Silence is an ornament for women.
SophoclesRead
How terrible is wisdom, when it brings no profit to the man that's wise
Interpretation
What this quote means
Wisdom is of little value if it does not lead to tangible benefits for the wise person.
This quote by Sophocles highlights the irony of possessing wisdom that does not result in any advantage or profit in one's life. It suggests that knowledge alone is insufficient without practical application, and that true wisdom should ideally lead to better decision-making and improve one's circumstances.
Themes
WisdomProfitKnowledgeValueIronies
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the value of education, this quote serves to illustrate the importance of applying knowledge practically.
More from Sophocles
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All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.
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Not even Ares battles against necessity.
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You clearly hate to yield, but you will regret it when your anger has passed. Such natures are justly the hardest for themselves to bear.
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There is nothing more hateful than bad advice.
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