The small wisdom is like water in a glass: clear, transparent, pure. The great wisdom is like the water in the sea: dark, mysterious, impenetrable.
Rabindranath TagoreRead
The fish in the water is silent, the animals on the earth is noisy, the bird in the air is singing. But man has in him the silence of the sea, the noise of the earth and the music of the air.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the complexity of human existence, showcasing the balance of silence and noise in nature and within ourselves.
Rabindranath Tagore's quote illustrates the multifaceted nature of humanity, suggesting that while we may experience the quiet depths like the sea, the bustling realities of life and the beauty of expression embody both chaos and harmony. It highlights that humans possess the ability to navigate silence, noise, and melody, making us unique in our emotional and intellectual capacities.
Themes
SilenceNoiseMusicHumanityNatureEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the human experience, one might use this quote to emphasize the depth of human emotions.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
All quotes →Music fills the infinite between two souls. This has been muffled by the mist of our daily habits.
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True deliverance of man is the deliverance from Avidya i.e. ignorance. It is not in destroying anything that is positive and real, for that cannot be possible, but that which is negative, which obstructs our vision of truth.
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The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
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If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
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To be outspoken is easy when you do not wait to speak the complete truth.
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