228 quotes
God forgives us... who am I not to forgive?
Alan Paton
Novelist · South African · 1903 – 1988
The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wriggle and weasel out of one.
Lewis Grizzard
Writer · American · 1946 – 1994
I love my children. That will never change. I have prayed to them for forgiveness and hope that they will forgive me. I never meant to hurt them!!
Susan Smith
Criminal · American · b. 1971
Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
Norman Cousins
Editor · American · b. 1915
God forgive you, but I never can.
Elizabeth I
Royalty · English · 1533 – 1603
China's idea of fair trade is government subsidies of its textile and apparel exports to the United States, currency manipulation, and forgiveness of loans by its government banks.
Virginia Foxx
Politician · American · b. 1943
To forgive and to be forgiven are the two points of holy magnificence and holy modesty; round these two centres the whole doctrine of largesse revolves.
Charles Williams
Editor · English · 1886 – 1945
For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?
Bell Hooks
Critic · American · b. 1952
Anger ventilated often hurries towards forgiveness; anger concealed often hardens into revenge.
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
To understand is to forgive, even oneself.
Alexander Chase
Journalist · American
The schools would fail through their silence, the Church through its forgiveness, and the home through the denial and silence of the parents. The new generation has to hear what the older generation refuses to tell it.
Simon Wiesenthal
Activist · Austrian · 1908 – 2005
The public seldom forgive twice.
Johann Kaspar Lavater
Theologian · German · 1741 – 1801
Jesus died to forgive our sins. Dare we make his martyrdom meaningless by not committing them?
Jules Feiffer
Cartoonist · American · b. 1929
Without forgiveness, there's no future.
Desmond Tutu
Leader · South African · b. 1931
As long as you don't forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy rent-free space in your mind.
Isabelle Holland
Writer · Swiss · 1920 – 2002
I don't think I will ever be able to forgive myself for what I have done.
If you forgive people enough you belong to them, and they to you, whether either person likes it or not squatter's rights of the heart.
James Hilton
Novelist · English · 1900 – 1954
Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.
Indira Gandhi
Statesman · Indian · 1917 – 1984
Forgive those who have hurt you.
Les Brown
Businessman · American
Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.
Roberto Assagioli
Psychologist · Italian · 1888 – 1974
I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.
Catherine II
Statesman · Russian · 1729 – 1796
I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
Henry Ward Beecher
Clergyman · American · 1813 – 1887
God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won't.
Alfred Korzybski
Scientist · Polish · 1879 – 1950
These subsidies from four European governments, which include aircraft launch assistance, capital injections, debt forgiveness, have enabled Airbus to develop and range market airliners well below cost.
Norm Dicks
Politician · American · b. 1940
If you're going to sin, sin against God, not the bureaucracy; God will forgive you but the bureaucracy won't.
Hyman Rickover
Soldier · American · b. 1900
If you are going to sin, sin against God, not the bureaucracy. God will forgive you but the bureaucracy won't.
Good advice is one of those injuries which a good man ought, if possible, to forgive, but at all events to forget at once.
Horace Smith
Poet · English · 1779 – 1849
I do not bring forgiveness with me, nor forgetfulness. The only ones who can forgive are dead; the living have no right to forget.
Chaim Herzog
Statesman · Israeli · 1918 – 1997
The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.
E. O. Wilson
Scientist · American · b. 1929
Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on.
Alice Duer Miller
Poet · American · 1874 – 1942
It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
Grace Hopper
Scientist · American · 1906 – 1992
I have never thought that the circumstance of God's having forgiven me was any reason why I should forgive myself.
Charles Simeon
Clergyman · English
I still forgive him, because by doing what he did, he made it famous.
Alberto Korda
Photographer · Cuban · 1928 – 2001
Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself.
Ausonius
Poet · Roman
I shall be an autocrat, that's my trade; and the good Lord will forgive me, that's his.
Catherine the Great
Royalty · Russian · 1729 – 1796
It's far easier to forgive an enemy after you've got even with him.
Olin Miller
If you haven't forgiven yourself something, how can you forgive others.
Dolores Huerta
Activist · American · b. 1930
I never forgive, but I always forget.
Arthur Balfour
Statesman · British · 1848 – 1930
The principle that certain sins should not receive the Church's testimony of forgiveness was probably no novelty at all, but had been applied in various churches; perhaps, however, with no strict consistency.
Robert Rainy
Clergyman · Scottish · 1826 – 1906
Forgive me if I sleep until I wake up.
Charles Olson
Poet · American · 1910 – 1970
You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.
Lewis B. Smedes
And as I ask for your forgiveness, I also ask for your support to keep all things in perspective and keep all things in proportion. The good of nine years versus the bad.
John Rowland
Politician · American · b. 1957
God will not forgive us if we fail.
Leonid I. Brezhnev
Statesman · Russian · 1906 – 1982
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
They who forgive most shall be most forgiven.
Josiah Bailey
Politician · American · 1873 – 1946
I discipline churchgoers with godly lessons and sharp words if they do not change their ways. My goal is to open their hearts so that they seek forgiveness.
William Brewster
It takes one person to forgive, it takes two people to be reunited.
One of the most lasting pleasures you can experience is the feeling that comes over you when you genuinely forgive an enemy - whether he knows it or not.
Orlando A. Battista
