Eulogy Quotes
Eulogy Quotes
The Importance of Quotes
Giving a eulogy is such a great honor. If you have been asked to give a eulogy, chances are that you were very important to the person who has passed away. It is essential that you honor their memory, and give comfort to those they left behind, by saying the right words.
Since death is a universal theme throughout human society, there is a rich treasury of quotes that you can use to embellish your speech and convey the right feelings. Here is a collection of eulogy quotes that you can use.
Just remember, even though using quotes may help you express your feelings in a more polished way, nothing can beat a sincere and heartfelt statement about how you feel. Don't worry so much about the content of your eulogy or what you say in your card. What people appreciate most of all is hearing how you felt about the deceased and they will treasure your words of sympathy and compassion.
Besides picking the right words to say, what matters most of all is that you be there for those friends and family who are grieving the passing of their loved one. Make sure to offer your support, and mean it. Put your words into action and make sure that they know that they can count on you to help shoulder their grief.
Finding the Right Words
Finding the right words to say at a funeral or in a condolence card can be difficult. Whether you have been asked to deliver a eulogy or just want to jot down a few words in a sympathy card, here are some quotes about death and funerals that may help.
When thou art above measure angry, bethink how momentary is man's life. -- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Philosopher
I think this quote really encapsulates the importance of focusing on what matters and not on getting angry over trivial things. It is a good quote for driving home the theme of forgiveness and humility, of not letting pride get in the way of love.
I think this quote would be ideal to help heal any resentment or rift among the family, which sometimes come about when someone passes away, leaving unresolved issues.
There is no such thing as death. In nature nothing dies. From each sad remnant of decay some forms of life arise. -- Charles Mackay.
This is a somewhat optimistic quote; it speaks of rebirth and the idea that death is not the end. I think that this would be a good quote to use when you want your eulogy to emphasize the continuity of life, and perhaps speak of the good things that the deceased left behind, and what he contributed to the world or the life of his friends and family.
God's finger touched him, and he slept. -- Tennyson, In Memoriam
This quote compares death to falling asleep and also has a religious theme, suggesting that the person's passing was like being gently called back to God.
The quotation is taken from Tennyson's classic poem, In Memoriam, which is one of the finest eulogies every written.
To die completely, a person must not only forget but be forgotten, and he who is not forgotten is not dead. -- Samuel Butler
It's been said that a person is never truly dead until the last time someone mentions their name. In other words, as long as the loved one has a place in the hearts and memories of his friends and relatives, he or she will live on.
This is a good eulogy quote because it conveys the comforting thought that those who are gathered together to remember the departed person carry his or her life within them, and so in a way, even if they are not religious, they can take comfort in knowing that a piece of their loved on lives on.
It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. -- Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson, the great British diarist and compiler of the first dictionary of the English language, was known for insightful sayings and witticisms. Here he expresses the sentiment that how a man (or woman) lives is more important than the details of his death. I think this would be a good quote if you wanted to emphasize the person's life and their achievements, to take attention away from how they met their end, especially if they died prematurely (yet managed to achieve much) or tragically.
There was a time when we were not: this gives us no concern - why then should it trouble us that a time will come when we shall cease to be? -- William Hazlitt
This quotation speaks to the idea that it doesn't matter what comes after death and we cease to be. We did not experience the eternity that preceded our birth, and we should not worry about what comes afterwards.
What good can come from meeting death with tears? If a man is sorry for himself, he doubles death. -- Euripedes
This quote exhorts us to face our own death or the death of our loved ones stoically, and to not weep unnecessarily. Euripedes was an ancient Greek philosopher known for his wisdom; however his advice may be easier given than followed.
Though it is in the power of the weakest arm to take away life, it is not in the strongest to deprive us of death. -- Sir Thomas Browne (1642)
This quotation by Sir Thomas Browne reminds us that we are all mortal; and as we gather to eulogize a loved one, we should take comfort in the fact that their passing is part of the human condition.
There is no cure for death, save to enjoy the interval. -- George Santayana
This quote reflects the sentiment that we must enjoy life, even though we know that it must inevitably end. It is a good saying for a eulogy that aims to emphasize what a great life the person had.
Our fear of death is like our fear that summer will be short, but when we have had our fill of fruit, our swelter of heat, we said that we have had our day. --
The quotation from Emerson, the great American writer, expresses the fact that there is a season for everything, and although we love life just as we love summer, there comes a time when even summer must end, and in fact we will want it to.
When we lose someoe we love, our bitterest tears are called forth by the memory of hours when we loved not enough. -- Maurice Maeterlinck
This quotation reminds us that we should love our family and friends, and not lose the opportunity to express how we feel before it is too late.
In Conclusion
Eulogies are the final chapter in a person's life. They allow those gathered together to remember the person they have lost, and recount stories and memories that reveal the person's character and achievements. It is a way for people to find closure.
These quotes are meant to help you find the right words by tapping into the wisdom of writers and philosophers. You may want to weave some of these quotations into your eulogy or simply use them as themes or starting points for what you want to say. Regardless of how you choose to express yourself, remember to speak from the heart and with love.
Comments
Death quotes can be very useful at funerals. Charles Mackay's quote is very inspirational.
These were great. I laughed.... Thanks..
cheered me up immensely.
Really great quotes.
I love this one: It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. -- Samuel Johnson
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The quotes are quite good.What if we only express our inner feelings at that time.
Yeah the samual butler quotes is quite touching. The quote by Euripedes is actually quite quite harsh aswell, I do wonder what is that aim of these funeral quotes? To empathise or to terririse haha. Rob
These quotes are amazing, some profound, some causing me to smile at the sweetness of them. Very nice.
Wow...To die completely, a person must not only forget but be forgotten, and he who is not forgotten is not dead. -- Samuel Butler is the best one by far...i love it.
Tis my new fav quote!!!
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