---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are…"
description: "\"Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are not wise; for goodness, and we are not good; for overcoming evil, and evil remains; for patience and sympathy ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/thornton-t-munger-44145_and-love_life-is-given-for-wisdom-and-yet-we-are_3055196.jpg"
---

#  Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are not wise; for…

![“Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are not wise; for goodness, and we are not good; for overcoming evil, and evil remains; for patience and sympathy and love, and yet we are fretful and hard and weak and selfish. We are keyed not to attainment, but to the struggle toward it.” quote by Thornton T. Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/thornton-t-munger-44145_and-love_life-is-given-for-wisdom-and-yet-we-are_3055196.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/thornton-t-munger-44145_and-love_life-is-given-for-wisdom-and-yet-we-are_3055196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/thornton-t-munger-44145_and-love_life-is-given-for-wisdom-and-yet-we-are_3055196.jpg)

> “Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are not wise; for goodness, and we are not good; for overcoming evil, and evil remains; for patience and sympathy and love, and yet we are fretful and hard and weak and selfish. We are keyed not to attainment, but to the struggle toward it.”

[Thornton T. Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-t-munger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human existence seeks wisdom, goodness, and love, yet we remain flawed; our purpose lies in the struggle toward these ideals, not in attaining them fully.

**In simple terms:** We strive for virtues but stay imperfect; struggle matters.

Key Takeaway

Focus on the journey toward virtue.

Themes

philosophy human nature ethics

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical spiritual

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- community service
- conflict resolution
- self‑improvement

Key Concepts

spirituality psychology moral development

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you to keep striving despite flaws?
- How can struggle itself be rewarding?

A Different Perspective

Ideal goals may be unattainable.

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[And love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/) [Attainment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attainment/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-wisdom-1305497/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Overcoming evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming-evil-138245/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Remains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remains/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Sympathy and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy-and-love/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) [Weak Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak-selfish-677471/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-wise-533023/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

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