Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is renowned not only for leading the country through the Civil War but also for his profound wisdom and eloquence.
His words continue to inspire and guide people across the globe. And here, we’ve compiled 75 of the most inspiring quotes from Abraham Lincoln that reflect his thoughts on leadership, democracy, and human nature.
Best Abraham Lincoln Quotes
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” — Abraham Lincoln
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” — Abraham Lincoln
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” — Abraham Lincoln
Leadership and Governance Quotes
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” — Abraham Lincoln
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” — Abraham Lincoln
“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” — Abraham Lincoln
Human Nature and Personal Development Quotes
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” — Abraham Lincoln
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I do the very best I know how—the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.” — Abraham Lincoln
“If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” — Abraham Lincoln
“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Quotes on Democracy and Freedom
“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people.” — Abraham Lincoln
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” — Abraham Lincoln
“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” — Abraham Lincoln
“My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.” — Abraham Lincoln
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” — Abraham Lincoln
“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.” — Abraham Lincoln
Inspirational and Motivational Quotes
“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Every man’s happiness is his own responsibility.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” — Abraham Lincoln
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” — Abraham Lincoln
“My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.” — Abraham Lincoln
Wisdom and Wit Quotes
“I laugh because I must not cry, that is all, that is all.” — Abraham Lincoln
“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” — Abraham Lincoln
“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Everybody likes a compliment.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.” — Abraham Lincoln
“All I have learned, I learned from books.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.” — Abraham Lincoln
Quotes on Character and Integrity
“Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The people will save their government if the government itself will allow them.” — Abraham Lincoln
“If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him a chance.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I care not for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end… I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall have one friend left, and that friend shall be inside me.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I distrust the wisdom if not the sincerity of friends who would hold my hands while my enemies stab me.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” — Abraham Lincoln
“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve.” — Abraham Lincoln
Thought-Provoking Quotes
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I am for those means which will give the greatest good to the greatest number.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.” — Abraham Lincoln
“I can make more generals, but horses cost money.” — Abraham Lincoln
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” — Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln’s quotes continue to resonate due to their timeless wisdom and insight into human nature, leadership, and democracy. His words encourage us to strive for integrity, compassion, and perseverance in our own lives.
Whether you’re seeking inspiration or guidance, Lincoln’s quotes provide a powerful reminder of the values that lead to a meaningful and impactful life.