What is strength without a double share of wisdom?
Interpretation
Strength is meaningless without accompanying wisdom to guide its use.
This quote by John Milton emphasizes the importance of wisdom in conjunction with strength. It suggests that having power or physical strength is not truly valuable unless it is informed by knowledge and understanding; wisdom helps to direct strength towards virtuous and constructive ends.
In practice
In a motivational speech emphasizing the importance of not just physical ability but also mental clarity.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.
Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
There's a big confusion in this country over what we want versus what we need," Morrie said. "You need food, you want a chocolate sundae. You have to be honest with yourself. You don't need the latest sports car, you don't need the biggest house. The truth is, you don't get satisfaction from those things. You know what really gives you satisfaction?...Offering others what you have to give...I don't mean money, Mitch. I mean your time. Your concern. Your storytelling. It's not so hard.
Our great mistake is to try to exact from each person virtues which he does not possess, and to neglect the cultivation of those which he has.
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.
I believe every one of us possesses a fundamental right to tell our own story.
What's needed in this case is conscious and serious practice in hearing, and using, and being used by, other people's voices.
Sweet is the memory of past troubles.
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