“Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible.”

“There is only one enduring happiness in life — to live for others.”

“Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy.”

“Love hinders death. Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”

“The only thing that we know is that we know nothing — and that is the highest flight of human wisdom.”

“Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait.”

“Happiness is the final and perfect fruit of obedience to the laws of life.”

“The highest result of education is tolerance.”

“Example is the best lesson there is.”

“Only a man's character is the real criterion of worth.”

“It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”

“In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”