More than his reputation as an entertainer, though, Bob Marley inspired a worldwide following with his philosophy of life and his commitment to spreading love and peace. When he died in 1981 of melanoma, Marley left a legacy with his music and his candid, unapologetic responses to the questions of his day. He was outspoken in his religious beliefs and shared them without reserve at his concerts and other public appearances. Read on to enjoy the best Bob Marley quotes to get a more intimate look at the man and his approach to life and music.
57 of The Best Bob Marley Quotes
More than a collection of Jamaican quotes or reggae quotes, the Bob Marley sayings you’re about to enjoy represent one man’s passion and zest for life, fused with a deep love of peace and brotherhood. As much as he speaks for Jamaicans, he also speaks for the love that he believed should unite all of us.
Bob Marley Love Quotes
Enjoy this selection of Marley’s best love one another quotes, and share one with a friend or family member today.
- “Love would never leave us alone.”
- “Overcome the devils with a thing called love.”
- “If you can love the wrong person that much, imagine how much you can love the right one.”
- “Being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you.”
- “You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible.”
- “When love is real nobody can end it. Love is a key that someone has to open your heart.”
- “The winds that sometimes take something we love, are the same that bring us something we learn to love. Therefore we should not cry about something that was taken from us, but, yes, love what we have been given. Because what is really ours is never gone forever.”
- “Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more.”
- “You say you love rain, but you use an umbrella to walk under it. You say you love sun, but you seek shelter when it is shining. You say you love wind, but when it comes you close your windows. So that’s why I’m scared when you say you love me.”
- “To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in my life is to risk nothing.”
- “Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon.”
- “Don’t trust people whose feelings change with time. Trust people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes.” This may interest you: Would you like to meditate your way to health and happiness? If so, then check out my newly designed mindfulness product: “Mindful Meditators: 58 Card Prompts To Focus Your Meditation Time” Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced meditator, the Mindful Meditator Cards will enhance and reinforce your practice so that you can enjoy the proven benefits of meditation, including better health, improved focus, more creativity, and increased joy. Each of the 58 cards has a different meditation prompt topic.
- “He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.”
- “There will never be no love at all.”
Bob Marley Quotes about Peace
Read Marley’s peace quotes to get a sense of the man’s devotion not only to world peace but to true harmony in every community, every home, and every relationship. 16. “One love, one heart. Let’s get together and feel all right” 17. “The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?” 19. “If you get down and quarrel everyday, you’re saying prayers to the devil, I say.” 20. “My future is righteousness.” 21. “If you’re white and you’re wrong, then you’re wrong; if you’re black and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green – God make no rules about color; only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now.” 22. “It take many a year, mon, and maybe some bloodshed must be, but righteousness someday prevail.” 23. “Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.” 24. “We got to fight the system, because God never made no difference between black, white, blue, pink or green. People is people, y’know. That’s the message we try to spread.” 25. “Inside of yourself there is a truth, which is God. And if you’re gonna do something, then do it for the benefit of righteousness.” 26. “Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life.” 27. “Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny.” 28. “Until the philosophy which hold one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war.” 29. “Prejudice is a chain, it can hold you. If you prejudice, you can’t move, you keep prejudice for years. Never get nowhere with that.”
Famous Bob Marley Quotes
Enjoy his quotes about love and happiness and let at least one of them linger in your mind today. Put it in your own words to better understand and savor it. 30. “Man is a universe within himself.” 31. “You have to be someone.” 32. “Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” 33. “Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright.” 34. “Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful.” 35. “Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don’t give up the fight.” 36. “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.” 37. “Judge not, before you judge yourself. Judge not, if you’re not ready for judgment.” 39. “You not supposed to feel down over whatever happen to you. I mean, you’re supposed to use whatever happen to you as some type of upper, not a downer.” 40. “Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts.” 41. “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.” 42. “Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living.” 43. “The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” 44. “You just can’t live in that negative way. Make way for that positive day.” 45. “Just because you are happy, it does not mean that the day is perfect, but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.” 46. “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” 47. “You can’t find the right roads when the streets are paved.” 48. “Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.” 49. “They will always tell you that you can’t do what you want to do, but you can do what you want to do. You just have to believe in yourself. The system is to bring you down, but you can rise up.” 50. “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” 51. “You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” 52. “Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I’m not perfect — and I don’t live to be — but before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean!”
Bob Marley Quotes about Women
We saved these quotes for last, not to be provocative but to give you a glimpse of the man’s views on women, particularly those important to him. 53. “The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her.” 54. “She may not be the most popular, or prettiest, but if you love her and she makes you smile… what else matters?” 55. “If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy. If she’s easy, she won’t be amazing. If she’s worth it, you won’t give up. If you give up, you’re not worthy. … Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.” 57. “You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before, she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect – you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break – her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.”
How to Use These Inspirational Quotes by Bob Marley
Want to weave a bit of wisdom from the man, the legend, Bob Marley, into your day-to-day life? If so, we’ve got a few ideas.
Mix It Up: Are you a musician or producer? Why not incorporate one of the quotes in an original composition? Social Media: Everyone loves a good quote. So tickle your followers’ quote bones and make a graphic of your favorite sayings. Be sure to share some on Marley’s birthday, February 6th (#Aquarian4Life). Meditate With Marley: Do a music meditation session with Master Bob as your guide. If you want to go all out, hire a Jamaican on Fivvr who does voice work and get them to make a recording of all his quotes you can play while sitting for a mindfulness session. Journal It Up: A venerated Caribbean poet, Marley’s words are worth deep consideration. Spend a journaling session — or 70 — focusing on the quotes of Mr. Tuff Gong himself.
What is your favorite Bob Marley Quote?
Now that you’ve enjoyed 57 Bob Marley quotes, what do you most admire about the man who packed so much life and wisdom into his 36 years on earth? Do you have any favorite quotes that you’ll share on social media or write on your whiteboard (or bathroom mirror) at home? Bob Marley’s vision transcended his time as well as the cultures that influenced him. I hope at least one of these quotes made your day better than it was before. And may your thoughtfulness and commitment to kindness influence everything you do today.
