Misattributed Quotes

Famous quotes that didn't come from who you think — verified origins of the most commonly misattributed sayings — 86 sayings

A subordinate must present a dim-witted face before his superiors, so as not to confuse his superiors with his intelligence.

— Peter the Great Unknown, 17th-18th century
Wisdom

I desire no fatigues, but only inclination, which even sickness itself cannot hinder.

— Peter the Great Early 18th century
Wisdom

A bad plan that is well executed will yield much better results than a good plan that is poorly executed.

— Otto von Bismarck Unknown, 19th century
Wisdom

Joseph, let us go away. They are throwing us out of here. Where shall we go?

— Simon Bolivar December 17, 1830
Wisdom

[Turkish women] had lived free of the veil for 5,000 years, and had been covered only in the last 600 years.

— Ataturk (Mustafa Kemal) Approx. 1920s
Wisdom

Life's burdens are lighter when I laugh at myself.

— Akbar the Great 16th century (approx. 1556-1605)
Wisdom

Little Bird if you do not sing for me, I will wait for you.

— Tokugawa Ieyasu 17th century (approx. 1603-1616)
Wisdom

Everyone has a right to be stupid, but Comrade MacDonald abuses the privilege.

— Leon Trotsky Likely 1920s-1930s
Wisdom

We do not know anything about this. We, gentlemen, to tell the truth, do not even know what to charge.

— Fidel Castro 1990
Wisdom

All right, then nobody can complain if we ask pregnant women to make parachute jumps.

— Muammar Gaddafi 1975
Wisdom

We will burn the old grass and the new will grow.

— Pol Pot c. 1975
Wisdom

If you have a disease of the old society, take a dose of Lenin as medication.

— Pol Pot c. 1975
Wisdom

You must sacrifice every thought, every ideology for the good of the nation and for the serenity of our fatherhood.

— Francisco Franco Unknown
Wisdom

That interview must have done much good. The English people do not know how badly China is governed.

— Sun Yat-sen December 1, 1896
Wisdom

He is shut up in his Palace, and he knows nothing. The people cheat him right and left about what goes on. He hears nothing but lies.

— Sun Yat-sen Pre-1911
Wisdom

Racism will never end as long as white cars are still using black tires.

— Robert Mugabe 2017
Wisdom

Racism will never end if people still use black to symbolise bad luck and WHITE for peace.

— Robert Mugabe 2017
Wisdom

A minimum of comfort is necessary for the practice of virtue.

— Patrice Lumumba Unknown
Wisdom

A man must live like a great brilliant flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is far better than a mean little flame.

— Boris Yeltsin 1990
Wisdom

Even paedophilia is announced as a normal thing.

— Vladimir Putin 2023
Wisdom
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