The Quotable Bob Marley

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the passing of Bob Marley. A Rastafari icon, and perhaps the single most influential figure in the world of reggae music, his loss it still felt to this day.

To celebrate the remarkable Mr. Marley, we’ve compiled a selection of our favorite quotes from the man himself. Some of these come from interviews, others are taken from song lyrics. All of them give you some insight into the man and some inspiration to take forward into your day. 

So, without further ado, this is the quotable Bob Marley:

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul. Wisdom is better than silver and gold.”

“Don’t trust people whose feelings change with time. Trust people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes.”

“Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen.”

“Live for yourself and you will live in vain; live for others, and you will live again.”

“Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.”

“You entertain people who are satisfied. Hungry people can’t be entertained – or people who are afraid. You can’t entertain a man who has no food.”

“I know that I’m not perfect and that I don’t claim to be, so before you point your fingers make sure your hands are clean.” 

“My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.”

“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”

“I no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated I would be a damn fool.”

“The day you stop racing is the day you win the race.”

“The devil ain’t got no power over me. The devil come, and me shake hands with the devil. Devil have his part to play. Devil’s a good friend, too… because when you don’t know him, that’s the time he can mosh you down.”

“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.”

“I have a BMW. But only because BMW stands for Bob Marley and The Wailers, and not because I need an expensive car.”

“Hey mister music, sure sounds good to me I can’t refuse it what to be got to be.”

“My music will go on forever. Maybe it’s a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever.”

“One good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

“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.”

“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.”

What’s your favorite Bob Marley moment? Do you remember the first time you heard his music? And did you ever see him perform live? As always, share your stories in the comments.