76 Inspiring Peace Quotes

In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, finding pockets of peace becomes essential to our well-being. Whether you're navigating personal challenges or global events, words have the profound power to offer solace and inspiration. We've gathered a collection of the top 76 inspiring peace quotes to bring serenity and wisdom into your life. These carefully selected gems from poets, leaders, and philosophers will not only calm your spirit but also ignite a sense of hope and inner tranquility. Dive in and let these words be a gentle reminder of the enduring power of peace.

1. “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” - Albert Einstein

2. “It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.” - Chuck Palahniuk

3. “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.” - Mahatma Gandhi

4. “In the heartfelt mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those sitting in darkness, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet to the way of peace.” - Anonymous

5. “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” - William Wilberforce

6. “Sometimes you have to pick the gun up to put the Gun down.” - Malcom X

7. “But wherever we are, we must all, in our daily lives, live up to the age-old faith that peace and freedom walk together. In too many of our cities today, the peace is not secure because freedom is incomplete." (John F. Kennedy, June 10, 1963, American University speech)” - John F. Kennedy

8. “My Solitude is my Treasure, the best thing I have. I hesitate to go out. If you opened the little gate, I would not hop away—but oh how I sing in my gold cage.” - A.S. Byatt

9. “The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.” - Albert Einstein

10. “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” - Mahatma Gandhi

11. “Fights between individuals, as well as governments and nations, invariably result from misunderstandings in the broadest interpretation of this term. Misunderstandings are always caused by the inability of appreciating one another's point of view. This again is due to the ignorance of those concerned, not so much in their own, as in their mutual fields. The peril of a clash is aggravated by a more or less predominant sense of combativeness, posed by every human being. To resist this inherent fighting tendency the best way is to dispel ignorance of the doings of others by a systematic spread of general knowledge. With this object in view, it is most important to aid exchange of thought and intercourse.” - Nikola Tesla

12. “O Thou who art my quietness, my deep repose,My rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill,Fair is Thy pavilion, where I hold me still.Back let them fall from me, my clamorous foes,Confusions multiplied;From crowding things of sense I flee, and Thee I hide.Until this tyranny be overpast,Thy hand will hold me fast;What though the tumult of the storm increase,Grant to Thy servant strength, O Lord, and bless with peace.” - Amy Carmichael

13. “Peace can happen in 24 hours....just like war can happen in 24 hours.” - Sari Nusseibeh

14. “You can blow the world to pieces, but you can't blow the world to peace.” - Dennis Kucinich

15. “We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror, as if we are threatened and innocent and the rest of humanity is threatening, or wretched, or expendable. Our memory is struggling to rescue the truth that human rights were not handed down as privileges from a parliament, or a boardroom, or an institution, but that peace is only possible with justice and with information that gives us the power to act justly.” - John Pilger

16. “The greatest thrill is not to kill but to let live.” - James Oliver Curwood

17. “There is a tonic strength, in the hour of sorrow and affliction, in escaping from the world and society and getting back to the simple duties and interests we have slighted and forgotten. Our world grows smaller, but it grows dearer and greater. Simple things have a new charm for us, and we suddenly realize that we have been renouncing all that is greatest and best, in our pursuit of some phantom.” - William George Jordan

18. “Many people think excitement is happiness.... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

19. “Don't live by my words, don't die by them, chew them slowly digest them, and smile if they give nourishment to your soul.” - Stanley Victor Paskavich

20. “I strongly feel that it is only when there is a deep understanding of one's own religious beliefs and commitments that progress can be made in achieving true understanding and respect for the religious values and beliefs of others. Engaging in interfaith dialogue does not in any way mean undermining one's own faith or religious tradition. Indeed, interfaith dialogue is constructive only when people become firmly grounded in their own religious traditions and through that process gain a willingness to listen and respect the beliefs of other religions. (by Cilliers, Ch. 3, p. 48-49)” - David R. Smock

21. “My son, do not forget my teaching,But let your heart keep my commandments;For length of days and years of lifeAnd peace they will add to you.Do not let kindness and truth leave you;Bind them around your neck,Write them on the tablet of your heart.So you will find favor and good reputeIn the sight of God and man.Trust in the Lord with all your heartAnd do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He will make your paths straight.” - Anonymous

22. “America... goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.” - John Quincy Adams

23. “Jerusalem! My Love,My TownI wept until my tears were dryI prayed until the candles flickeredI knelt until the floor creakedI asked about Mohammed and ChristOh Jerusalem, the fragrance of prophetsThe shortest path between earth and skyOh Jerusalem, the citadel of lawsA beautiful child with fingers charredand downcast eyesYou are the shady oasis passed by the ProphetYour streets are melancholyYour minarets are mourningYou, the young maiden dressed in blackWho rings the bells at the Nativity Church, On sunday morning?Who brings toys for the childrenOn Christmas eve?Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrowA big tear wandering in the eyeWho will halt the aggressionOn you, the pearl of religions?Who will wash your bloody walls?Who will safeguard the Bible?Who will rescue the Quran?Who will save Christ, From those who have killed Christ?Who will save man?Oh Jerusalem my townOh Jerusalem my loveTomorrow the lemon trees will blossomAnd the olive trees will rejoiceYour eyes will danceThe migrant pigeons will returnTo your sacred roofsAnd your children will play againAnd fathers and sons will meetOn your rosy hillsMy townThe town of peace and olives” - Nizar Qabbani

24. “This world is so full of wars and hostilities. All parties seek for allies to defeat enemies. I support peace effort towards mastermind which has caused men hostile to each other.” - Toba Beta

25. “Now the valley cried with anger, "Mount your horses draw your sword." And they killed the mountain people, so they won their just reward. Now they stood beside the treasure, on the mountain dark and red. Turned the stone and looked beneath it. "Peace on earth" was all it said. Go ahead and hate your neighbor,go ahead and cheat a friend. Do it in the name of heaven, you can justify it in the end. There won't be any trumpets blowing come the judgment day. On the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.” - Dennis Lambert

26. “You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once.” - Robert A. Heinlein

27. “Even if things don't unfold the way you expected, don't be disheartened or give up. One who continues to advance will win in the end.” - Daisaku Ikeda

28. “Acknowledgements! My thanks to HollywoodWhen you showed me John RamboStitching up his arm with no anaestheticAnd giving them “a war they won’t believe”I knew then my calling, the job for meThanks also to the recruitment advertsFor showing me soldiers whizzing around on skisAnd for sending sergeants to our schoolTo tell us of the laughs, the great food, the payThe camaraderieI am, dear taxpayer, forever in your debtYou paid for my all-inclusive pilgrimageOne year basking in the Garden of Eden(I haven’t quite left yet)Thanks to Mum and thanks to DadFuck it,Thanks to every parentFlushing with pride for their brave young ladsBuying young siblings toy guns and toy tanksWaiting at the airportWaving their flags” - Danny Martin

29. “As participants in a mobile culture, our default is to move. God embraces our broken world, and I have no doubt that God can use our movement for good. But I am convinced that we lose something essential to our existence as creatures if we do not recognize our fundamental need for stability. Trees can be transplanted, often with magnificent results. But their default is to stay.” - Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

30. “They're not chicks. They're ducks.” - Lauren Myracle

31. “If you divide the world into them and us, and history into ours and theirs, or if you think of history as something only you and your affiliates possess, then no matter what you know, no matter how noble your intentions, you have taken one step toward the destruction of the world.” - Robert Bringhurst

32. “Peace does not dwell in outward things but within the soul; we may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, if our will remains firm and submissive. Peace in this life springs from acquiescence to, not an exemption from, suffering.” - Francois Fenelon

33. “There's a man who is my brother,I just don't know his name,But I know his home and family,Because I know we feel the same,And it hurts me when he's hungry,Or when his children cry,I too am a father,That little one is mineIt's about time we begin it,To turn the world around,It's about time we start to make it,The dream we've always known,It's about time we start to live it,The family of man,It's about time, It's about changes, And it's about time,It's about you and me together,And it's about time” - John Denver

34. “No more quickly can a person rob you of your joy and peace than when that individual succeeds at making you feel like you're less than worthy of God as compared to his/her own self. The old adage "You're on your way to hell, and I'm on my way to heaven" spoken or implied to another, is the most predominantly effective way to make someone feel better about himself; and he doesn't even have to prove he's better in this life on earth because now he can just say "Wait 'til I'm looking down at you while you're in hell!" But don't be robbed of your joy and peace, individuals or groups of people like that don't know where God is; He is a whisper-distance away from you, is all.” - C. JoyBell C.

35. “Peace is the number one beautiful ornament you can wear, I really believe that. They say you should always wear a smile, but I don't believe that you should "always" wear a smile, seriously, you're going to look stupid! But peace, you should always carry peace within you, its the most beautifying thing you could ever have or do. Peace makes your heart beautiful and it makes you look beautiful, too. You want to have perfect physical posture when you stand, sit, and walk, and peace is the perfect posture of the soul, really. Try perfect posture outside as well as inside. Peace creates grace and grace gives peace.” - C. JoyBell C.

36. “Peace is something like happiness; you cannot say "I will be happy when..." and you can't say "I will be peaceful when..." Your happiness shouldn't depend on the situation you're in nor on the circumstances that surround you. In the same breath, you cannot wait for everything around you to become peaceful in order for you to say "I am peaceful." In both happiness and peace, there is a heart of strength, determination and steadfastness; a heart that has the power to make things happen. You have to be at peace. You have to be happy. Now.” - C. JoyBell C.

37. “Peace is not an easy prospect--it requires greater bravery than does conflict.” - Ozzie Zehner

38. “Is it not better for a man to die for a cause in which he believes, such as peace, than to suffer for a cause in which he does not believe, such as war?” - Albert Einstein

39. “Having beef with someone is unnecessary and avoidable. Whatever the issue, if not positive, it is an opportunity to cut the excess fat from an unhealthy dietary network. Simply excuse yourself from the table of negativity and lean forward in peace.” - T.F. Hodge

40. “Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.” - Criss Jami

41. “When I reach the end of one row, I continue straight on away from the barn and the farm and the road. I walk until I come to a pile of hay bales and plop myself down. The sun is bright and the air is sharp. In the distance I hear the lowing of cows. It's so peaceful here."Merry Christmas, " I whisper to myself. "Merry Christmas, Nate.” - Lisa Ann Sandell

42. “What would you have? Your gentleness shall force More than your force move us to gentleness.” - William Shakespeare

43. “Souls reconstructed with faith transform agony into peace.” - Aberjhani

44. “We must never forget to pray, and to ask God to remember us when He is arranging things, so that we too may feel safe and have no anxiety about what is going to happen.” - Johanna Spyri

45. “And wasn't it this bright boy you selected for beating and tortures after hours? Of course it was. We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for their are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man's mind. Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man? Me? I won't stomach them for a minute. And so when houses were finally fireproofed completely, all over the world (you were correct in your assumption the other night) there was no longer need of firemen for the old purposes. They were given the new job, as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread of being inferior: official censors, judges and executors. That's you, Montag, and that's me.” - Ray Bradbury

46. “When our emotional health is in a bad state, so is our level of self-esteem. We have to slow down and deal with what is troubling us, so that we can enjoy the simple joy of being happy and at peace with ourselves.” - Jess C. Scott

47. “Grant that I may radiate Thy Light, Thy Love,Thy Healing, Thy Joy, and Thy Peaceto all those around meand all those in my thoughtsthis day and ever more.” - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

48. “We're all latchkey kids a threshold from peace.” - S. Kelley Harrell

49. “In the eleven months preceding the outbreak of World War II, 211 treaties of peace were signed. Were these treaties of peace written on paper, or were they written on the hearts of men? And we must ask ourselves as we hear of treaties being written today, whether the treaties of the UN are written with the full cognizance of the fact that those who sign them are responsible before God?” - Fulton J. Sheen

50. “For a few moments, attune your mind to the idea of harmony and peaceful coexistence flowing among all peoples and nations.The source of this idea is deep within your heart.As you calmly breathe in and out, picture it radiating from you like a fine, colored vapor gradually covering the face of the earth.See it enter the hearts of everyone, especially those stuck in the mad zones.Feel it circulate everywhere until it comes all the way round and back to you.This is love in action.The source of this love is the Tao.Savor this.” - Stephen Russell

51. “If you or I are having a single thought of violence or hatred against anyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world.” - Deepak Chopra

52. “Mindfulness meditation doesn't change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart's capacity to accept life as it is. It teaches the heart to be more accommodating, not by beating it into submission, but by making it clear that accommodation is a gratifying choice.” - Sylvia Boorstein

53. “The note of the perfect personality is not rebellion, but peace.” - Oscar Wilde

54. “Father, I serve the Messiah, the Christ. Not any Caesar. His kingdom is not of this world, and no man need fight for it. All empires will pass away, but Christ lives. He is love and peace, and his kingdom will last forever.” - David Holdsworth

55. “Men endured so much for war, but for peace they dared nothing.” - Olaf Stapledon

56. “Faith is the absence of peace, and reflection of fear.” - Lionel Suggs

57. “As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together.” - Isaac Bashevis Singer

58. “Blaming none, disrespecting nothing is the doorway to Unity Consciousness.” - Amit Ray

59. “However, what he wanted was impossible: the serenity of the Gods cannot be achieved by the sword.” - Andrew Ashling

60. “Don’t let mental blocks control you. Set yourself free. Confront your fear and turn the mental blocks into building blocks.” - Dr Roopleen

61. “War is the remedy for peace.” - Silvia Hartmann

62. “Do you want love, or do you want control?” - T. Scott McLeod

63. “You have a unique body and mind, with a particular history and conditioning. No one can offer you a formula for navigating all situations and all states of mind. Only by listening inwardly in a fresh and open way will you discern at any given time what most serves your healing and freedom.” - Tara Brach

64. “Life must have its sacred moments and its holy places. We need the infinite, the limitless, the uttermost -- all that can give the heart a deep and strengthening peace.” - A. Powell Davies

65. “Forgiveness wasn’t ever easy, but a feat much more manageable when you weren’t the subject of its grace. Maybe I’d always be a broken recipient of grace. And in that musing, I found rest.” - Rachael Wade

66. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. ~John 14:27” - Anonymous

67. “They seemed happy and at peace. I knew the feeling for the first time.” - Karen F. Riley

68. “And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be” - The Beatles

69. “We’re hungry for acceptance—from ourselves even more than from others—for love, for fulfillment, for peace. We’re hungry for a life we think we don’t deserve or can’t have, for the person we know we can be if only we’d give ourselves the chance.” - Mary DeTurris Poust

70. “No matter how many sins you make or how slow you travel back toward God's valley, you are still way ahead of a person who never made a mistake and doesn't know what it is like to climb out of a pit of shame and rise above their temptations.” - Shannon L. Alder

71. “Rhage exhaled slowly, air easing out of his nose. As he sank into his skin, he reveled in the perfection of peace. The heavenly silence. The great roaring absence.” - J.R. Ward

72. “The woman must be restored to her rightful place, as the strong, loving maternal leader of peace and reason.” - Bryant McGill

73. “All violence demands reform, and all violence desperately begs to be healed.” - Bryant McGillns

74. “And so we know the satisfaction of hate. We know the sweet joy of revenge. How it feels good to get even. Oh, that was a nice idea Jesus had. That was a pretty notion, but you can't love people who do evil. It's neither sensible or practical. It's not wise to the world to love people who do such terrible wrong. There is no way on earth we can love our enemies. They'll only do wickedness and hatefulness again. And worse, they'll think they can get away with this wickedness and evil, because they'll think we're weak and afraid. What would the world come to?But I want to say to you here on this hot July morning in Holt, what if Jesus wasn't kidding? What if he wasn't talking about some never-never land? What if he really did mean what he said two thousand years ago? What if he was thoroughly wise to the world and knew firsthand cruelty and wickedness and evil and hate? Knew it all so well from personal firsthand experience? And what if in spite of all that he knew, he still said love your enemies? Turn your cheek. Pray for those who misuse you. What if he meant every word of what he said? What then would the world come to?And what if we tried it? What if we said to our enemies: We are the most powerful nation on earth. We can destroy you. We can kill your children. We can make ruins of your cities and villages and when we're finished you won't even know how to look for the places where they used to be. We have the power to take away your water and to scorch your earth, to rob you of the very fundamentals of life. We can change the actual day into actual night. We can do these things to you. And more.But what if we say, Listen: Instead of any of these, we are going to give willingly and generously to you. We are going to spend the great American national treasure and the will and the human lives that we would have spent on destruction, and instead we are going to turn them all toward creation. We'll mend your roads and highways, expand your schools, modernize your wells and water supplies, save your ancient artifacts and art and culture, preserve your temples and mosques. In fact, we are going to love you. And again we say, no matter what has gone before, no matter what you've done: We are going to love you. We have set our hearts to it. We will treat you like brothers and sisters. We are going to turn our collective national cheek and present it to be stricken a second time, if need be, and offer it to you. Listen, we--But then he was abruptly halted.” - Kent Haruf

75. “Has God called you to speak out for peace in a tense situation? Are there lives on the line God is calling you to stand up for, to declare peace to, and to encourage toward a non-violent solution?If so, do it. You never know what might happen. Maybe the Lord is likewise sending you to save many lives from destruction.” - Dillon Burroughs

76. “If peace had a smell,it would be the smell of a library full of old, leather-bound books.” - Mark Pryor