Scientia potentia est, sed parva; quia scientia egregia rara est, nec proinde apparens nisi paucissimis, et in paucis rebus. Scientiae enim ea natura est, ut esse intelligi non possit, nisi ab illis qui sunt scientia praediti.
Interpretation
Knowledge is powerful, but rare. True understanding is not easily recognized and is typically held by a few.
The quote by Thomas Hobbes suggests that while knowledge has the potential to empower individuals, it is often scarce and not readily apparent to most people. True knowledge requires a deep comprehension that can only be attained by those specially equipped with the ability to grasp it. This highlights the rarity of profound understanding and the selectivity of those who actually possess significant knowledge.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of education, one could say, 'As Hobbes noted, knowledge is powerful yet rare.'
Baptism is the sacrament of allegiance of them that are to be received into the Kingdom of God, that is to say, into Eternal life, that is to say, to Remission of Sin. For as Eternal life was lost by the committing, so it is recovered by the remitting of men's sins.
Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.
The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.
They that approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that dislike it, heresy; and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion.
How can one learn to know oneself? Never by introspection, rather by action.
No matter how bad things are, they can always be worse. So what if my stroke left me with a speech impediment? Moses had one, and he did all right.
At nineteen, it seems to me, one has a right to be arrogant; time has usually not begun its stealthy and rotten subtractions. It takes away your hair and your jump-shot, according to a popular country song, but in truth it takes away a lot more than that.
Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.
It is much more intelligent, more practical, to be good rather than evil.
Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater.
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