Paradox Sayings and Quotes

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

The porter runs to the heavy load and takes it from others, knowing burdens are the foundation of ease and bitter things are the forerunners of pleasure. Jalaluddin Rumi
The only certainty is that nothing is certain. Pliny the Elder
My strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul of Tarsus
Until we lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves. Henry Miller
Is it not our weakness that makes our strength? Lin Yutang
The true nature of things, truth itself, can be revealed to us only through fantasy, which is more realistic than all the realisms. Eugene Ionesco
Whoever is faced with the paradoxical exposes himself to reality. Friedrich Durrenmatt
One measure— and perhaps the best measure— of a person's greatness is the capacity for suffering. Yet the great are also joyful. This, then, is the paradox. M. Scott Peck
I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large so that there is room for paradoxes. Maxine Hong Kingston
The most selfish thing we can do is to be unselfish because it frees us. Dean Ornish
If life were not worth having,' said the preacher, / 'T would have in suicide one pleasant feature.' / 'An error,' said the pessimist, 'you're making: / What's not worth having cannot be worth taking. Ambrose Bierce
Will you / Or won't you, / Can you / Or can't you, / Another paradox / Unclaimed Kurt Philip Behm
If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? George Carlin
We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities. Oscar Wilde
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it. Mahatma Gandhi
Paradoxically though it may seem, it is nonetheless true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life. Oscar Wilde
Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion. John Stewart
He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears. Michel de Montaigne
When so many are lonely as seem to be lonely, it would be inexcusably selfish to be lonely alone. Tennessee Williams
The paradox of education is precisely this - that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. James Baldwin