Quotes from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (Books I-III)

Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. [The Shadow of the Past; The Fellowship of the Ring, 69]

The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, buy you cannot for ever fence it out. [Three is Company; The Fellowship of the Ring, 93]

Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill. [Three is Company; The Fellowship of the Ring, 93]

Courage is found in unlikely places. [Three is Company; The Fellowship of the Ring, 94]

There's earth under his old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open. [In the House of Tom Bombadil; The Fellowship of the Ring, 143]

It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill. [The Council of Elrond; The Fellowship of the Ring, 278]

It is wisdom to recognise necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope. Well, let folly be our cloak, a veil before the eyes of the Enemy! For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice. But the only measure that he knows is desire, desire for power; and so he judges all hearts. Into his heart the thought will not enter that any will refuse it, that having the Ring we may seek to destroy it. If we seek this, we shall put him out of reckoning. [The Council of Elrond; The Fellowship of the Ring, 282]

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. [The Ring Goes South; The Fellowship of the Ring, 294]

[L]et him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall. [The Ring Goes South; The Fellowship of the Ring, 294]

Well, when heads are at a loss bodies must serve, as we say in my country. The strongest of us must seek the way. [The Ring Goes South; The Fellowship of the Ring, 305]

The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears. [A Journey in the Dark; The Fellowship of the Ring, 311]

True, but where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls. [A Journey in the Dark; The Fellowship of the Ring, 311]

It's the job that's never started as takes the longest to finish. [The Mirror of Galadriel; The Fellowship of the Ring, 376]

Where there are so many, all speech becomes a debate without end. But two together may perhaps find wisdom. [The Breaking of the Fellowship; The Fellowship of the Ring, 413]

[I]t is easier to shout stop! than to do it. [Treebeard; The Two Towers, 77]

[T]hey choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying. [The White Rider; The Two Towers, 99]

For imagining war he has let loose war, believing that he has no time to waste; for he that strikes the first blow, if he strikes it hard enough, may need to strike no more. [The White Rider; The Two Towers, 101]

Yet in doubt a man of worth will trust to his own wisdom. [The King of the Golden Hall; The Two Towers, 116]

The guilty shall bring the guilty to judgement. [The King of the Golden Hall; The Two Towers, 120]

Faithful heart may have froward tongue. [The King of the Golden Hall; The Two Towers, 126]

Say also that to crooked eyes truth may wear a wry face. [The King of the Golden Hall; The Two Towers, 126]

He that flies counts every foeman twice, yet I have spoken to stoutmen, and I do not doubt that the main strength of the enemy is many times as great as all that we have here. [Helm's Deep; The Two Towers, 134]

One who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters. [Flotsam and Jetsam; The Two Towers, 169]

Nay, the guest who has escaped from the roof, will think twice before he comes back in by the door. [The Voice of Saruman; The Two Towers, 187]

Fair speech may hide a foul heart. [The Window on the West; The Two Towers, 285]

[I]t seems less evil to counsel another man to break troth than to do so oneself, especially if one sees a friend bound unwitting to his own harm. [The Forbidden Pool; The Two Towers, 301]

They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink. [Minas Tirith; The Return of the King, 33]

At the table small men may do the greater deeds, we say. [Minas Tirith; The Return of the King, 33]

Counsels may be found that are neither the webs of wizards nor the haste of fools. [The Siege of Gondor; The Return of the King, 86]

Let us remember that a traitor may betray himself and do good that he does not intend. It can be so sometimes. [The Siege of Gondor; The Return of the King, 89]

Need brooks no delay, yet late is better than never. [The Ride of the Rohirrim; The Return of the King, 111]