52 Best Haile Selassie Quotes From The Ethiopian Emperor

Haile Selassie introduced Ethiopia's first written constitution.

Haile Selassie redefined Ethiopian history through his political and social reforms. He was the reason for the abolition of slavery in Ethiopia.

The Rastafarians of the Rastafarian movement believed him to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Others believed he was the messiah or a prophet who came to earth to uplift black people.

If Haile Selassie's out-of-the-box thinking quotes excite you, then check out Marcus Garvey quotes and equality quotes.
 

Haile was a true devotee and Christian at heart. Many believed that "The Lion of Judah" in Genesis 49:9 of The Holy Bible refers to Emperor Haile Selassie I. But Haile Selassie always maintained that he was a mere mortal and a believer of Jesus. The quotes below reflect his thoughts on Lord Jesus.

1."No one should question the faith of others, for no human being can judge the ways of God."

-Haile Selassie.

2."Outside the kingdom of the Lord there is no nation which is greater than any other. God and history will remember your judgment."

-Haile Selassie.

3."We wish to recall here the spirit of tolerance shown by Our Lord Jesus Christ when He gave forgiveness to all including those that crucified Him."

-Haile Selassie.

4."Do not worship me, I am not God. I'm only a man. I worship Jesus Christ."

-Haile Selassie.

Because of Haile Selassie's modern outlook and international relations, Ethiopia became a charter member of the United Nations, a member of the League of Nations, and a center for the African Union. He is noted for his famous and motivating speeches.

5."That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained."

-Haile Selassie.

The above quote is from Haile Selassie's famous speech about equality.

6."True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen."

-Haile Selassie.

7."When African righteous people come together, the world will come together."

-Haile Selassie.

8."Peace is a day-to-day problem, the product of a multitude of events and judgments. Peace is not an 'is,' it is a 'becoming.'"

-Haile Selassie.

9."A people without a nation they can really call their own is a people without a soul."

-Haile Selassie.

10."Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph."

-Haile Selassie.

11."Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it."

-Haile Selassie.

12."A man who says 'I have learned enough and will learn no further' should be considered as knowing nothing at all."

-Haile Selassie.

13."Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."

-Haile Selassie.

14."The Ethiopian government's use of the railway from Djibouti to Addis Ababa was, in practice, a hazardous regards transport of arms intended for the Ethiopian forces."

-Haile Selassie.

15."As the essence of our existence it embodies our culture, true identity, nationhood and destiny."

-Haile Selassie.

16."If you are open-minded and ready to learn, there are many things which you can learn not only from books and instructors but from the very life experience itself."

-Haile Selassie.

17."It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked."

-Haile Selassie.

18."Peace demands the united efforts of us all. Who can foresee what spark might ignite the fuse?"

-Haile Selassie.

19."Many discouraging hours will arise before the rainbow of accomplished goals will appear on the horizon."

-Haile Selassie.

20."Africa's mineral wealth is great; we should co-operate in its development."

-Haile Selassie.

21."Let us set our goals too high; let us demand more of ourselves than we believe we possess."

-Haile Selassie.

22."We have finished the job, what shall we do with the tools?"

-Haile Selassie.

23."Knowledge is power. If it is not applied properly to create, let there be no doubts, it will destroy."

-Haile Selassie.

24."An awareness of our past is essential to the establishment of our personality and our identity as Africans."

-Haile Selassie.

25."I have lived too long to cherish many illusions about the essential high-mindedness of men when brought into stark confrontation with the issue of control over their security, and their property interests."

-Haile Selassie.

26."We should accept diversity in culture and tradition and coexist peacefully."

-Haile Selassie.

27."This world was not created piecemeal. Africa was born no later and no earlier than any other geographical area on this globe."

-Haile Selassie.

28."Africans, no more and no less than other men, possess all human attributes, talents and deficiencies, virtues and faults."

-Haile Selassie.

29."The fruits of one’s sweat and mental labour are always rewarding."

-Haile Selassie.

30."Thousands of years ago, civilizations flourished in Africa which suffer not at all by comparison with those of other continents. In those centuries, Africans were politically free and economically independent. Their social patterns were their own and their cultures truly indigenous."

-Haile Selassie.

As an Emperor, Haile Selassie held very progressive views. He was the first Ethiopian emperor ever to travel abroad. You can understand his modern views by going through the quotes listed below.

31."It is us today. It will be you tomorrow."

-Haile Selassie.

32."Leadership does not mean domination. The world is always well supplied with people who wish to rule and dominate others."

-Haile Selassie.

33."The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective activity which has a truly beneficient purpose. He inspires others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great aspirations."

-Haile Selassie.

34."Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

-Haile Selassie.

35."Imagination, devotion, perseverance, together with divine grace, will assure your success."

-Haile Selassie.

36."The United Nations continues to sense as the forum where nations whose interests clash may lay their cases before world opinion."

-Haile Selassie.

37."In the history of the human race, those periods which later appeared as great have been the periods when the men and the women belonging to them had transcended the differences that divided them and had recognized in their membership in the human race a common bond."

-Haile Selassie.

38."Here is our opportunity and our challenge. If the nuclear powers are prepared to declare a truce, let us seize the moment to strengthen the institutions and procedures which will serve as the means for the pacific settlement of disputes among men."

-Haile Selassie.

39."As man's faculty attains higher level of development and sophistication, so do his wants in life."

-Haile Selassie.

40."The Charter of the United Nations expresses the noblest aspirations of man."

-Haile Selassie.

41."It is not only war that can stop war but men of goodwill, conscious of their mission can deal with such deadly enemy."

-Haile Selassie.

42."Mahatma Gandhi will always be remembered as long as free men and those who love freedom and justice live."

-Haile Selassie.

43."You must always remember that to lead, one must first learn to follow…"

-Haile Selassie.

44."Observe that anyone who dies for his country is a fortunate man, but death takes what it wants, indiscriminately, in peace-time as well as in war."

-Haile Selassie.

45."It is better to die with freedom than without it."

-Haile Selassie.

46."As is commonly said, 'to start anything is simple; to develop it and bring it to a successful culmination takes great effort.'"

-Haile Selassie.

47."The temple of the most high begins with the human body, which houses our life, essence of our existence."

-Haile Selassie.

Haile Selassie was highly spiritual. His spiritual beliefs made him look at life from a different angle. Some quotes which show his opinions on spirituality are listed below.

48."There is nothing as precious to man as a sound mind in a sound body and it is essential that the physical well being of our people merits as much attention as its spiritual welfare."

-Haile Selassie.

49."Spirituality is not theology or ideology. It is simple a way of life, pure and original as was given by the most high."

-Haile Selassie.

50."In the mystic traditions of the different religions we have a remarkable unity of spirit. Whatever religion they may profess, they are spiritual kinsmen."

-Haile Selassie.

51."Spiritual power is the eternal guide, in this life and the life after, for man ranks supreme among all creatures.

-Haile Selassie.

52."Led forward by spiritual power, man can reach the summit destined for him by the Great Creator."

-Haile Selassie.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Haile Selassie quotes, then why not take a look at Augustus Caesar quotes or [black history inspirational quotes].