To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin.
What's the meaning of this quote?
Quote Meaning: The quote is quite profound in its implications about personal resilience and social responsibility. When someone wrongs us and we respond with patience and forgiveness, it speaks to our strength of character and emotional maturity. It means we've risen above the pettiness of revenge and the cycle of harm, choosing instead to navigate the situation with grace. However, the second part of the quote emphasizes that this virtue doesn't apply when the wrongs are done to others. Standing by passively while someone else is treated unjustly isn't a sign of patience or virtue, but rather a lack of courage or empathy. In other words, it's crucial to differentiate between personal resilience and bystander apathy. This quote is a call to action against injustice. It's not enough to merely avoid doing harm ourselves; we must also stand up for those who are being wronged, advocating for justice and fairness in all our interactions. In this sense, the quote speaks to the dual responsibility we have in life: to cultivate inner resilience and to stand up for justice in the world around us.
Who said the quote?
The quote "To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin." was said by Thomas Aquinas (Bio / Quotes). Thomas Aquinas was a medieval Italian philosopher and theologian who is best known for his work "Summa Theologica.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.