Among Mark Twain’s phrases that this prolific writer left us after his passage through life we find real gems of biting criticism of an unequal society, full of inequalities.

However, there is also a sense of transcendence in them that goes far beyond cynicism or slander. That’s why so much can be learned from it.

Mark Twain’s Most Outstanding Quotes

Mark Twain is the pseudonym that Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910), an American author, writer and adventurer who never tired of searching for his own path and experiences in his journeys without a final destination, began to use in his articles. His father died when he was only twelve years old, which meant that he had to abandon his schooling, but this did not prevent him from following a proper education that would later allow him to become one of the best writers of all times.

This famous author tried to make the most of his career by living all over the United States, working on things he would never have imagined (mining, carpentry), visiting spectacular towns and meeting all kinds of people, a fact that allowed him to capture it in his own works. Besides being a novelist and essayist, Twain was a true adventurer.

In this article we will see the most relevant sentences of the American author and adventurer.

1. Man was made at the end of the week when God was tired

A very peculiar way of talking about man’s imperfection.

2. There are people who can do everything right but one; stop telling their happiness to the unhappy

We must encourage people in difficulty, not drag them down further.

3. Action speaks more than 1000 words but not as often

We are what we do, not what we say. One of Mark Twain’s phrases reflects his practical approach to morality .

4. There is a charm about forgetting that makes it inexplicably desirable

Mark Twain often referred to oblivion as a remedy for happiness.

5. When your friends start complimenting you on how young you look, it’s sure to be a sign that you’re getting old

Sometimes human beings lie to make others feel better.

6. Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more flexible

Great sentence to explain the difference between reality and trends .

7. What is the difference between a taxidermist and a rate collector? That the taxidermist only takes your skin

Mark Twain was always very critical of the state tax system.

8. Always loyalty to the country. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it

Twain’s curious reflection on politics.

9. The age would be infinitely happier if we could be born at the age of 80 and gradually reach 18

Growing up is never pleasant. Rejuvenation is what we always look for throughout life.

10. The secret source of humor is not joy but sadness

According to Twain, sadness is a happiness dependent variable . They are indivisible.

11. When fishing for love, I use the heart as bait, not the brain

This phrase describes how Mark Twain saw love.

12. A man is never more truthful than when he recognizes himself as a liar

The first thing is to acknowledge our shortcomings. Only then can we change them.

13. Let us live so that when we die, even the undertaker will repent

It seems that Twain saw little enthusiasm for enjoying life from the people.

14. The world owes you nothing. I was here first

We often utter the phrase “the world owes me one. Everyone is the master of their own destiny and decisions.

15. To succeed in life you need two things: ignorance and confidence

Mark Twain saw in the open a way to succeed.

16. The secret of going forward is to start

You don’t have to be immobile and wait for things to come.

17. Age is a matter of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter

It’s already said a lot: age is just a number.

18. My mother had a lot of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it

A good way to explain the relationship between a mother and child .

19. Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see

In life you have to be polite and pleasant, in all circumstances.

20. Get your acts first, then you can distort them as you wish

First you have to do, then you have to describe.

21. It is better to keep your mouth shut and make people think if you are stupid than to open it and solve every doubt

If we cannot say anything better than when we are silent, it is advisable to keep silent .

22. When you are on the side of the majority, it is time to stop and reflect

It’s very tempting to fall into the general trend and not think for ourselves, Twain thought.

23. Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow

Procrastination is always a negative element.

24. Against the assault of laughter nothing can be sustained

For Mark Twain, humor was essential to a full life.

25. The truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize on it

The truth is a treasure that is little appreciated in society.

26. Truth is rarer than fiction

Returning to this concept, it is very difficult to manage. It’s easier to lie.

27. You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is not focused

First we must imagine what we want to achieve or realize .

28. Apparently there is nothing that can’t happen today

Let’s never underestimate the day-to-day.

29. Courage is resistance to fear; mastery of fear

Twain was a born adventurer, and saw in courage the overcoming of fear.

30. Good Friends, Good Books, and a Sleepy Conscience: That’s Real Life

A very concise and forceful way to describe life.

31. All generalizations are false, including this one

Twain found it very obnoxious to make these kinds of claims.

32. Lack of money is the root of all evil

As it happens today, money conditions our societies .

33. Name the greatest inventor. Accident

Many of humanity’s great advances have come about by chance. Champagne, for example.

34. Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated

Mark Twain was left for dead on several occasions.

35. Don’t let the school interfere with your education

For many thinkers and intellectuals, school is a form of indoctrination .

36. Anger is an acid that does more damage to the storage container than to anything it is poured into

This phrase explains very well what anger means to people.

37. Fear of death comes from fear of life

If we don’t fear life, we don’t fear death.

38. If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything

The truth, always so important, even though sometimes we prefer not to try to approach it.

39. A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he cannot learn otherwise

One of Mark Twain’s humorous phrases.

40. Quitting smoking is the simplest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it a thousand times

A very funny way to describe how hard it is to quit smoking.

41. The best way to encourage yourself is to try to encourage someone else

We always have to take into account the happiness of others . It is synonymous with our own happiness.

42. It is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog

Funny way of paraphrasing Twain when dealing with conflict.

43. There are people who get things and people who say they have gotten things. The first group is less frequent

We often settle in the comfort zone and give up on our dreams.

44. Humor is humanity’s greatest blessing

Humor has always been a part of Mark Twain’s life.

45. The human race has a really effective weapon and that is laughter

We refer back to humor as a way to achieve happiness.

46. If your job is to eat two frogs, it is best to eat the larger one first

Frogs are a bad thing in life. So we must overcome the hardest part first.

47. I don’t want to commit to heaven and hell, I have friends in both places

Excellent way for the author to avoid judging people .

48. For God it is only possible: to find meaning in any copyright on the planet

People turn to theology when they cannot explain any situation in life.

49. When people do not respect us we feel offended

Respect must always be a sine qua non condition for our relationship with others.

50. A person who does not read has no advantage over one who cannot read

Reading is an indispensable tool for culture and knowledge.

51. Honesty is the best policy when money is involved

It’s very hard not to get greedy, according to Mark Twain.

52. The weather is what we expect, the weather is what we have

We have to be realistic to avoid frustration.

53. I never let my school interfere with my education

One should learn to be a free thinker. Twain was very clear about that.

54. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time

He who enjoys life will not fear death.

55. Necessity is the master soul of all risks

The human being is capable of anything in the face of urgency or lack .

56. It is better to deserve honors and not have them, than to have them and not deserve them

Trophies, medals and other public recognition were of little value to the author.