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You must be wise, but not too wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-turney-stewart/you-must-be-wise-but-not-too-wise/) Alexander Turney Stewart > [To-morrow — oh, 'twill never be, If we should live a thousand years! Our time is all to-day, to-day, The same, though changed; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery/to-morrow-oh-twill-never-be-if-we-should-live-a-thousand-years-our/) [James Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery/) > [A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a foo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-fool-thinks-himself-to-be-wise-but-a-wise-man-knows-himself-to-be-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When you are in love you are not wise; or, when you are wise you are not in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/when-you-are-in-love-you-are-not-wise-or-when-you-are-wise-you-are/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He who understands the wise is wise already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-understands-the-wise-is-wise-already/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [He that humbles himself before the wise, also become wise, But pride brings a man down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ore-abayomi/he-that-humbles-himself-before-the-wise-also-become-wise-but-pride/) [Ore Abayomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ore-abayomi/) > [“Being a senior doesn't automatically make one wise but the wise & foolish alike have things to teach us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-lokos/being-a-senior-doesn-t-automatically-make-one-wise-but-the-wise/) [Allan Lokos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-lokos/) > [A man who is wise is only as wise as his wife thinks he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-is-wise-is-only-as-wise-as-his-wife-thinks-he-is/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Thiruvalluvar > [The gruel that children's little hands have stirredIs sweeter than nectar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/the-gruel-that-children-s-little-hands-have-stirredis-sweeter-than/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Not every light is a true light; To the wise the light of truth is light itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/not-every-light-is-a-true-light-to-the-wise-the-light-of-truth-is/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Whatever things a man gives up, By those he cannot suffer pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/whatever-things-a-man-gives-up-by-those-he-cannot-suffer-pain/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Those who give way to great anger are like the dead:Those who are free from anger are free from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/those-who-give-way-to-great-anger-are-like-the-dead-those-who-are/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Friendship with the wise gets better with time, as a good book gets better with age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/friendship-with-the-wise-gets-better-with-time-as-a-good-book-gets/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [When no food is given to the ear, Then let a little be given to the stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/when-no-food-is-given-to-the-ear-then-let-a-little-be-given-to-the/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [To use bitter words, when kind words are at hand, Is like picking unripe fruit when the ripe fruit is there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/to-use-bitter-words-when-kind-words-are-at-hand-is-like-picking/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Just as the hand that strikes the ground cannot fail, So is the ruin certain of him who cherishes anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/just-as-the-hand-that-strikes-the-ground-cannot-fail-so-is-the-ruin/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [The crow does not hide its prey, but calls for others to share it; So wealth will be with those of a like disposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/the-crow-does-not-hide-its-prey-but-calls-for-others-to-share-it-so/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Better the arrow that missed the lion than the one that killed a rabbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/better-the-arrow-that-missed-the-lion-than-the-one-that-killed-a/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [As the quality of water changes with the nature of the soil;So will a man's reason vary with the quality of his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/as-the-quality-of-water-changes-with-the-nature-of-the-soil-so-will-a/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Among a man's many good possessions, A good command of speech has no equal. Prosperity and ruin issue from the power of the tongue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/among-a-man-s-many-good-possessions-a-good-command-of-speech-has-no/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Those who pretend to know what they don't, will be thought ignorant of even what they know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/those-who-pretend-to-know-what-they-don-t-will-be-thought-ignorant-of/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [This world is not for the poor, nor the next for the unkind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/this-world-is-not-for-the-poor-nor-the-next-for-the-unkind/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [Nothing is impossible for those who act after wise counsel and careful thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/nothing-is-impossible-for-those-who-act-after-wise-counsel-and/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) [Explore all 41 Thiruvalluvar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) ## More Being wise quotes > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [To be wise was to be above joy and sorrow, fear and pity, ambition and humiliation. It was to hate nothing and to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/to-be-wise-was-to-be-above-joy-and-sorrow-fear-and-pity-ambition-and/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from letters, to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/deign-on-the-passing-world-to-turn-thine-eyes-and-pause-awhile-from/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I feel I want to be wise with white hair in a tall library in a deep chair by a fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/i-feel-i-want-to-be-wise-with-white-hair-in-a-tall-library-in-a-deep/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) Kimberley Strassel > [If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/if-we-are-going-to-be-wise-spiritual-people-prepared-to-meet-the/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [Literature provides us with experiences it would not be wise or possible to introduce into our own world and thus enlarges our understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rosenblatt/literature-provides-us-with-experiences-it-would-not-be-wise-or/) [Louise Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rosenblatt/) > [Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/learned-we-may-be-with-another-man-s-learning-we-can-only-be-wise/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [None of the modes by which a magistrate is appointed, popular election, the accident of the lot, or the accident of birth, affords, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/none-of-the-modes-by-which-a-magistrate-is-appointed-popular-election/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The goal of a passionate artist is to try and make a masterpiece each and every time, yet be wise enough to know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donato-giancola/the-goal-of-a-passionate-artist-is-to-try-and-make-a-masterpiece-each/) Donato Giancola > [License they mean when they cry Liberty; For who loves that, must first be wise and good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/license-they-mean-when-they-cry-liberty-for-who-loves-that-must-first/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [It almost seems as though this roiling world is conspiring to test our patience at every turn. In fact, it is. With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Browse all 310 Being wise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thiruvalluvar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be-dull-among-fools/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being wise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be-dull-among-fools/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/thiruvalluvar-15942_being-wise_be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be_660120.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be wise among the wise, but pretend to be dull among fools.” — Thiruvalluvar", "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": "Thiruvalluvar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Be wise among the wise, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be-dull-among-fools/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/be-wise-among-the-wise-but-pretend-to-be-dull-among-fools/#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 } } ] } ```