Negligence Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old negligence quotes, negligence sayings, and negligence proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

Negligence is the rust of the soul, that corrodes through all her best resolves. Owen Feltham
Nearly all our ills are the result of neglect in some way or other. And this truth may be said to apply to the ills of nations as well. Negligence is at the bottom of all decay. And decay always starts by showing little signs-or warnings. Then is the time to show interest and to be alert. There is nothing quite so easy as to neglect, and nothing quite so difficult as to repair that negligence. Negligence always carries a high price. It costs nothing to avoid it! George Matthew Adams
He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor. Samuel Johnson
The seeds of evil blooms in the fields of negligence. Mladen Đorđević
Where men or nations have broken down, it will almost invariably be found that neglect of little things was the rock on which they split. Samuel Smiles
The foolish and the ignorant give themselves over to negligence; whereas the wise treasure mindfulness as a precious jewel. Buddha
If you neglect the pot, it boils over and extinguishes the fire. Nigerian Proverb
A little neglect may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of the shoe the horse was lost; for want of the horse the rider was lost--being overtaken and slain by an enemy--all for the want of care about a horse-shoe nail. Benjamin Franklin
The best ground untilled, soonest runs out into rank weeds. A man of knowledge that is negligent or uncorrected, cannot but grow wild and godless. Joseph Hall
Neglect will banish love, kill a lie, and silence slander; yet it will feed a malady, nourish hatred, and fill a garden with weeds. E. P. Day
Neglect is enough to ruin a man; a man who is in business need not commit forgery or robbery to ruin himself; he has only to neglect his business, and his ruin is certain. Albert Barnes
A little neglect may breed great mischief. Benjamin Franklin
In persons grafted in a serious trust, negligence is a crime. William Shakespeare
Success produces confidence; confidence relaxes industry, and negligence ruins the reputation which accuracy had raised. Ben Jonson
There are not the weeds the ones that drown the good seed, but the negligence of the peasant. Confucius
One can get used to ugliness, but never to negligence. Coco Chanel
Remember that nothing will supply the want of prudence, and that negligence and irregularity long continued will make knowledge useless, wit ridiculous, and genius contemptible. Samuel Johnson
Without a little negligence, life would be intolerable. Mason Cooley
No weakness of the human mind has more frequently incurred animadversion, than the negligence with which men overlook their own faults, however flagrant, and the easiness with which they pardon them, however frequently repeated. Samuel Johnson
Gross negligence cannot possibly have intent because it cancels it out. If you're grossly negligent, intent's not a factor, you are or you aren't. Rush Limbaugh
Every one should consider himself as intrusted not only with his own conduct, but with that of others; and as accountable, not only for the duties which he neglects, or the crimes that he commits, but for that negligence and irregularity which he may encourage or inculcate. Every man, in whatever station, has, or endeavours to have his followers, admirers, and imitators, and has therefore the influence of his example to watch with care. Samuel Johnson
Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant. Colin Powell
There have been joys too great to be described in words, and there have been griefs upon which I have not dared to dwell, and with these in mind I say, climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end. Edward Whymper
Luck is a result of careful preparation, failure is a result of negligence. Robert Heinlein
The corn is not choked by the weeds but by the negligence of the farmer. Chinese Proverb
There is the same difference between diligence and neglect, that there is between a garden curiously kept and the sluggard's field when it was all overgrown with nettles and thorns; the one is clothed with beauty and the gracious amiableness of content and cheering loveliness; while the other hath nothing but either little smarting pungencies or else such transpiercings as rankle the flesh within. Owen Feltham
They that are on their guard and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked than the supine, secure and negligent. Benjamin Franklin
Where families suffer from disasters that are preventable, this is a measure of a whole nation's neglect. A society imperils its own future when, out of negligence or contempt, it overlooks the need of children to be reared in a family ... or when, in the midst of plenty, some families cannot give their children adequate food and shelter, safe activity and rest, and an opportunity to grow into full adulthood as people who can care for and cherish other human beings like themselves. Margaret Mead
Neglect of pruning does not kill the vine, but causes it to ramify immoderately, and grow wild. William Warburton
It cannot be when the root is neglected that what springs from it will be well ordered. Confucius