A Quote by Thomas Jefferson

I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.

Thomas Jefferson

Quote Topics

Men Politics Ambition Govern Office Painful Thankless

Quote Author

Thomas Jefferson
American - President
April 13, 1743 - July 4, 1826

I leave to others the sublime delights of riding in the storm, better pleased with sound sleep & a warmer berth below it encircled, with the society of neighbors, friends & fellow laborers of the earth rather than with spies & sycophants ... I have no ambition to govern men. It is a painful and thankless office.

Thomas Jefferson

When I was 5, my father was very much my hero. And he ran for political office in a very thankless campaign for a very thankless position. And he did it because his mother had instilled in him, if you are someone who has the capacity to make a great change, you have the responsibility.

Howard Warren Buffett

Clever and attractive women do not want to vote; they are willing to let men govern as long as they govern men.

George Bernard Shaw

The office of the public teacher is an unenviable and thankless one.

Felix Adler

Inflammatory passion and selfish interest characterizes most men, whereas ambition characterizes men who pursue and hold national office. Such men rise from the people through a process of self-selection, since politics is a dirty business that discourages all but the most ambitious.

Tom Cotton

Being an office bearer of a housing society is a thankless job that everyone wants to shirk.

Sucheta Dalal

The problem with Mexico isn't so much the men who govern but the lack of rules to govern by and the absence of institutions to rule with.

Denise Dresser

A wise man is cured of ambition by ambition itself; his aim is so exalted that riches, office, fortune and favour cannot satisfy him.

Samuel Johnson

God give us men! A time like this demands. Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not die.

J. G. Holland

It's not always thankless. Let's face it - it's not always thankless. I've gotten a lot of really great recognition and I've worked with amazing people.

Kyra Sedgwick

There are many men whose tongues might govern multitudes if they could govern their tongues.

George Dennison Prentice

God uses lust to impel men to marry, ambition to office, avarice to earning, and fear to faith. God led me like an old blind goat.

Martin Luther

When I realised that I had feelings for men as well as women, at first I was worried and frightened, and there was a certain amount of 'Who am I? Am I a criminal?' and so on. It took me a long time to come to terms with myself. Those were painful years - painful then and painful to look back on.

Vikram Seth

A man cannot govern a nation if he cannot govern a city; he cannot govern a city if he cannot govern a family; he cannot govern a family unless he can govern himself; and he cannot govern himself unless his passions are subject to reason

Hugo Grotius

The confession of our failings is a thankless office. It savors less of sincerity or modesty than of ostentation. It seems as if we thought our weaknesses as good as other people's virtues.