
ProverbHuman Nature
English origin1954
Not all who wander are lost
Meaning: Those who explore unconventional paths may have a deeper sense of direction than it appears.
Who said it? J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954
Origin: From J. R. R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring (1954), in the riddle poem about Aragorn that begins "All that is gold does not glitter, / Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien was deliberately inverting the old proverb "All that glitters is not gold."
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Eres un sol You're a lovely, warm-hearted person.
- Eres más bueno que el pan You are a genuinely good, kind soul.
- Sei in gamba You're sharp, capable, and on the ball.
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